Little giant pumps - reputation

[Pszemol]

I just looked at my new pump more closely (3-MDQ-SC)
and I noticed two oil holes... Found in the "manual"
that I need to drop some oil every 6 months to keep
it going... Is it normal for all other pumps of that
type or this one is unusual and archaic?
What are advantages/disadvantages of operating pumps
with required lubrication and without them beside
the obvious minimal labor required to remember about it?

[Richard Reynolds]

> I just looked at my new pump more closely (3-MDQ-SC)
> and I noticed two oil holes... Found in the "manual"
> that I need to drop some oil every 6 months to keep
> it going... Is it normal for all other pumps of that
> type or this one is unusual and archaic?

most pumps with seperate dry/wet ends require some oiling


> What are advantages/disadvantages of operating pumps
> with required lubrication and without them beside
> the obvious minimal labor required to remember about it?

generally the 6 months does have some slack, but if the bearings run dry the pump will
fail. some advantages is the posibility of a pump that wont add heat to the water, and
increased MTBF


--
Richard Reynolds

[Mort]

FWIW, I have 2 little giants and they both need to be oiled every 6 months.

~Mort



"Pszemol" > wrote in message
...
> I just looked at my new pump more closely (3-MDQ-SC)
> and I noticed two oil holes... Found in the "manual"
> that I need to drop some oil every 6 months to keep
> it going... Is it normal for all other pumps of that
> type or this one is unusual and archaic?
> What are advantages/disadvantages of operating pumps
> with required lubrication and without them beside
> the obvious minimal labor required to remember about it?

[John Lange]

I have 3 and NO OIL required. Mine are commercial pumps, might make a
difference.

JOhn ><>

"Mort" > wrote in message
y.com...
> FWIW, I have 2 little giants and they both need to be oiled every 6
months.
>
> ~Mort
>
>
>
> "Pszemol" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I just looked at my new pump more closely (3-MDQ-SC)
> > and I noticed two oil holes... Found in the "manual"
> > that I need to drop some oil every 6 months to keep
> > it going... Is it normal for all other pumps of that
> > type or this one is unusual and archaic?
> > What are advantages/disadvantages of operating pumps
> > with required lubrication and without them beside
> > the obvious minimal labor required to remember about it?
>
>

[Pszemol]

"John Lange" > wrote in message
t...
> I have 3 and NO OIL required.
> Mine are commercial pumps, might make a difference.

Are you talking about "Little Giant" brand? What models?
And how are they lubricated if no oil addition is required?

[Richard Reynolds]

> Are you talking about "Little Giant" brand? What models?
> And how are they lubricated if no oil addition is required?

I dont have his pump.

but

some do use sealed bearings which are packed in greese instead of oil, and wont require
additional oilings under normal load, and care. those bearings also cost much more.

--
Richard Reynolds

[Pszemol]

"Mort" > wrote in message y.com...
> FWIW, I have 2 little giants and they both need to be oiled every 6 months.

OK, I did a test run today - hooked up my new 3-MDQ pump to the sump
and pumped water in the open loop for an hour or two to try it out...
I hang the output hose up high to simulate my fish tank setup and
the water was falling back to the sump to be pumped up again and again.
I have measured the pump consumes 85W when the flow is not restricted
and the consumption lowers to 55W when the valve on the output is closed.

I have two concerns:
1. The pump is loud. I have no ways to measure decibels but it is
much louder than any pumps I have heard before at other setups my
friends tanks. It looks, it is louder than even much stronger Iwakis.

2. The pump runs very hot. When I touched it after an hour or two of
running I could not hold my fingers on the engine case, it almost
burned my skin. Is it normal or do I have a defective pump?

This is my first sump setup so maybe I do not know what is normal
and what is not... But it does not looks very good and I am a little
bit disappointed with this purchase.

[Mort]

Pszemol, maybe you should stop by my work and check out my LG pumps for
comparison. (Bridgeview)

~Mort


"Pszemol" > wrote in message
...
> "Mort" > wrote in message
y.com...
> > FWIW, I have 2 little giants and they both need to be oiled every 6
months.
>
> OK, I did a test run today - hooked up my new 3-MDQ pump to the sump
> and pumped water in the open loop for an hour or two to try it out...
> I hang the output hose up high to simulate my fish tank setup and
> the water was falling back to the sump to be pumped up again and again.
> I have measured the pump consumes 85W when the flow is not restricted
> and the consumption lowers to 55W when the valve on the output is closed.
>
> I have two concerns:
> 1. The pump is loud. I have no ways to measure decibels but it is
> much louder than any pumps I have heard before at other setups my
> friends tanks. It looks, it is louder than even much stronger Iwakis.
>
> 2. The pump runs very hot. When I touched it after an hour or two of
> running I could not hold my fingers on the engine case, it almost
> burned my skin. Is it normal or do I have a defective pump?
>
> This is my first sump setup so maybe I do not know what is normal
> and what is not... But it does not looks very good and I am a little
> bit disappointed with this purchase.
>

[Jerry]

My first pump was a little giant. It was so loud I had to change it out. I
now use it for my top off system so it runs only about 5 seconds a day. this
pump has been in use for over a year and I have never oiled it.
"Pszemol" > wrote in message
...
> "Mort" > wrote in message
y.com...
> > FWIW, I have 2 little giants and they both need to be oiled every 6
months.
>
> OK, I did a test run today - hooked up my new 3-MDQ pump to the sump
> and pumped water in the open loop for an hour or two to try it out...
> I hang the output hose up high to simulate my fish tank setup and
> the water was falling back to the sump to be pumped up again and again.
> I have measured the pump consumes 85W when the flow is not restricted
> and the consumption lowers to 55W when the valve on the output is closed.
>
> I have two concerns:
> 1. The pump is loud. I have no ways to measure decibels but it is
> much louder than any pumps I have heard before at other setups my
> friends tanks. It looks, it is louder than even much stronger Iwakis.
>
> 2. The pump runs very hot. When I touched it after an hour or two of
> running I could not hold my fingers on the engine case, it almost
> burned my skin. Is it normal or do I have a defective pump?
>
> This is my first sump setup so maybe I do not know what is normal
> and what is not... But it does not looks very good and I am a little
> bit disappointed with this purchase.

[Pszemol]

It sound like a good idea - I will maybe give you a call some day.
Thanks.

"Mort" > wrote in message y.com...
> Pszemol, maybe you should stop by my work and check out my LG pumps for
> comparison. (Bridgeview)
>
> ~Mort
>
>
> "Pszemol" > wrote in message
> ...
> > "Mort" > wrote in message
> y.com...
> > > FWIW, I have 2 little giants and they both need to be oiled every 6
> months.
> >
> > OK, I did a test run today - hooked up my new 3-MDQ pump to the sump
> > and pumped water in the open loop for an hour or two to try it out...
> > I hang the output hose up high to simulate my fish tank setup and
> > the water was falling back to the sump to be pumped up again and again.
> > I have measured the pump consumes 85W when the flow is not restricted
> > and the consumption lowers to 55W when the valve on the output is closed.
> >
> > I have two concerns:
> > 1. The pump is loud. I have no ways to measure decibels but it is
> > much louder than any pumps I have heard before at other setups my
> > friends tanks. It looks, it is louder than even much stronger Iwakis.
> >
> > 2. The pump runs very hot. When I touched it after an hour or two of
> > running I could not hold my fingers on the engine case, it almost
> > burned my skin. Is it normal or do I have a defective pump?
> >
> > This is my first sump setup so maybe I do not know what is normal
> > and what is not... But it does not looks very good and I am a little
> > bit disappointed with this purchase.
> >
>
>