Pond Pump loses its prime in an hour.. each time? see end. I did see a leak in the seal but why would it run in the first place?

Please help. I have had major issues with my pond. I thought i fixed
it by replacing a check valve that had a fish caught in it. But now
once i am able to prime the pump it turns off and loses its prime
after 1-3 hours.. I then have to fill the pump with water, shut off
all lines to build pressure and open the lines fast... then, same
thing.. you hear some gurgling and it shuts down.. My pump is 5-6
years old and has run dry many times. tried replacing the seal a year
or two ago.. Can it be that the pump is just in bad shape (i bought a
1hp replacement anyway, since it was never fast enough)? I dont think
we have any air coming in from the new check valve.. even if we did,
as long as the pond continued to run, would this air really cause the
pump to lose its prime?

oh yeah. When i turned on the pond and shut off ALL outlet valves to
build pressure, water started to stream out in a fine jet from the
pump seal.. does that make it conclusive that i need a new seal or
pump?

many thanks for anyone who can help!!!!

I think you just answered your own question.


Joe

On 4/18/04 9:54 AM, "Neil" wrote:

oh yeah. When i turned on the pond and shut off ALL outlet valves to
build pressure, water started to stream out in a fine jet from the
pump seal.. does that make it conclusive that i need a new seal or
pump?



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I think you just answered your own question.


Joe

On 4/18/04 9:54 AM, "Neil" wrote:

oh yeah. When i turned on the pond and shut off ALL outlet valves to
build pressure, water started to stream out in a fine jet from the
pump seal.. does that make it conclusive that i need a new seal or
pump?



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

"Neil" wrote in message
om...
Please help. I have had major issues with my pond. I thought i fixed
it by replacing a check valve that had a fish caught in it. But now
once i am able to prime the pump it turns off and loses its prime
after 1-3 hours.. I then have to fill the pump with water, shut off
all lines to build pressure and open the lines fast... then, same
thing.. you hear some gurgling and it shuts down.. My pump is 5-6
years old and has run dry many times. tried replacing the seal a year
or two ago.. Can it be that the pump is just in bad shape (i bought a
1hp replacement anyway, since it was never fast enough)? I dont think
we have any air coming in from the new check valve.. even if we did,
as long as the pond continued to run, would this air really cause the
pump to lose its prime?

oh yeah. When i turned on the pond and shut off ALL outlet valves to
build pressure, water started to stream out in a fine jet from the
pump seal.. does that make it conclusive that i need a new seal or
pump?

many thanks for anyone who can help!!!!

Yep.
You don't say anything about make or model so trying to advise on
replace/repair is a problem.
You say that the pump has run dry a few times, so replacing the seal may not
help as the shaft may have been scored or worn. If the shaft is scored then
replacement is probably your only choice.

ANO

"Neil" wrote in message
om...
Please help. I have had major issues with my pond. I thought i fixed
it by replacing a check valve that had a fish caught in it. But now
once i am able to prime the pump it turns off and loses its prime
after 1-3 hours.. I then have to fill the pump with water, shut off
all lines to build pressure and open the lines fast... then, same
thing.. you hear some gurgling and it shuts down.. My pump is 5-6
years old and has run dry many times. tried replacing the seal a year
or two ago.. Can it be that the pump is just in bad shape (i bought a
1hp replacement anyway, since it was never fast enough)? I dont think
we have any air coming in from the new check valve.. even if we did,
as long as the pond continued to run, would this air really cause the
pump to lose its prime?

oh yeah. When i turned on the pond and shut off ALL outlet valves to
build pressure, water started to stream out in a fine jet from the
pump seal.. does that make it conclusive that i need a new seal or
pump?

many thanks for anyone who can help!!!!

Yep.
You don't say anything about make or model so trying to advise on
replace/repair is a problem.
You say that the pump has run dry a few times, so replacing the seal may not
help as the shaft may have been scored or worn. If the shaft is scored then
replacement is probably your only choice.

ANO

Ok. So you just answered my question. i dont quite get the physics
yet. I thought that the seal would affect the pump from building
pressure. since i had pressure, i didnt know that air could escape in?
Turns out that perhaps that caused my initital pump
outage/frezzing.. THEN the freezing water put a small crack in my
pump. I followed some suggestions from this group and heard some
gurgling under the pump. go figure. ok. new one ought to solve it...
can air though coming anywhere in the intake line cause the pump to
lose its prime. i think i have always had small leaks, but didnt
bother to fix them?


joe wrote in message ...
I think you just answered your own question.


Joe

On 4/18/04 9:54 AM, "Neil" wrote:

oh yeah. When i turned on the pond and shut off ALL outlet valves to
build pressure, water started to stream out in a fine jet from the
pump seal.. does that make it conclusive that i need a new seal or
pump?



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

Ok. So you just answered my question. i dont quite get the physics
yet. I thought that the seal would affect the pump from building
pressure. since i had pressure, i didnt know that air could escape in?
Turns out that perhaps that caused my initital pump
outage/frezzing.. THEN the freezing water put a small crack in my
pump. I followed some suggestions from this group and heard some
gurgling under the pump. go figure. ok. new one ought to solve it...
can air though coming anywhere in the intake line cause the pump to
lose its prime. i think i have always had small leaks, but didnt
bother to fix them?


joe wrote in message ...
I think you just answered your own question.


Joe

On 4/18/04 9:54 AM, "Neil" wrote:

oh yeah. When i turned on the pond and shut off ALL outlet valves to
build pressure, water started to stream out in a fine jet from the
pump seal.. does that make it conclusive that i need a new seal or
pump?



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

"Neil" wrote in message
om...
Ok. So you just answered my question. i dont quite get the physics
yet. I thought that the seal would affect the pump from building
{}
gurgling under the pump. go figure. ok. new one ought to solve it...
can air though coming anywhere in the intake line cause the pump to
lose its prime. i think i have always had small leaks, but didnt
bother to fix them?

Depending upon its size, any leak on the suction/intake side of the pump can
cause the pump to lose suction and hence priming.
you say that the pump froze and that this cracked the pump casing, where is
the crack? if it on the intake side then this is probably the cause of your
problem. While a bad shaft seal can cause a lose of suction/priming,
particularly when the pump is stopped, a crack in the casing is a much
better candidate.

"Neil" wrote in message
om...
Ok. So you just answered my question. i dont quite get the physics
yet. I thought that the seal would affect the pump from building
{}
gurgling under the pump. go figure. ok. new one ought to solve it...
can air though coming anywhere in the intake line cause the pump to
lose its prime. i think i have always had small leaks, but didnt
bother to fix them?

Depending upon its size, any leak on the suction/intake side of the pump can
cause the pump to lose suction and hence priming.
you say that the pump froze and that this cracked the pump casing, where is
the crack? if it on the intake side then this is probably the cause of your
problem. While a bad shaft seal can cause a lose of suction/priming,
particularly when the pump is stopped, a crack in the casing is a much
better candidate.

Thanks, all!! yes, the crack is in the skimming basket area (hence
intake).. and the seal is bad. even when i replaced it, it never had
the smae original pressure. so, i just bought a new one. many thanks!!