Purchasing a new irrigation pump is an investment. And just like any other investment, it’s important to protect it against possible damage or loss. When a customer spends money to have their pump installed, they expect it to perform reliably, season after season.
The two most common causes of premature death of irrigation pumps—run-dry and dead-head—are preventable.
Run-dry is when the pump runs without water coming into the suction side. Common causes of run-dry include:
- A clogged suction line due to debris buildup on the intake filter.
- Loss of pump prime due to an air or water leak.
- The water source itself is empty.
Without water, the pump will burn up seals and/or the motor in just a few minutes, resulting in permanent damage that requires a full pump replacement.
Dead-head is when the pump is operating, but water doesn’t flow to the sprinklers. Dead-head commonly occurs when one or more valves isn’t open due to mechanical failure in an electric valve, a controller programming error, or a manual isolation valve is left closed.
Symptoms of deadhead include an unusually hot pump case resulting from internal friction caused by the spinning impeller. The super-heated case water leaves both the pump and the pipework—including pipelines, valves, and fittings—vulnerable to expansion or failure. A deadheading pump destroys itself and much of the connecting piping, too.
Pump Protection—What it Is, What it Does
To prevent customers’ pumps from destructing, select a pump control (pump relay) with pump protection. Munro’s SmartBox offers pump start and pump protection in one, at only a small additional cost. It includes pressure and temperature sensors that monitor the pump’s performance, proactively shutting the pump down in run-dry and dead head.
Including a SmartBox is a simple and efficient way to provide protection against premature death of a pump. It could ultimately prevent plant loss and large, unexpected repair bills for your client, and enhance your reputation as a professional.
We recommend installing the SmartBox proactively on all new systems and offering it at pump replacement, when the customer is motivated to avoid a repeat repair.
Need Help Choosing a Pump or Controller, or Troubleshooting? Lean on Ewing
Ewing’s Pump Hotline offers professional customers assistance with pump selection, pump control selection or pump troubleshooting. If you’re facing a pump-related challenge, call us at (844) PUMP-PRO or email us at info@ewingpumppro.com.
