Start With Safety
Before opening a strainer, changing a valve, or working near moving equipment, follow lockout and shutdown procedures. Never remove a pump lid or loosen a fitting under pressure. Operators should perform the checks within their training and escalate electrical, combustion, and mechanical repairs to qualified professionals.
Common Clues
- Loss of prime: check water level, strainer lid seal, suction valves, and visible air entering the system.
- Low flow: inspect baskets, valves, filters, blocked lines, and pressure readings.
- Noise or vibration: look for cavitation, a damaged bearing, loose mounting, or an obstruction.
- Overheating: verify ventilation and electrical conditions, then stop the pump if the problem persists.
Use Readings, Not Guesswork
Compare suction and return pressure, flow, temperature, and sound with the system's normal baseline. A pump may be working hard because the filter is dirty, because a valve is wrong, or because the pump is mismatched to the system. Correcting the symptom without finding the restriction can cause a repeat failure.
Record the condition, time, readings, and action. A concise history gives the technician useful evidence and helps prevent another avoidable shutdown.