5 Service and Repair Tips for Extending a Pumps Life Cycle

The saying ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ certainly applies in the case of centrifugal, chemical and borehole pumps. Even a small unnoticed leak or vibration can cause costly repairs down the track and shorten the pump’s performance. Here are five ways to ensure you are optimising the life cycle of your system.

1. Schedule regular maintenance

The simplest tip of all is to arrange periodic maintenance services for your pumps with a specialist team such as Malcolm Thompson Pumps. This means you can set and forget the task while knowing that your pump is operating at peak performance. Any problems will be identified before they escalate to larger repairs, plus any savings in operating costs can quickly cover the service fee.

2. Stock main spare parts for remote sites

The last thing you need in a remote location is having the entire site on shutdown because you need to wait for a replacement seal or part to be delivered. If your pump system is critical for your day-to-day operations and your site is a long distance from your supplier, consider keeping spares of the most common products at hand.

3. Perform Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis

Making the right equipment or control system changes at the right time can improve energy consumption by anywhere from 30 to 50%. The following formula is typically calculated over 10 years and used to assess the lifetime costs of a pump system and when is best to upgrade:

LCC = Cic + Cin + Ce + Co + Cm + Cs + Cenv + Cd
Where:
Cic = the initial purchase cost of the system
Cin = the cost of installation and commissioning
Ce = energy costs
Co = operating costs
Cm = maintenance costs
Cs = downtime costs
Cenv = environmental costs
Cd = the cost of decommissioning and disposal

4. Choose quality seals and bearings

Even one low quality seal can lead to contamination in your bearings, pressure leakages or a reduction in lubrication within the system. Pay attention to the quality and cleanliness of seals and bearings to ensure pressure and power consumption are correctly maintained.

5. Keep a maintenance and repair record

Just as with a vehicle, keeping a detailed record of a pump’s service and repair history can help to maximise its lifetime of performance and minimise any unnecessary costs. If you’re working with our regular maintenance service, you’ll be provided with documentation of each site visit.

For reliable pump service and repair, free call 1800 439 607 to find your local Malcolm Thompson Pumps branch.