Ran a dredge pump dry for 10 seconds and learned a $4,000 lesson

I was working a job near Mobile last month and got distracted talking to the foreman. Let the pump run dry for maybe 10 seconds before I noticed. Seemed fine at first but next morning the packing box was dripping and the sleeve had scored. A rebuild kit ran me $400 plus I lost two days of production. Now I set a phone timer every time I start up and keep a pressure gauge right in my line of sight. Has anyone else had a close call like that with a pump going dry?

2 comments

2 Comments

karen41019d ago

That "$4,000 lesson" line hit home. I cooked a seal on a small centrifugal pump by letting it run dry for maybe 15 seconds while I was checking a valve. Cost me $800 for the repair plus a whole shift of downtime. Now I always carry a spare mechanical seal in my truck.

cameron42619d ago

Yo @karen410, do you keep the spare seal in a ziplock or something to keep it clean? That's a smart move though, I've been burned by the same thing. Running a pump dry even for a few seconds is like asking for trouble, especially with those high temp fluids. I've learned to always do a quick prime check before starting anything, saves so much headache and cash. Your "$800 lesson" is still cheaper than mine, but it's all painful either way.