Orca/dart NW problems

[enderg60]

I just finished making a custom cone skimmer with a dart NW and the pump seems to be over heating after a few hours of running. I contacted Reeflo and they said its a common problem which is caused by the wrong amount of airflow to the pump. Thats all I was able to get out of them.

Does anyone know anything about this issue? I have a 40 LPM air pump on it and I have tried to valve it down but the pump keeps overheating. Im not sure if I need more air or less.

I also heard that if I convert the pump to a baldor motor it would fix this issue. But I would have to basically rebuild part of the skimmer to do this since some of the piping is pretty close to the motor as is.

 

[grouper therapy]

Sounds like cavitation to me.

Edit: Does it need the air pump for the head pressure you have?

 

[enderg60]

Yeah just barely. Max head is 36" for it to pull air on its own, Im at 42"

 

[grouper therapy]

Did you try it with out the pump?

 

[enderg60]

yeah it doesnt draw air and still overheats.

I just put a fan on it to see what it does.

 

[enderg60]

well looks like having a fan on it will keep it running. guess I will just replace the bearings and see if that does it.

 

[purplegorilla]

I haven't look at mine but most pumps have a fan in the back. If you remove the screen you can see it.

 

[enderg60]

it does, its just not doing enough apparently. Im guessing the old bearings are causing too much friction since they are making some noise anyway. A new set of seals and bearings is only $50 from reeflo so ill rebuild it and see if that does the trick before I replace the pump.

Worst case I get a baldor motor dart and swap the impellers, sell this one as a rebuilt dart and have to rebuild part of the skimmer.

Sucks but this is what happens with used parts and DIY sometimes.

 

[ripped tide]

Pics of skimmer???

 

[enderg60]

behold FRANKENSKIMMER!

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[enderg60]

welp replaced the bearings and seals on the pump and its much quieter now but it still shuts off without the fan.

Seems to run fine with the fan on it so Ill just leave it on there for a while till I get this figured out.