MECHANICAL SEALS OR PACKING? There is an upside to change from packing to mechanical seals, however not all conditions favor seals, so a good general knowledge about sealing systems is important in the decision process. In order to understand why pumps need to be sealed, we need to go back to some pumping basics and [...]
What Is The Difference Between Single and Dual Mechanical Seals? Single Cartridge Seal - AST What Is A Single Mechanical Seal? A single mechanical seal consists of two very flat seal faces that are forced together by a spring and slide against one another. Between these two faces is a thin fluid film [...]
Summer Safety Tips When temperatures get this hot in Boise and surrounding Treasure Valley, it's always a good idea to review some summer safety precautions. Wear clothes that are suitable for your work. Working without a shirt on can be dangerous. For work involving any grinding, welding, machining, or other similar tasks, we recommend wearing [...]
Do You Need Your Dual Cartridge Seal Designed to Run Cooler? Check Out AST's dual cartridge seal - designed to run cooler by using a double balanced seal to withstand pressure reversals and surges. Other advantages of using AST's Dual Cartridge Seal include: Field Rebuildable - No more waiting for seal repairs, and no more [...]
Factors Involved In Determining Pump Performance When working with pumps, you are sure to encounter instances where the pump curve is referenced along with a number of parameters associated with it. A key parameter of the pump curve is the Best Efficiency Point (BEP). For electric motors, efficiency varies with the load, the best [...]
Changes in motor / system vibration readings provide the best early warning of developing problems in the motor or system component. Other parameters to monitor may include the operating temperature of critical components, mechanical tolerances, and overall system performance including outputs like flow rate, tonnage, and volume. To avoid premature electric motor repairs, keep motor baseline [...]
Priest Electric is an electric motor repair shop that understands the importance and methods of preventative maintenance, but we don't stop there. When it comes to helping our clients extend the operating life of their electric motors, we provide additional strategies commonly described as Predictive Maintenance, and Reliability Based Maintenance. In this article we'll discuss those strategies, [...]
Knowing how to read the information on a motor nameplate will allow you to identify performance characteristics and applications of a motor, as well as potentially solve unexpected performance issues. NEMA requires the following information on a nameplate (although more info may be included) Frame Designation (FR) - this is typically a two or three [...]
We've done several important articles about bearing lubrication (see them here and here). It is an important issue, because faulty bearings are the cause of the majority the electric motor failures that come into our shop for repair. Lubricants are critical because they: Reduce wear Prevent corrosion Reduce heat Prevent contaminants To keep electric motors running [...]
Many of the pump failures we see on a daily basis are caused due to an issue with a mechanical seal or bearing. The lifespan of seals and bearings will be dramatically reduced when shafts are misaligned or excess vibration is present. A sometimes overlooked cause of misalignment or vibration is due to the failure [...]
