HOW DO I INCREASE THE WATER PRESSURE IN MY HOUSE
The first step would be to make sure all the valves in your home are wide open, including the main water valve coming off the main line supplying your home.
The second step is to should look for blocked aerators which is the piece at the end of the faucet where the water comes out. Small bits of debris that get in the water lines can clog the aerators giving you low pressure. Scale lime and rust can also contribute to this. You can clean them or replace them at a minimal cost.
Once all of these steps have been taken and you are still not receiving the pressure you require, you can fit a booster pump inline. This will boost your pressure when the tap is opened. If you have any further queries about selecting a booster pump for your application, send us an e-mail at sales@afripumps.co.za or give us a call on 011 465-3240.
HOW DO I PREVENT MY PUMP FROM CAVITATION
Cavitation is the formation and implosion of bubbles inside the pump head. Not only does it sound like stones are being sucked into your pump but the tiny bubbles can result in thousands of rands in repairs due to pitting on the impeller and casing, or collateral damage from the vibration of the pump. The pump’s efficiencies plummet, and head pressures decrease, resulting in an overall poor pump performance.
A properly designed system will prevent Cavitation from occurring and extend the life of your pump.
TIPS TO REMEMBER!
Try to minimize the friction on the inlet of the pump by increasing the pipesize (usually one size higher than the pump inlet) and then reducing at the pump.
Try to avoid 90 Degree elbows, if your application doesn’t allow for it then fit a 45 Degree elbow instead. This should assist with any air bubbles.
A flooded suction is always advisable. If this is not possible then fit a Non-Return valve on the inlet of your pump. This will keep the pump primed at all times. If you have any further queries about selecting a booster pump for your application, send us an e-mail at sales@afripumps.co.za or give us a call on 011 465-3240.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BARESHAFT STAINLESS STEEL PUMPS & CAST IRON SELF-PRIMING BARESHAFT PUMPS
CAST IRON SELF-PRIMING BARESHAFT PUMPS
A self-priming bareshaft pump differs to other pumps in its ability to keep operating even after being exposed to air. So, where most other pumps simply shut down and need to be manually restored after having air enter their system, a self-priming bareshaft pump has the ability to automatically expel the air from its system with no external help, allowing these pumps to remain operational for much longer periods of time.
In terms of the material used, pumps made of cast iron afford better protection in the face of external knocks and bumps meaning that this should be your pump of choice if your system is set to be installed in a rough environment.
BARESHAFT STAINLESS STEEL PUMPS
Bareshaft pumps made of stainless steel are also extremely effective devices and are guaranteed to do a solid job within your pumping system. Stainless steel bareshaft pumps have the advantage over their cast iron alternative due to their anti-rust nature, however, they are less physically durable and are thus better suited to systems installed in a more controlled environment.
Both sets of bareshaft pumps are capable of doing a stellar job in any setting, however, it may be worth assessing the nature of the environment in which you wish to install your pumping system and then choosing your bareshaft pump accordingly.
BOOSTER SYSTEMS – A FAST SOLUTION FOR WEAK WATER PRESSURE
Have you ever turned on a tap in your home or business, only to be disappointed by the weak trickle of water that comes out? Low water pressure is probably to blame.
Weak water pressure wastes time and causes inconvenience in homes across South Africa, from baths that take ages to fill to hosepipes that just don’t produce enough pressure to water the garden properly.
Fortunately, there is a solution – water booster systems can increase pressure throughout your home, supplying your taps with reliable water flow.
How water booster systems work
Most booster systems use centrifugal water pumps to increase water flow in your water pipes. This type of pump contains spinning blades that look a bit like boat paddles. As they spin, water passes close to them and flies out the other side of the pump like rain water shoots off the moving tyres of a car on the road.
By using a booster system, a home with low water pressure can speed up the flow of water in its pipes so that more water reaches each tap – this results in better water pressure, faster fill times for baths and sinks, and satisfying showers.
BOREHOLE MOTORS
Even with the prevailing drought in South Africa, water can be accessed if certain conditions prevail. At a varying depth, below the ground surface, a water table exists. If the soil content is both porous and permeable, it is capable of being saturated with water collected from rains that have fallen in the past. The upper surface of this area of saturation is the water table and the saturated zone underneath the water table is called an aquifer, and aquifers can be vast storehouses of water.
The question is – how can you retrieve this water?
The simple answer is to drill a borehole into the water storage area and pump the water to the surface. To be successful, boreholes must be powered by reliable borehole pumps & motors.
CIRCULATOR PUMPS
A circulator pump is a specific type of pump used to circulate gases, liquids or slurries in a closed circuit. They are commonly found circulating water in a hydronic heating or cooling system. Due to the fact that they only circulate liquid within a closed circuit, they need only overcome the friction of a piping system, as opposed to lifting a fluid from a point of lower potential energy to a point of higher potential energy.
Circular pumps used in hydronic systems are usually electrically powered centrifugal pumps. As used in homes, they are often small, sealed and rated at a fraction of horsepower, but in commercial applications they range in size up to many horsepower. The electric motor is usually separated from the pump body by some form of mechanical coupling.
Pumps that are used solely for closed hydronic systems can be made with cast iron components, as the water in the loop will either become de-oxygenated or be treated with chemicals to inhibit corrosion, but pumps that have a steady stream of oxygenated, potable water flowing through them must be made of more expensive materials such as bronze.
Afripumps have made a promise that if we do not have the specific product you are looking for, we will source it. We use brands which you can trust and we will always offer the best advice in the business, so do not hesitate to browse and then contact us.
FOUNTAIN PUMPS
Decorative fountains can transform outdoor areas and add the finishing touch to fish ponds and designer swimming pools – and every good fountain needs a reliable pump to keep its water flowing.
How fountain pumps work
Fountain pumps are installed inside ponds and pools and always remain submerged under water. A fountain pump’s unique design allows it to pump water from the surrounding water through a small propellor (called an impeller), creating a constant flow of water that creates a fountain effect.
There are several advantages to using a fountain pump. These include:
- Low maintenance costs – there are few moving parts and the pump doesn’t require a lot of scheduled maintenance.
- Saving water – fountain pumps re-circulate the water found in pools and ponds, with water only being lost to evaporation.
- 24 hour running times – fountain pumps can be run the entire day if necessary. However, it’s a good energy-saving idea to switch off the pump when the water feature is not in use.
The most important rule of fountain pump maintenance is to never let the pump be operated outside of water. Fountain pumps are designed to be submerged at all times and cannot function in dry air.
HOW DO GEAR PUMPS WORK?
A gear pump transports fluid through the movement of two gears that spin in opposite directions (in an external gear pump) or in the same direction (in an internal gear pump). This creates a vacuum effect and draws fluid into the inlet area of the pump, while the motion of the gears pushes the liquid toward the outlet side.
The clearance (space between the teeth of both gears) is very small, preventing liquid from flowing backward toward the inlet side, ensuring a constant flow of liquid. This is essential when hard-to-move viscous liquids are involved, as it prevents back-flow and delivers the liquid to its destination.
THE ADVANTAGES OF USING A GEAR PUMP
- Ability to move dense liquids – gear pumps are able to pump petroleum, sludge, and other liquids that are slow-moving and dense
- Hard-wearing parts for easy maintenance – gear pumps are made from a few simple but tough components, making them easy to maintain
- A range of liquids (of different viscosities) can be pumped using gear pumps, as long as they are not abrasive. Abrasive liquids may damage the pump’s gears