Help with new Airablo pump from Leader

[jwalker]

The pump is brand new and today was the first day running it. It was working fine for a few hours and then it started to make a heck of a rattle noise when the releaser dumped or your shut off the dry line and then turned it back on. It's acting like it's trying to compensate for the influx of air but the rattling/knocking is painful to hear and it does not seem to stop. Anyone know what is going on? To bad Leader is not open on Sundays.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

sounds like it may be a vane sticking. how many cfm pump is it and are you running an air cooler on the pump?

[G.Rainville]

could it be the check valve. when my double releaser dumps, then switches to the other side my brass check valve will clater a little bit and stop after a while. But I don't see a drop in vacuum.

[upsmapleman]

It sounds like the vanes are sticking. Shut it off and turn it over by hand. You should hear a clicking as the vanes slide in and out. If don't hear that they are sticking. Remedy is to clean with a little kerosene. Put some in intake and let it soak awhile and turn over by hand every so often. You need to blow it out before you start to run it which makes a mess. put some oil in and try

[DrTimPerkins]

could it be the check valve. when my double releaser dumps, then switches to the other side my brass check valve will clater a little bit and stop after a while. But I don't see a drop in vacuum.

That's my suspicion as well. The check-valve on our Airablo pump would rattle like heck, especially during a releaser dump.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

That's my suspicion as well. The check-valve on our Airablo pump would rattle like heck, especially during a releaser dump.I thought of that, but if it was working fine for a few hours before the noise started it makes me wonder if it might be a vane problem. Was wondering about oil flow( pump starving for oil and getting overheated). We have a 30 cfm Airablo that kept getting too hot. There was a clear sight tube just before the pump intake and the I.D. of that was way too small and not letting enough oil into the pump. We eliminated that as per Leader and added an oil cooler. Keeps the pump alot cooler now. Eliminated that problem, but now have the problem of condensation in oil, due to dramatic temp. change caused by cooler. Trying to figure out a way to only have fan run occasionally so the temp. change is not so drastic. Anybody else have problems with condensation in oil? Neil

[GGervais]

Yes I had that problem last season. Condensation would build up and make the pump run harder sometimes kicking a breaker. Turned out the fan was cooling the oil too much. Cdl installed thermostat on the oil line so the fan would turn on at a certain temp. now the oil temp is hotter burning off any extra moisture. Working great this year.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Yes I had that problem last season. Condensation would build up and make the pump run harder sometimes kicking a breaker. Turned out the fan was cooling the oil too much. Cdl installed thermostat on the oil line so the fan would turn on at a certain temp. now the oil temp is hotter burning off any extra moisture. Working great this year.Sounds interesting. Would like to know more about that thermostat. PLug into 110 outlet? What temp do you have it kicking on at? What does oil temp. in pump stay? Cost?

[jwalker]

We tried the pump today with everything froze up. When we first started it we had no vacuum at all. It finally pulled vacuum and came up to 24-25 at the releaser with lines closed. I would trip the releaser and same thing as yesterday, the pump would rattle/knock and it would struggle to recover from the double releaser switching sides. I think it's either an oil issue or vane issue. The sight glass for oil is showing tiny bubbles moving through, should it? Also with the way it acted at start-up with no vacuum period makes mean think it's something with the vanes. Pulled off filter and it was not all the way full, could it be low on oil or getting air? Oil gauge is a little bit below max but not on min. Think I am going to try to talk to Dave from Leader tomorrow.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

We tried the pump today with everything froze up. When we first started it we had no vacuum at all. It finally pulled vacuum and came up to 24-25 at the releaser with lines closed. I would trip the releaser and same thing as yesterday, the pump would rattle/knock and it would struggle to recover from the double releaser switching sides. I think it's either an oil issue or vane issue. The sight glass for oil is showing tiny bubbles moving through, should it? Also with the way it acted at start-up with no vacuum period makes mean think it's something with the vanes. Pulled off filter and it was not all the way full, could it be low on oil or getting air? Oil gauge is a little bit below max but not on min. Think I am going to try to talk to Dave from Leader tomorrow.Did you fill the oil filter when you first tried the pump? You should fill them manually before you start the pump. Try and fill that up. Also could anything(rust paticle etc.) be caught in the inlet or outlet to sight tube restricting oil flow? Those inlets are only about 1/8" id. We took ours off and now get alot better oil flow. What size pump is it? Neil

[jwalker]

It's a 1.5 hp. We did fill up the filter with oil from the drain and put it back on. Ran it for a bit but no real change. Pulled filter again and like expected oil level in filter was a little over 3/4 full again. Should there be bubbles flowing through sight glass while running?


Did you fill the oil filter when you first tried the pump? You should fill them manually before you start the pump. Try and fill that up. Also could anything(rust paticle etc.) be caught in the inlet or outlet to sight tube restricting oil flow? Those inlets are only about 1/8" id. We took ours off and now get alot better oil flow. What size pump is it? Neil

[upsmapleman]

There should be no air bubbles. You have a bad connection some where. Check to make sure all your clamps are tight. You are sucking air around a fitting, from where it leaves the cooler to where it enters the pump.

,

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

It is normal to see some air bubbles passing through the sight glass. We have 2 other airablo pumps and see it on both of them also. Your pump must be 30 cfm. also? 1 pulley and run off 110? The bubbles are very tiny and you shouldn't see alot. If you have an air leak in the system, the oil and bubbles will be going very fast, just like a leak in a tubing line. The oil should be moving just steady and not flying by.

[upsmapleman]

Forgot to mention. When I got my pump they had very wimpy lines on the oil and when the oil got warm they would almost collapse. Solved by going to a auto parts store and getting some 1/4" fuel line. Solved lots of problems.

[jwalker]

Maybe there is a leak, oil bubbles are flying. The pump is 17cfm.
It is normal to see some air bubbles passing through the sight glass. We have 2 other airablo pumps and see it on both of them also. Your pump must be 30 cfm. also? 1 pulley and run off 110? The bubbles are very tiny and you shouldn't see alot. If you have an air leak in the system, the oil and bubbles will be going very fast, just like a leak in a tubing line. The oil should be moving just steady and not flying by.

[TheMapleMoose]

Yes I had that problem last season. Condensation would build up and make the pump run harder sometimes kicking a breaker. Turned out the fan was cooling the oil too much. Cdl installed thermostat on the oil line so the fan would turn on at a certain temp. now the oil temp is hotter burning off any extra moisture. Working great this year.
What temperature is your thermostat set to? We have the 3hp Airablo with a cooler and we've ruined 2 sets of vanes due to condensation (we are pretty sure). Its been running at 85F. We think a hotter pump will help with the condensation.