Airablo R.O. problem- help needed

[Bucket Head]

My high pressure pump is turning very hard. It trips the breaker trying to start. I can turn the motor by hand but its tough. I don't know if I have a motor problem or a pump problem, but I probably need to get it all apart to find out.

Does anyone know how these units separate? Will the motor come away from the pump with the bolts backed out, as shown in the photo. Or does the pump portion need to be disassembled and separated from the motor that way?

Any advice would be appreciated. I'm no stranger to taking things apart- i just don't want to damage it further trying to get it apart. I've had pumps apart before but not like this one!

Thanks in advance for any light shed on my pump problem!

Steve

[sapman]

I had my 7.5hp apart a couple years ago. Simplest thing. Remove 4 bolts and motor lifts right off. I'd call Mike Emerson at Leader with your questions. He's great!

Please let us know what you find out.

Good luck!

[Bucket Head]

Hi Tim,

I was trying that earlier this evening. It was moving upward slightly, maybe a sixteenth of an inch, but that was it. I did'nt know if it was'nt supposed to come apart like that or if it was just stuck from never being apart before. I'll give it another try.

What was the issue with your RO? Were you having the same symptoms as mine?

Thanks for the info!

Steve

[sapman]

The motors are heavy, though not as bad as I thought. I think I used a big screwdriver to get it started. I needed a new bearing. It was whining pretty bad.

Seriously, I'd give Mike a call. He's the tech, not a salesman, so no BS and knows all there is about these. They'll even give you his cell #.

[Bucket Head]

Tim,

I called Mike and he said it's a splined shaft. Was yours splined, and was it rusty?

I'm wondering if mine is rusted up. I've worked screwdrivers under it and it still won't go up. And I don't want to get too rough with it since the baseplate of the motor appears to be aluminum- it won't take much prying. It has the holes for cooling air to travel through the motor and I don't want to break it.

Did it take a lot of force to get yours moving?

Steve

[sapman]

Steve,

Glad you talked to Mike. Mine is splined, wasn't rusty. Do you know the history on yours, why it might have rusted up? I wonder if the shaft seal has been leaking. Yeah like I said, mine came right up. I'm not sure what to tell you. Wish I could give you a hand, but you can figure it out as well as me.

Happy to help any way I can. Keep in touch.

Tim

[Bucket Head]

Tim,

I don't know if its rusted enough to keep it from separating easily- just figured it was a possibility. I'm sure its rusty if the seal has been leaking. Maybe a bearing at the top of the pump has failed so much that there is excessive bind at the splines? I'll keep working at it.

Now I'm concerned that this repair is going to take a lot longer than I imagined, so where does this leave my membranes? How long can they sit before its up and running and I can do a wash?

I had run permeate through it for about ten minutes to chase the sugar out and then shut it off and went to rinsing. Rinsed for a little over five minutes and that permeate tank ran out. Went to another tank and thats when it would not restart. So how long before I have a mess, or possibly ruined membranes?

Steve

[sapman]

I understand your worries. I get like that, too. But it's a great thing that you had the sugar out, and permeate going through! I bet the membranes will be ok, maybe a long acid wash necessary.

Good luck!

Tim

[Bucket Head]

Tim,

Yeah, I'm hoping they'll be okay. I'll wash, I'll acid wash, I'll put them in the back of my pick-up and run em' through the local car wash- whatever it takes to save them!

I'll let you know what I find whenever I get it apart. Thanks for the advice!

Steve