Problem with jet pump/ tank

[Tom Sawyer]

It be the black plastic with the steel ring that I refer to.

[ballvalve]

The problems I find on cheap pumps installed by cheap homeowners is that they run dry, they freeze, and no- one ever changes the start capacitors, or oil and check the start switch. Or pressure tank.

I have few booster pumps that regularly threw their mexican springs off the start switch, then shut down on overheat.

But its only a short fix with better springs and little lube. I drilled 2" holes in some of the plastic motor caps in order to check and oil the switch.

finally fried the motor on one. MFG wanted 600$ for the motor. good joke. To make sure they screwed you, also milled a special end on the shaft so no off the shelf $95 motor jet pump would work. Since rotors usually last forever, I bought the cheap motor and re-used the old rotor with the "screw you" shaft. Still working after 7 years.

As to seals and bearings, I have a hot pump with a 2 speed jet pump type motor. Lots of run time. Got 18 years out of that cheap motor by changing the bearings and seals a few times, and would still be running if the case had not rusted away. But changing bearings and seals seems to have left the national phyche years ago.

Better and more overheat cut outs would probably make a sears pump work forever, makes the guy figure out the issue.

[LLigetfa]

Not pump related, but I recently pulled apart and lubricated the motor on my HRV which has been running continuously for 13 years. Cheapo motor was purported to have lifetime sealed bearings. PFFT! The "seals" deteriorated and the lifetime lube was a bit of oil in a felt wick while the bearing was nothing more than a bushing. Aparently I did good to get 13 years out of it.

http://www.nlcpr.com/VenmarMotorReplacement.php

[ballvalve]

Thats a great motor at 13 years. Sintered bronze bushings with a wick [nice to refill it every 5 years] are bomb proof and likely better than the singapore BB.

But I gotta guess that the other end had ball bearings or a thrust bearing, because no bronze bush motors run vertically for long. Unless its hoover dam or your car engine and the oil is pumped in under pressure - then they can go FOREVER.

drilled a lot of holes into the bushing area of motors to get a drop of oil in.

[LLigetfa]

But I gotta guess that the other end had ball bearings or a thrust bearing...

No, both ends had bushings. Layered plastic and felt washers for thrust on both ends.

[ballvalve]

Unusual design, but for 13 years, perhaps better than a bad ball bearing. With oil you might have gotten 20 years.