| Pump Won’t Prime |
| |
Possible Cause |
How to Check |
Solution |
| 1 |
Air under-supply.
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- Physically check to make sure that all lines back to the source
are at least 3/16 inch I.D. for 5 gallon per minute pumps. ¼ inch I.D. for 10 gallon per
minute pumps. 3/8 inch I.D. for 30 gallon per minute pumps.
- Multiple or oversized lines are required if multiple air consuming
devices are used on the same supply line. Respect all air consumption carts (max. 9.5 SCFM
for 5 gpm pumps, 14 SCFM for 10 gpm pumps, and 25 SCFM for 30 gpm pumps).
- Check for undersized valves, flow meters and/or regulators
supplying the pump. Take into account all devices operating off of the valve(s) and
regulator(s). Also note that many valves and regulators give flow capacities sufficient to
supply the pump at 60 psi only if the valve or regulator is supplied with 100 psi.
(Maximum air pressure past the regulator to the pump is 60 psi!!!)
- Minimum operating pressure is 20 psi.
- Kink in air supply line.
- Undersized orifice in tubing connectors.
- Pump shuttle valve failure.
- Internal pump failure.
|
- Install proper tubing size.
- Install proper air lines for sufficient air consumption at psi
requirements.
- Install properly sized valves, flow meters and/or regulators.
Adjust air supply pressure to the regulator to allow sufficient air flow out of the
regulator.
- Set regulator supplying pump to between 20 and 60 psi.
- Replace air supply line.
- Replace tubing connectors with those of proper orifice size.
- Replace shuttle valve or return pump to White Knight or authorized
service center.
- Return pump to White Knight or authorized service center.
|
| 2 |
Tubing connector screwed directly into shuttle valve rather than
into ell adapter. |
- Visually inspect for presence of White Knight ell adapter.
|
- Install ell adapter before tubing connector in shuttle valve. If
this does not remedy the problem, damage may have occurred to the shuttle valve and
shuttle valve replacement may be required.
|
| 3 |
Bad muffler adjustment. |
- Center pins in adjustable mufflers should be equally adjusted to
one turn out from seat for maximum flow or to maximum in without reducing pump flow
requirements. In applications where pump is installed more than one meter higher than the
tank, adjust the mufflers down to where it just starts to effect the flow at full
operation. This will give the best setting to assist with priming without hindering
delivery during the run mode. Mufflers must be adjusted equally (though not "fine
tuned").
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- Muffler adjustment can band-aid fix many non pump related problems
such as faulty liquid valves down stream. If sensitive or constantly changing muffler
adjustment is required, other problems exist. Proceed with other troubleshooting
procedures in this section.
|
| 4 |
Air pressure to pump too low. |
- Inspect settings on regulators and gage levels.
|
- Set air pressure supply to between 20 and 60 psi. In higher lift
applications, the pump may need to be set at the higher end to prime.
|
| 5 |
Kink in air supply line(s). |
- Visually inspect line for kinks.
|
- Replace kinked line(s).
|
| 6 |
Malfunctioning air supply solenoid valve. |
- Supply pump with air pressure from a source other than that
provided by the solenoid valve.
|
- Replace solenoid valve.
|
| 7 |
Plugged Pump Guard inlet filter. |
- Open Pump Guard filter and visually inspect for obstructions.
|
- Clean out or replace Pump Guard inlet filter.
|
| 8 |
Malfunctioning liquid valve upstream from pump. |
- Replace inlet tubing with testing tube running directly from inlet
on the pump to the tank and see if normal operation resumes.
|
- Replace defective liquid valve.
|
| 9 |
Kink in inlet liquid line. |
- Visually inspect lines for kinks.
|
- Replace kinked line(s).
|
| 10 |
Outlet air from mufflers (or muffler ports) tied together. |
- Visually inspect to make sure that muffler exhausts remain
independent.
|
- The pump does not need mufflers to run, but pressure from the two
ports must remain separate until reaching atmospheric pressure. Adjusting mufflers
|
| 11 |
Ruptured Bellows |
- Check to see if mist or dripping is coming from mufflers.
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- Return pump to White Knight or authorized service center.
|
| 12 |
Shuttle Valve Failure. |
- Replace Shuttle valve and see if normal pump operation resumes.
|
- Replace shuttle valve.
|
| 13 |
Internal pump failure. |
- Replace pump with compatible White Knight pump and see if normal
operation resumes.
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- Return pump to White Knight or authorized repair station.
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| 14 |
Worn Shaft and Seals |
- Treat as internal pump failure and return to White Knight but
also, see solution column on this line.
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- White Knight pumps are not designed to run dry other than for
short periods of time as they prime. Pumps should not be set to continue to run after
tanks are emptied. Installation of a new pump in a situation where the pump is running dry
will only cause the new pump to experience the same type of failure.
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