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Circulating Pump Motor in Reverse

John_54
John_54 Member Posts: 17
in THE MAIN WALL
Hi, I have a 4 floor apartment building with 2 hot water furnaces and a 2 pipe distribution system. I have 2 Armstrong S45 pumps, one brings water back to the furnace from one half of the building, the other from the other half. The heating has been working well but the left pump was noisy and I have had to replace the coupler a few times. I took both motors off and checked the rotation. The right motor is turning counter clockwise (which according to the pump specifications is correct) but the left pump motor is turning clockwise and has been for at least 8 years.

By opening and closing a couple of big valves I have the system running on the correct counter clockwise pump. The system seems to be better than before. Some long time ticking in the pipes has gone away but it hasn't been very cold
yet.

So here is my question. What should I do? I could buy another counter clockwise motor for $400 and also replace my spare motor which is also clockwise.

Or I can buy a clockwise connector and continue to run the pump clockwise.

Or I can keep running on 1 counter clockwise pump.
image

Comments

  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    Two boilers and two pumps. Are these completely separate systems, or are the boilers twinned?
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,609
    What is the part number on the left motor?
    Is it reversible?
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,440
    edited October 2014
    Are the motors 3 phase?
    It appears that they are both positioned to pump upwards, but you implied that they are on the return. Can you post some more pics that show the entire near boiler piping?
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,440
    I just looked at some specs and a diagram for that pump and it appears that your are indeed pumping downward, not upward, but it's still not clear from your pic.
    Is one circ intended to be a backup for the other?
    Everything I saw in the specs says that is a single phase 115v motor which means it's probably not reversible. Could someone have put the wrong replacement motor on there?
    If you're gonna have to spend the money for a new motor, you may want to look at and ECM pump such as a Grundfos Magna or Wilo Stratos. Either one would use about 1/5 the electricity and improve your system's performance. They are also one piece circ's that don't have couplings to break and bearing assemblies that leak. A lot less maintenance.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • John_54
    John_54 Member Posts: 17
    Thanks for the questions
    The furnaces are twinned the supply pipes go their separate ways after the expansion tank. I hand drew a diagram (attached)

    The left hand motor is rotating clockwise which is the wrong way for the pump. I took my problem to the supply shop and the Armstrong book only has a counter clockwise coupler for that pump.

    The left hand pump numbers are E6312 LR 37479 and replacement motor 817025
    The bearing assembly is 816027

    I have been told the motor is not reversible

    I appreciate any help and comments.
    The system has been running wrong for at least 8 years
    Not a lot of air. The furthest apartments can be cool but I was putting that down to distance from the furnace and more exposure to the elements on the top floor.



    imageimageimage
  • bob_46
    bob_46 Member Posts: 813
    John,that is a split phase motor it can be reversed . The start winding is in series with the starting switch. You need to switch those two leads . You might have to disassemble the motor to do that or take the motor to a repair shop and ask them to reverse it .

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • John_54
    John_54 Member Posts: 17
    Thanks very much Bob that is great news.
    John
  • Steve Thompson (Taco)
    Steve Thompson (Taco) Member Posts: 204
    If the motor has a start capacitor (long round hump on the side of the motor) reverse the two wires where the capacitor is wired to the motor. That will reverse the polarity of the capacitor and the motor will run the opposite direction. Baldor motors actually show in their wiring diagram "for rev rot (reverse rotation) reverse leads 5 and 9".

    I like Bob's advice to take the motor to a repair shop - they can help you with this.
    Zman
  • John_54
    John_54 Member Posts: 17
    Thanks for the advice
  • RobG
    RobG Member Posts: 1,850
    I'm not sure if it was asked above but is it the correct impeller on the pump? Is it working in the opposite direction of the volute? You may have to do more than just reverse the motor. I would just go with the advice of one of the above posts and install an ECM pump.

    Rob

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