circulator pump

cutter

I have a Wilo-Stratos ECO, it has the ECM motor, It supply's water to two zones. The pump has been in service for two years and yesterday decided to call it quits. I measured flange to flange and get 6 1/4" Wilo states 6 1/2". Supply house does not stock this pump, or I just can't find it on their site. Or Wilo no longer markets this pump because of warranty issues. I see two other pumps on the supply house site. A grundfos UPS15-58 FC 3 speed pump with 6 1/2" flange to flange. Then there is a Taco 007e ECM, Flange to flange 6 3/8". These are the only two that would fit in the space available. Wilo does have another pump but I am a lot disappointed with them.

I know there are a lot calculations for the exact right pump.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a pump?

cutter

What I was looking for was what brand is more reliable. what brand will last longer.

Intplm.

All of the circulators that you mention are good products and can last a very long time.
If you have some "play" in your pipes, you should be able to install any one of the circulators you have mentioned.

Zman

The Grundfos Alpha has a very similar curve and a solid track record. The 007e would probably work well depending on the actual resistance of the loops.
Most small to medium wet rotor circs will fit your 6 3/8" +/- spacing. There is almost always a way to loosen a strap and fudge a 1/4" or so.

Tinman

You may want to check the quality of the water before moving forward. That’s too soon for a failure. Take the failed pump apart for a quick inspection. Check motor magnet to see how much iron it’s collected. You may end up with same problem on the new circ. 

cutter

Zman said:

The Grundfos Alpha has a very similar curve and a solid track record. The 007e would probably work well depending on the actual resistance of the loops.
Most small to medium wet rotor circs will fit your 6 3/8" +/- spacing. There is almost always a way to loosen a strap and fudge a 1/4" or so.

I looked at a alpha2 15-55f. They are saying 6 1/2" flange spacing. I have almost no wiggle room. Wilo says the current pump flange spacing is 6 1/2". A tape says 6 1/4" though. Thinner gaskets would help a lot. I could run the way I am right now till spring and shorten a pipe a little then and fit this pump in if I can't make it fit now. I can't lose another pump and run till spring. This alpha needs to be programed for one of 3 speeds, is that hard to do?

cutter

Steve Minnich said:

You may want to check the quality of the water before moving forward. That’s too soon for a failure. Take the failed pump apart for a quick inspection. Check motor magnet to see how much iron it’s collected. You may end up with same problem on the new circ. 

I have two pumps on this system. The other pump, pumps the same water. the water goes through a hydraulic separator that has a dirt magnet in it. I have removed the magnet several times and dumped water out of it and have not seen much. I know my water is not the cleanest, but very little to no dirt came out on a flush.

Robert_25

cutter said:

What I was looking for was what brand is more reliable. what brand will last longer.

I am not aware of any data that supports one brand of ECM circulator lasting longer than another, but there is examples of ECM circulators not lasting as long as traditional wet rotor circulators. As Steve pointed out above, the ECM units are more sensitive to water quality and contaminates.

hot_rod

You need to have a mag sep with any ECM in my opinion. Warranty should be contingent on that.

cutter

hot_rod said:

You need to have a mag sep with any ECM in my opinion. Warranty should be contingent on that.

I have that Caleffi Hydraulic separator, I thought the magnet at the bottom of that device would attract any steel particles. Every time I open the valve at the bottom of the separator I put the flow into a bucket so I can see any dirt or particles. I always see pretty clean water. If there is a better device it will be hard to plumb in now.

cutter

Robert_25 said:

cutter said:

What I was looking for was what brand is more reliable. what brand will last longer.

I am not aware of any data that supports one brand of ECM circulator lasting longer than another, but there is examples of ECM circulators not lasting as long as traditional wet rotor circulators. As Steve pointed out above, the ECM units are more sensitive to water quality and contaminates.

Thanks for the input I will stay clear of the ECM pump.

hot_rod

cutter said:

hot_rod said:

You need to have a mag sep with any ECM in my opinion. Warranty should be contingent on that.

I have that Caleffi Hydraulic separator, I thought the magnet at the bottom of that device would attract any steel particles. Every time I open the valve at the bottom of the separator I put the flow into a bucket so I can see any dirt or particles. I always see pretty clean water. If there is a better device it will be hard to plumb in now.

If you flush the device and the fluid runs clean, your system is probably free from deposits or magnetite. Usually a yearly flush is adequate, maybe twice yearly with old steel piping and cast radiators. Every system is unique, some are constantly flaking and scaling, corroding, some systems never do. Yours may be in the middle.
Some ECM fail due to electronic issues not crappy fluid, taking one completely apart may help determine the cause of the failure.

cutter

hot_rod said:

cutter said:

hot_rod said:

You need to have a mag sep with any ECM in my opinion. Warranty should be contingent on that.

If you flush the device and the fluid runs clean, your system is probably free from deposits or magnetite. Usually a yearly flush is adequate, maybe twice yearly with old steel piping and cast radiators. Every system is unique, some are constantly flaking and scaling, corroding, some systems never do. Yours may be in the middle.
Some ECM fail due to electronic issues not crappy fluid, taking one completely apart may help determine the cause of the failure.

My system was put in around 1985 slant fin or equivalent baseboards. All copper from the hydraulic separator manifold to baseboards and back to the return manifold. I am pretty sure the boilers have sediment in their bottoms, I tried to flush them, but feel there in still sediment in them. The returns don't return to the very bottom so the sediment may not get stirred up. The supply comes off the top of boiler so there should not be much if any dirt circulating. I do flush several times a heating season just to see if anything ugly comes out.
Another person on this site did not have good luck with this same pump either. I am leaning towards the Grundfos pump to replace the Wilo.