venturi-jet pump problem

Steamhead (in transit)

There should be some sort of vacuum controller to run it within certain limits. Many times the pump comes on when the burner starts, and stops when the system reaches 3-8 inches of vacuum (or when the burner stops).

If the controls are OK but the pump won't pump any water or pull a vacuum at all, first thing I'd look at is whether there's any "hurling water" in the upper chamber.

Who made the pump?

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Michael Barrett

venturi-jet pump problem

I have encountered a system I have not seen before. It is a steam boiler in a church that has what I believe is a venturi-jet pump to pump the condensate back to the boiler. I am not familiar with this device at all. The reason I think it is a venturi-jet pump is because of an illustration in Dan's Lost Art book. My problem is the pump is running all the time and not pumping water back to the boiler and it wont shut off. Can anyone give me an idea where to start to troubleshoot this system. thank you.

Michael Barrett

venturi-jet pump problem

It is a Skidmore Type AS-20 serial #06926. If I add water to the top tank it will feed water to the boiler but it won't shutoff.

Vernon P. James

switch

Many of these old pumps are controled by a dual function switch. It looks a lot like a water pump pressure switch but has a lever on the side. The lever can be moved to allow the pump to run by a float in the receiver to turn the pump on when the receiver gets full or switching the lever to the other side causes the pump to run on vacuum pressure only.Some of them also have a combination selection of vaccum and float. Most of the systems I have worked on around here are in such bad shape the pump will never draw a vacuum high enough for the pump to shut off. Look for the switch and put it on float only selection then the hard part convincing the owner to start making repairs.

Michael Barrett

venturi pump problems

Vernon, this pump is as you describe--the switch is already in the float only position and it seems to me that the lower tank where the float is located is full of water.Is this pump supposed to pull the water out of the lower tank as well?

Vernon P. James

Twin tanks

Would be new to me. All the ones I have worked on were duplex pumps but only had one receiver tank. Are you sure the float is not stuck? Can you move the float up and down. Is there a sight glass on the tank to see if there is actually water in the tank. If there is water in the tank maybe th intake to the pump is plugged or something else is wrong with the pump.