However, not all submersible pumps are the same.  Typically, each is designed for a specific purpose, so matching the right pump to the right job is crucial.  These are some of the most common types, and their usage.

The Most Common Types Of Submersible Pumps

1 – Utility Pumps

Utility pumps are among the most general-purpose submersible pumps.  They’re typically small and intended to be used in ad-hoc situations, or when larger pumps will not fit into the space.  For example, they may be used to drain window wells or clogged bathtubs.

These pumps have no ability to pump solids and are easily clogged, so they should be reserved for small-scale jobs.

2 – Trash pumps

Trash pumps are similar to utility pumps but larger, and with the ability to handle at least some amount of solid or semi-solid debris.  They utilize an impeller to pull in liquid and force it outwards, making them very easy to use.  Typically, you just attach a hose, drop the trash pump into the liquid to be removed, and turn it on.

Some trash pumps are rated for continuous duty and may be used in commercial applications where a smaller pump is called for.

3 – Deep well pumps

These are larger, high-powered pumps intended specifically for pulling water out of ground wells.  They stay within the well and may remain submerged for some time.  If properly constructed, they are almost maintenance-free – a “fire-and-forget” solution for pulling water out of a well.  Beyond occasionally checking above-ground gauges to ensure the pressure is correct, they should need very little oversight.

Contact us for submersible pumps, grinder pumps, maintenance & more!

FloRight Pump & Controls are your Arizona pump specialists!  From private household pumps to the largest wastewater facilities, we are trusted across the region for our expertise, high-quality service, and excellent product selection.

Whenever you need pumps or pumping repairs, just call FloRight!

The post How To Choose The Best Submersible Pump For Your Application appeared first on Flo Right Pump.

Grinder pump systems are typically robust and don’t require much maintenance, but if something goes wrong, you need to know what to do.  A malfunctioning grinder pump will only be able to hold around 24 hours’ worth of waste, so time is of the essence!

Troubleshooting Your Grinder Pump System

1 – If the alarm sounds

Should something go wrong within the pump, you’ll first be notified by an alarm and accompanying flashing light on its alarm panel box.  Should this happen, look for a button on the bottom of the panel.  That button will shut off the audible alarm.

Then, wait.  In many cases, the pump will be able to sort itself out given a little time, and the flashing light will turn off.  However, if an hour passes and the alarm light is still flashing, you’ll need to call for service and repairs.

Do not try to repair the pump yourself!  It’s dangerous in multiple ways and can only be safely serviced by trained professionals.

2 – If there are foul odors from the pump

Your grinder pump should be odorless and contain all unpleasant materials inside.  Should you start smelling waste, try flushing the system with clean water.  Simply leave an indoor water faucet running down the drain for around 10 minutes and see if that clears up the issue.

If it’s still smelly after flushing the system, call for repairs.

3 – If there is a power failure

If your power goes off, and the pump doesn’t have a backup power source, it will no longer be able to function.  This will most likely trigger the alarm as well.  Try to reduce your water usage during this time, such as not taking a shower, until power is restored, and the pump can clear itself out.

If power comes back, but the alarm fails to shut off after an hour, call for service.

FloRight Can Maintain Your Grinder Pump System

If you have a grinder pump on your Arizona property that is malfunctioning, FloRight can help!  We’re experts in all wastewater pumping systems.  Remember, you only have about 24 hours before it fills up, so call us ASAP for help!

The post Care And Troubleshooting For Your Grinder Pump System appeared first on Flo Right Pump.

FloRight Pump & Controls has decades of experience helping everyone from municipal governments to everyday farmers keep their water flowing. These are some of the most important issues to focus on during a pump installation.

Five Tips for An Effective Pump Installation Process

1 – A proper foundation

A pump must have a foundation capable of holding up the full pumping system, plus water, while also absorbing all vibrations created by the pump. This requires a thick concrete slab, installed to be as level as possible. A tilt, or uneven surface, of only 0.003″ could potentially disrupt the flow.

2 – Strong pipe support

Another common installation mistake is putting too much pressure on the connectors linking the pipe directly to the motor. That coupling is not designed to hold up the weight of the pipe, or even much weight at all. There need to be plenty of support structures in place to carry the pipe and ensure the connectors don’t become over-stressed.

3 – Perfect shaft alignment

In most cases, the pump and the motor controlling it will be collinear across both the horizontal and vertical planes. Any deviation here will disrupt the power shaft, reducing efficiency, and leading to mechanical issues over time. This is another reason that a well-placed and level foundation is a must.

4 – Verifying motor rotation direction before connecting

The pump in a pumping system is only designed to run in one direction. Attempting to spin it in the opposite direction will create catastrophic failures, very quickly. For this reason, the motor should always be tested before being connected to the pump, to ensure the rotation is in the proper direction.

5 – Test before committing

Finally, it’s good practice to do a short test run of the pump before committing to a full run. This will ensure everything is installed properly. Such tests are particularly important if the pump will be moving hot materials, as problems can easily arise when hot liquid hits the pipes and machinery for the first time.

Get Pump Installation & More

FloRight Pumps & Controls has the experience to install your pump properly, the first time. Please contact us whenever you need advice, or for a cost estimate on installations.

The post Top Tips for A Successful Pump Installation appeared first on Flo Right Pump.

FloRight Pumps & Controls specializes in helping local areas maintain their wastewater plants, so let’s take a look at how these lift stations keep costs low.

What Is a Water Lift Station?

Since pumping liquids is expensive, and gravity is cheap, most municipal sewer systems attempt to use gravity as much as possible to keep the wastewater flowing. However, this does necessarily require moving the waste downwards – so what happens when it needs to be raised to a higher level, to overcome geographic challenges or push it through the water treatment system?

That’s where lift stations come in.

Lift stations are utilized to push the wastewater to higher elevations. In some cases, they use hydraulic pressure to achieve the lift, otherwise, they may simply use electric motors. There are two basic types of lift stations: dry wells and wet wells.

Dry wells keep the pumping apparatus separate from the tanks where the wastewater is being stored. This method is somewhat less expensive, but the separation makes them more difficult to maintain.  If they’re kept underground, there may be extra safety concerns for workers as well.

Wet wells utilize submersible pumps which are kept within the same tanks as the wastewater. This makes maintenance more convenient and working on them is no more dangerous than any other process involving wastewater. However, they can be a bit more expensive.

Of course, there are always dangers when working with sewage and wastewater, which is an inherently dangerous substance. Workers must be using full gear, and extensive maintenance logs, as well as equipment performance logs, are typically required by law. This ensures the water lift stations, and the rest of the treatment facility, are being operated in safe ways.

FloRight Pump & Controls Keeps Your Municipal Water System Running Properly

FloRight Pump & Controls is trusted by cities and towns across Arizona to help maintain the pumping systems within their wastewater treatment plants. We’re always available to help; just contact us for more information or a cost estimate.

The post How Do Water Lift Stations Work? appeared first on Flo Right Pump.

There are numerous differences in capability between different types of pumps, and one of the most basic splits is between dynamic and positive displacement pumps.  These are considered completely separate categories in the ‘family tree’ of pump classification.

So, we wanted to take a moment to talk about the differences, and which types of pumps fall into each category.

Dynamic vs Positive Displacement Pumps: What’s The Difference?

Broadly speaking, the difference comes from their method of operation. Dynamic pumps use direct mechanical methods – typically a propeller or impeller – to move liquid. Positive displacement pumps, on the other hand, use air or water pressure to achieve the flow, such as a bellows-style system.

Now let’s look at a few specific examples of each.

    I. Dynamic Pumps

The most common type of dynamic pump is the centrifugal pump. In their most basic configuration, there’s an inlet followed by a rotating impeller that adds movement to the liquid, and the outlet it comes out of.

Submersible pumps are another example, with an impeller housed within the unit which creates the kinetic energy needed to push liquids upward. Beyond being waterproofed, the big difference between these and centrifugal pumps is that submersible pumps typically use water pressure to at least partially power the impeller, rather than only using electricity.

  II. Positive Displacement Pumps

The most common design of positive displacement pumps relies on air-operated diaphragms, called AOD Pumps. A (typically mechanical) system operates the diaphragm, pulling in air and then pushing it through the system to create liquid flow.

Possibly the oldest displacement pump is the venerable piston pump, which can be operated manually or by hand.  The piston pushes air in and out of the pumping system to create positive pressure.

Another example is the gear pump which uses a series of gears to create displacement pressure. These come in and out of mesh, creating differences in pressure that drive the flow.

Which Pumps Are Right for You?

FloRight Pump & Controls has more than 30 combined years of experience in pump distribution, sales, repairs, and upgrades.  Our experts can look at your desired usage case and put together the perfect pumping system for your needs. Contact us for a consultation!

The post The Classification of Pumps: Dynamic vs Positive Displacement appeared first on Flo Right Pump.

What Does Wire to Water Efficiency Mean?

Simply put, wire to water efficiency indicates how well the pumps and controls convert electrical input into actual pumping work.

After all, in the real world, no mechanical system is ever 100% efficient.  So, the theoretical maximums listed on a pump/motor’s spec sheet are rarely, if ever, achievable. Also, different pump and motor combinations will typically have different levels of efficiency at different power levels.

The math behind this is simple; the formula is just: (water horsepower/motor horsepower) x 100 to derive the wire to water efficiency. So, most pumps come with a chart indicating the wire-to-water efficiency of their system, at different power ranges across its spectrum of performance.

Why Does Wire to Water Efficiency Matter to Pumps and Controls?

There are a few ways that wire-to-water efficiency can affect your operations.

First, as mentioned above, the theoretical specs on the product sheet usually don’t accurately reflect real-world performance.  So, knowing or calculating the wire to water efficiency helps you more accurately work out the performance you need from your pumping system.

Also, they can help explain poor efficiency in a pumping system. Since the overall efficiency is determined by both the pump and the motor, an issue with one will drag down the performance of the other. So, for example, in some cases, you may be better off installing a second pump to hit the desired pumping target, rather than trying to invest in a bigger motor for a single pump.  The performance gain may come at the expense of lower efficiency.

Plus, of course, CO2 emissions are a concern for all of us. Optimizing your pumps with the help of wire-to-water calculations will reduce energy usage and reduce CO2 emissions in turn.

Pumps and Controls

FloRight Pump & Controls has decades of experience helping to install high-efficiency pumping systems of any size. To get better performance from your pumping system, contact us for advice.

The post Why Wire to Water Efficiency Matters for Your Pumps and Controls appeared first on Flo Right Pump.

At FloRight Pump & Controls, we handle pump installations and pump repairs all the time – and in so many cases, pump repairs could have been avoided if the installation had been done properly in the first place. So, let’s look at some of the most important aspects of pump installation which can lead to costly repairs later, if they’re mishandled.

Five Critical Aspects to Focus on In Pump Installation

1 – A proper foundation

Too many pump installations skimp on the foundation, or skip it entirely – and that’s downright silly, considering how easily water can cause the ground beneath your pump to shift. A good foundation for the pump should be roughly 3 to 5 times the overall mass of the pump + driver, to ensure they remain stable.

Plus, of course, the foundation should be as level as possible before installation proceeds.

2 – Grout around the base

Another aspect that’s often overlooked, grouting is necessary to ensure the base of the pump remains firmly attached to the foundation, without moving around due to vibration. Physical connectors like bolts should not be solely relied on to keep the pump in place.

3 – The right lubrication

Different pump models are designed to use specific types of lubrication, which are always described in the manufacturer’s documentation. This is not an optional choice. Using any lubrication except those recommended by the manufacturer can quickly lead to burnout and costly pump repairs.

4 – Pipe away from the pump, not towards

The pump is not designed to solely support the pipe coming off it – most of the weight should rest on the ground. For this reason, it’s always considered best practice to begin the pipe at the pump, to get it in contact with the ground as soon as possible, rather than starting at the end and piping towards the pump.

5 – Pre-checks

A pump system should always be thoroughly inspected and checked prior to being turned on at full power. There should be at least one test, with someone ready to pull the plug immediately if anything goes wrong. Full operation should not begin without thorough testing beforehand.

Pump Repair & More

FloRight Pump & Controls are Arizona’s pump repair, installation, and maintenance specialists. If you need a pump installed, we pride ourselves on doing it right the first time – and we’re always available if you need repair services, no matter the type of pump involved.  Contact us for assistance!

The post The Most Important Elements of a Successful Pump Installation appeared first on Flo Right Pump.

What Is a Lift Station?

A lift station allows for efficient movement of wastewater from lower elevations to higher levels within a treatment plant.

When transporting wastewater to the plant, it makes sense to use downward-sloping pipes so that gravity does most of the work. However, this typically leads the water to end up at the lowest point in the treatment plant – so how do you get the water back to higher elevations for treatment and redistribution?

Pipe-based solutions could be used, but the setup is complicated, and the system would have to be dug up whenever repairs are needed. So, instead, lift stations are used. These are aboveground solutions for moving large amounts of wastewater up from lower elevations.

How Do Lift Stations Work?

When the wastewater first enters the main wet well, it enters the first phase of processing, and the solid materials are removed. Once the liquid in the wet well reaches a certain level, it needs to be moved on for further processing.

The lift station utilizes water pressure to force the liquid upwards, into neighboring tanks for more treatment. There are two basic types of lift stations, with different methods of operation.

The Two Types of Lift Stations

1 – Dry Wells

Dry well lift stations are in a separate location, near to but not actually in the tanks being affected. Dry wells may be underground or within a sheltered building. However, this does tend to make them more difficult to work on or perform lift station repair.

2 – Wet Wells (aka submersible pumps)

In a wet well set up, the lift station pump is directly inside the wastewater tank. The pump is submerged and uses an electric motor to push the water up and through the pipelines to the next treatment station. Lift station repair is typically easier and safer with wet wells.

FloRight Keeps Your Lift Stations in Working Order

FloRight Pump & Controls has decades of combined experience installing, repairing, and maintaining pumping systems across Arizona and around the United States. We frequently work with wastewater plants and handle lift station repairs, making us an excellent partner for your own treatment plant.

Contact us to learn more.

The post The Basics of Wastewater Lift Stations appeared first on Flo Right Pump.

When installing pumps for a construction project, the two types most commonly used are either centrifugal pumps and positive displacement pumps.  Each has its advantages or disadvantages, based on the situation. Let’s quickly look at the differences.

Centrifugal vs Positive Displacement Pumps for Construction Work

I. Centrifugal Pumps

Centrifugal pumps rely on a rotating impeller to power the pumping action, as well as pressurizing the discharge flow. They come in both standard and submersible models, depending on the situation and the amount of water being moved.

Centrifugal pumps are capable of handling virtually any liquid, even very thin liquids or materials with low viscosity.  They also offer high flow rates and are typically best when a large body of water simply needs to be removed as quickly as possible.

The drawbacks of centrifugal pumps largely boil down to maintenance issues.  These pumps must be primed with some of the liquid being pumped, and typically also require liquid circulation within the pump to provide cooling. Also, the positive suction head must be carefully chosen to match the pump and the liquid. If the suction is too low, air bubbles – cavitation – can enter the system, causing vibrations or even shockwaves that will disrupt flow.

II. Positive Displacement Pumps

Positive displacement pumps rely on a bellows-style system, using a flexible diaphragm to induce fluid motion. These are typically best at moving high-viscosity liquids, or fluids that may contain solids that could foul a centrifugal pump. These pumps are extremely energy-efficient, and there’s no concern of air entering the system.

However, the main drawback is that they tend to operate at low speeds, which makes them slower to function than centrifugal pumps in many situations. If operated at speeds that are too high, there’s a risk of damage to the pump.

In short, this is the ‘slow but steady’ solution for thicker liquids.

FloRight Pump & Controls Keeps You Flowing

With more than 30 years of combined experience, FloRight Pump & Controls offers the best in service, repairs, and pump distribution across Arizona. We have the expertise to install and maintain pumps of all sizes, at any level of complexity, including modern automated/Industry 4.0 systems.

When you need excellent pumping for your construction project, contact FloRightPump & Controls.

The post Choosing The Right Water Pumps for Your Construction Project appeared first on Flo Right Pump.

With more than 30 years of experience, FloRight Pump & Controls has worked on projects large and small across Arizona. We can maintain your existing pumps or assist in selecting and installing new pumps and flow systems, custom-designed for your needs.

This makes FloRight Pump & Controls the top choice in Arizona for pumping systems!

Large Pumps for Large Needs

Size isn’t a problem at FloRight.  We are capable of handling even the largest commercial and municipal pumping systems. Our experienced engineers can help you design and set up extensive pumping operations, or work with you to maintain your current equipment. Our know-how can help ensure that these critical systems never fail when you need them and are brought back online swiftly should any problems occur.

Simplify Operations with Automation Systems

Automation and other Industry 4.0 solutions can radically overhaul your workflow – for the better. We carry the best in automatic monitoring systems from brands like McCrometer so that the automation systems we create will be reliable for years to come.  With automation on your side, monitoring and overseeing your pumps will require less manpower, while the computer systems keep an eye on more variables than a human overseer ever could.

Packaged Pump Systems Get You Running More Quickly

Thanks to our years in business, we have access to numerous packaged pumps and controls systems, which can speed up installation of a new setup. We’ll listen to you to understand your needs, then match it to the right pumps and monitoring systems for rapid deployment.  We’ll oversee every aspect of the installation to ensure everything is done right the first time, resulting in a pumping system you can immediately rely on.

All The Service and Parts You Need

We carry an extensive stock of parts and supplies, suitable for the pumps we install, as well as maintaining any existing pumps, motors, and control systems you may already have in place. Thanks to our years of experience, we know every major brand and typical systems installed across the state. When you call FloRight Pump & Controls for parts, repairs, and other services, you’ll receive fast and professional service every time.

No matter the type of pump, or your specific needs, FloRight Pump & Controls is here to keep your pumps and controls working properly. Contact us whenever you need help!

The post FloRight Pump & Controls Offers Top-Quality Flow Solutions in Arizona appeared first on Flo Right Pump.