6 Things to Remember when Wiring up your Pump

The most common cause of pump failure is incorrect installation, and taking care of the power connection is critical to a successful installation. Here are some helpful tips to assist you:

1. Make sure the pump is wired the correct way round. Is it running in the correct direction? In most cases, this is indicated by rotation arrow, or kick direction arrow, on the side. One way to check is when you start the pump; does it kick in the opposite direction to the direction the impellor should rotate? 

2. Your centrifugal or submersible pump may still run if wired incorrectly, however, the flow will be reduced to about 60% of what it should be.  

3. Single phase pumps (110v or 230v) cannot run backwards. However, three phase pumps can have the direction reversed by switching over any two of the three live wires. (The Audex AW 2-220 & 2-150 PRO models are designed so that they do not run if connected incorrectly.) 

4. If a pump is tested out of the water it must not run for more than three seconds. This is to prevent damage to the mechanical seal. 

5. If your pump has two cables then it is likely that it is a star-delta operated pump. If you wish, these can still be run in DOL mode (direct online) by connecting together all similar wires, e.g. L1 and L1, L2 and L2, L3 and L3, earth and earth. 

6. For single phase pumps there can be considerable voltage drop if the cable is longer than 20m. This means that if you have a 40m cable on a 110v pump, the voltage at the far end may only be 100v. This leads to more heat in the pump and can lead to early failure if the motor overheats. This does not occur on three phase pumps.