[Special thanks to Instructor Dale Nelson for reviewing this set of procedures and clearing up some misconceptions I had.]

This post outlines how to start & stop the Sisson Centrifugal Pump setup in SAIT’s power engineering lab.

These procedures are currently correct (as of October 3, 2014), but may be subject to change in the future.

Preliminaries

1. Open suction line. (If this is not done, the bronze impeller could be damaged from cavitation.)

   

   Ratchet butterfly valve on suction line (shown Open)

2. Close discharge line.

   

   Ratchet butterfly valve on discharge line (shown Closed)

3. Check sight glass on the receiving tank. (The receiving tank should not be too full, or it could overflow).

   

   Sight glass (circled in yellow)

4. Check water level in the source pit. (The pit should be 2/3 – 3/4 full. Fill if necessary by opening the valve on the receiving tank).
5. Check pump motor lubrication. (The lubrication nipple should have grease filled to the top). Loosen & tighten cap by hand.

   

   Lubrication nipple (shown with cap on)

6. Check that the fan trim switch on the pump casing is Off.

   

   Fan trim switch

7. Set long arm of motor trim dial on the pump casing to the 2 o’clock position.

   

   Trim dial to the 2 o’clock position (although this looks more like the 1 o’clock position!)

8. Check rectifier:

   

   DC rectifier

   1. Rectifier control switch should be Off.
   2. Rectifier fan should be Off.
   3. Rectifier rheostat should be at 0.
9. Check that Disconnect #2 switch is Off (ie: in the middle position).
10. Check that Disconnect #1 (DC Rectifier & Pump switch) is in the 0 (lower) position.
11. Check fuse box for Fuse #40. The rectifier fuse should be in the On position (flipped to the left).
12. Prepare to close Disconnect #1 (DC Rectifier & Pump switch):
    1. Stand to the side of the switch panel and do not cross in front of it.
    2. Grip switch with non-dominant hand while looking away.
    3. Take a deep breath and hold breath.
    4. Flip switch DOWN while gripping locking mechanism.
    5. Release locking mechanism.
    6. All this is necessary in case arcing blows door off knife switch case (causing potential eye & hand damage).
13. Prepare to close Disconnect #2:
    1. Stand to the side of the switch panel and do not cross in front of it.
    2. Grip switch with non-dominant hand while looking away.
    3. Take a deep breath and hold breath.
    4. Disengage locking mechanism and flip switch DOWN.
    5. Release locking mechanism.
14. Turn on the rectifier fan.
15. Turn on the rectifier.
16. Turn on the trim fan switch on the pump casing.
17. Use back of hand to check if rectifier fan is blowing.

Priming the pump

17. Turn on small priming water valve slowly.
18. Open discharge valve slowly.
19. Open primer air vents until only water emerges from tubes.
20. Close primer air vents.
21. Close discharge valve slowly.
22. Turn off small priming water valve slowly.

Bring pump up to speed

23. Turn rheostat on rectifier up to 60.
24. Open discharge valve.
25. Turn up rheostat on rectifier to 80.
26. Open valve from receiving tank to source pit so that water level in the pit is kept even.
27. Test heat on motor casing with BACK OF HAND so hand will reflexively jerk away from the metal if it is energized from a short-circuit.

Shutdown

1. Turn rheostat on rectifier down to 30.
2. Close valve from the receiving tank to the source pit.
3. Close pump discharge valve.
4. Turn rectifier rheostat to 0.
5. Check rectifier rheostat fan with back of hand.
6. Turn off trim fan switch on pump casing.
7. Turn off rectifier control switch.
8. Turn off rectifier fan switch.
9. Prepare to OPEN Disconnect #2:
   1. Stand to the side of the switch panel and do not cross in front of it.
   2. Grip switch with non-dominant hand while looking away.
   3. Take a deep breath and hold breath.
   4. Disengage locking mechanism and flip switch UP. It should rest at the center position.
   5. Release locking mechanism.
10. Prepare to OPEN Disconnect #1 (DC Rectifier & Pump switch):
    1. Stand to the side of the switch panel and do not cross in front of it.
    2. Grip switch with non-dominant hand while looking away.
    3. Take a deep breath and hold breath.
    4. Disengage locking mechanism and flip switch DOWN. It should rest at the 0 position.

       

       Rectifier control and fan switch

    5. Release locking mechanism.

[print-me]