It doesn’t come up often but we’re sure many people would
like to know. Why is the pump mounted on
the rear of the outdoor furnace?
The simple answer is that this is an easy place that every
installation can utilize.
There is a little more to it. The circulator pumps used by Hawken Energy
(and probably all circulator pumps used in the industry) can not PULL water to
feed themselves. Water must be supplied
by gravity to lubricate and feed to the pump impellers which PUSH water through
the loops.
The circulator pumps sold by Hawken Energy use the water
provided as the lubricant around the internal rotor. This wet rotor design spins an impeller that
pushes the water through the system.
By installing the pump on the back of the outdoor furnace,
on the lower fitting to be exact, we insure that water will always be gravity
fed to the pump. Installation on the
upper lines from a Hawken unit may allow air to feed into the pump causing problems
with the circulation.
It’s commonly asked if the pump can be installed inside of
the home or building. The answer is: As long as gravity will feed water to the
pump without airlock.
If the building is higher than the pump location on the outdoor
furnace or if the lines dip and rise considerably then gravity might not push
the water all the way to the pump because of air lock. If the lines feed downhill to a basement or
lower location then placing the pump inside the building is acceptable. The pumps are quiet when operating normally. This
option appeals to some for maintenance or access reasons.
It is also important to note that the pumps should be
installed so that the shaft of the motor is level to the ground, with the
faceplate plumb (see fig 1). The volute,
the end of the pump that receives and feeds water, may be mounted in any
orientation as long as the shaft is level.
Improper mounting may reduce the life of the pump.
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| Fig. 1 |
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