Do-it-yourself repair of the Aquarius pump: an overview of typical breakdowns and their elimination

Pumps of the Aquarius trademark are the most reliable equipment actively used in private households and in summer cottages. Its significant advantage lies in the simplicity of the design: most breakdowns can be eliminated without contacting a service center. However, undertaking such a serious matter is not worth it without theoretical preparation. Do you agree?

Those who wish to repair the Aquarius pump with their own hands, we are ready to help in solving this difficult task. The article we presented introduces in great detail the nuances of diagnostics, with the identification of irregularities in work, with ways to restore technical capabilities.

We have described in detail the specifics of the pump device, the rules of assembly / disassembly of the unit. The process of carrying out repair operations has been thoroughly analyzed. As a valuable information application used photos, diagrams and videos.

Typical Aquarius pump device

Design centrifugal pump “Aquarius” not overly complex. The engine and pump part are enclosed in a long narrow stainless steel case.

A drive shaft is attached to an engine located in the lower compartment of the device. Pumping elements are sequentially put on it: blades, drive rings and impellers.

The position of the elements is fixed by a clamping cover with an internal threaded connection. An oil-filled single-phase motor contains a rotor, a stator and two bearings.

A reliable automatic control unit is provided for efficient pump control. A remote device is attached to the power cord, with which you can adjust the operation of the device.

This diagram illustrates the arrangement of the Aquarius pump. The engine is located below, and the pump part, consisting of a set of working rings, is on top

The minimum diameter of the well in which Aquarius can be used should be at least 120 mm. The depth of water supply can vary between 1-20 m.

Three quarters of an inch connected to the pump, the consumer can receive up to 120 cubic meters of water per hour. To regulate the water pressure in the system, a special valve is provided at the outlet of the working hose.

Common Causes of Breakdowns

“Aquarius” is successfully used not only in wellsbut also in wells, natural bodies of water and large tanks that meet the operating conditions declared by the manufacturer.

Pumps of this type quite successfully cope with pumping water that is substantially contaminated with sand. Unfortunately, violation of the operating rules leads to frequent damage to the device.

Before starting repair work it is recommended to study the technical documentation of the Aquarius pump, it contains useful information and important recommendations

Among the factors causing malfunctions, it can be noted:

• continuous operation with liquids, the level of contamination of which exceeds half of the limit declared by the manufacturer (no more than 20 g / l is allowed);
• pumping hot liquids (if the temperature of the medium is more than 35 degrees);
• frequent and sudden changes in voltage in the mains;
• violation of the integrity of the mount at the installation site of the power cable or in the shell of its underwater part;
• flaws when hanging the pump;
• lack of filter;
• lack of grounding;
• malfunction of pressure switch, accumulator, etc.

Obviously, the duration of the pump is affected not only by the conditions of its operation, but also by the condition of the water supply system of the house as a whole.

A number of serious problems can be avoided if you take care of proper installation of the pump. They attach great importance to the immersion depth of the pump. If this figure is exceeded, the device will work with constant overload and will soon break.

It is extremely rare, but still there are situations when the water in which the pump is immersed freezes. This is very dangerous for the device, because when it freezes, the water expands. As a result, the structural elements of the pump may be damaged.

If the device is stored at a temperature below zero, all moisture from it should be carefully removed.

In order for the pump to work correctly, you should choose a model that is exactly suitable for a particular well. More information on how to choose a pump for a well can be found in our other article.

First of all, you should focus on the flow rate of the well. It should significantly exceed the performance of the pump.

The fact is that many wells are prone to siltation or sanding.

The instrument housing contains a marking reflecting the operating conditions for which this pump is designed. Do not violate these parameters to extend the life of the device

As a result, their debit is markedly reduced. If the pump capacity has been precisely matched to the well flow rate, a hazardous situation may occur.

The pump will pump out water from the well faster than it enters. The well will be empty, and the equipment will idle in the so-called “dry run” mode. This is fraught with overheating and complete damage to the engine of the device.

When suspending the Aquarius pump in a well, make sure that the weight of the device is on the cable, not on the cable or pipe. Incorrect installation is a common cause of breakdowns.

The second important factor is the nominal pressure that the pump in the plumbing system must provide. In various modifications of "Aquarius" it can be 32 m and 63 m.

The nominal value includes transportation on horizontal sections of the water supply system and pressure loss during the passage of water through the pipeline.

Properly selected pump will not be subject to excessive overloads, in such conditions the device will last longer and will work more efficiently.

Dismantling, assembly and repair

So, the pump does not work, stopped pumping water, or simply shows a sharp decrease in productivity. To begin with, it should be disconnected from the power supply and water supply system, and then removed from the well.

You may find useful information on how to get the pump out of the wellif he is stuck there.

Simple diagnostics will help you to understand in which part of the device a breakdown has occurred.

Although it is necessary to apply force and pressure when disassembling the Aquarius pump, nevertheless, care must be taken not to deform the device case

To do this, the pump is briefly plugged in and listened. If the unit is buzzing, most likely its pump part is faulty. This is not the most difficult type of damage. But the absolute silence of the device indicates a high probability of problems with the electric motor. If the magnet burns out, the whole motor will have to be replaced.

If the breakdown is too serious, information on how to properly replace a broken pump new.

Another diagnostic step is the study of the device shaft. You just need to scroll it with your hands. If the shaft moves unhindered, everything is in order in this department.

If you have to make significant efforts to scroll or it does not move at all, most likely the device is clogged with sand and needs to be washed.

Flush the pump as follows:

1. Remove the protective metal mesh.
2. Dismantle the cable channel (for large cross-sectional models).
3. Four fixing bolts are unscrewed.
4. Take out the engine.
5. Remove the plastic transfer clutches.
6. Carefully rotate the shaft with the end part of the key 12 mm, while holding the upper part of the pump stationary.
7. When the shaft turns slightly, a stream of water from the hose is supplied to the pump part.
8. Flushing is continued, combining it with gentle shaft rotations until the shaft begins to move freely.

After this, the flushing can be considered completed, the device is assembled in the reverse order and turned on. In order for the reassembly to be carried out correctly, it is necessary to remember the position of all the parts during disassembly.

You will have to disassemble the pump for various repairs. In service centers, a special press is used for this, and in the conditions of a home workshop, you will have to make additional efforts and use improvised tools, for example, a jack.

Before starting work, it is necessary to learn how to properly disassemble the Aquarius pump.

When repairing the Aquarius pumps in the factory, a special press is used. When disassembling the device in the home workshop, various homemade devices are used

To perform the following operations:

1. Remove the pump from the well.
2. Disconnect it from the power supply.
3. Remove the branch pipe of the water supply pipe.
4. Strongly squeeze the pump casing in its lower and upper parts.
5. Place the bottom edge of the device on a solid base, such as a table or workbench.
6. Remove the snap ring from the groove with a suitable tool, such as narrow-nose pliers.
7. Remove the impellers one at a time.
8. Remove the bearing assembly with the stop cover on which it is located.
9. Inspect all pump components for wear and damage.
10. Replace any damaged parts.
11. Reassemble the device.

Clamp the edges of the pump housing in such a way as to loosen the lock ring clamp. When this part is dismantled, the remaining operations will no longer require excessive effort.

In order not to confuse the reverse assembly sequence, it is best to foresee a place for removed parts. They are laid out in order, while maintaining the correct position of the working rings relative to the concepts of “top” and “bottom”.

If the impellers of the Aquarius pump are worn out, they simply need to be replaced. New parts can be purchased at the service center.

During the reassembly, attention should be paid not only to the correct position of the working rings, but also to their position relative to other parts.

After all the elements are assembled, the impellers must retain the ability to rotate freely. Contamination of the pump with foreign particles of sand or silt can cause another unpleasant breakdown.

If the shaft of the switched on device was stuck, and after that the engine did not turn on, the stator winding may have burned down. Eliminate such a malfunction, i.e. Rewinding an engine at home is not easy. It makes sense to entrust this operation to experienced professionals.

If the winding is in order, but the engine still does not start, the problem may be in the capacitor or in the state of the electrical cable.

With a capacitor, everything is relatively simple: the damaged element is dismantled, and a new, serviceable one is installed in its place. You should also check the contact points of the electric cable with the motor, as well as the integrity of the cable itself.

When disassembling the device, it is necessary to remember the sequence of parts, it is better to sign the elements and indicate the top / bottom (click to enlarge)

Sometimes it’s enough to simply solder the contacts. If there is a break in the power cable, you need to determine the position of such a break and repair the fault. The repair site should be additionally protected with a special heat-shrink sleeve.

But the repaired cable to some extent remains the “weak link”. It may make sense to replace the damaged cable with a new, solid wire.

During disassembly, repair and reassembly, it is recommended that the engine be held upright to prevent oil from escaping.

Sometimes problems with the engine at the Aquarius pumps arise not because of a lack of voltage in the network, but because of its surges. To solve this problem you should use an autotransformer or Voltage regulatorby plugging it into the network.

This measure can be foreseen even at the stage of installation of the pump, so as not to eliminate breakdowns caused by poor-quality power supply, but to prevent them.

If the pump does not turn on, it may simply not be receiving power. Check the reliability of the contacts and the integrity of the electrical cable.

As a result of a sharp decrease in voltage in the network, a noticeable decrease in pump performance can be observed. As soon as the power indicators return to normal, the pump will begin to work at full strength.

If this did not happen, it is possible that the pressure drop in the water supplied to the system is caused not by a pump failure, but by a malfunction of the water supply pipe.

In this case, you should get the pump and carefully inspect the pipe to identify gaps and eliminate them. In addition, it is also necessary to check the integrity of the joints of the pipe with the pump nozzle, head adapter, etc.

A decrease in pump performance can also be observed when filter openings become clogged.

Simple cleaning and rinsing of filters usually solves the problem. If, after cleaning the filters, the pressure in the system has not recovered, you should look for other malfunctions.

You may be interested in our other article about making a filter for a well.

An indicator indicating the presence of problems with the pump may be the frequent operation of the RCD.

The picture is as follows: the pump turns on, it works for a short time, and then it turns off automatically. This situation indicates that there are problems with the stability of the voltage in the network, or that the device is clogged with sand and needs to be washed.

Regular pump maintenance

Proper maintenance of the Aquarius pump will minimize the chance of sudden breakdowns. To do this, the pump must be removed from the well in order to conduct an inspection. Raise and lower the pump carefully so as not to damage the casing walls and the pump casing.

This is a time-consuming procedure, especially when it comes to the great depth of immersion, but still experts recommend performing a diagnostic inspection of the pump twice a year.

First, an external visual inspection of the pump casing is performed. Identify possible chips, cracks, traces of corrosion and other damage.

If this step is neglected, damage can become even more serious when disassembling the pump. When external damages are detected, actions should be taken to eliminate them, for example, to clean and treat areas that have corroded with special compounds.

At the end of repair work, flushing and routine maintenance, the operation of the pump is checked in a tank of water so that it is not necessary to remove the pump from the well again

After this, remove the engine compartment cover. Here they check how freely the motor shaft moves. If its rotation is difficult, it is necessary to flush the device from contamination, as described above.

During the diagnostic examination, the condition of the bearing and stuffing box is also checked for wear. If necessary, they are immediately replaced.

Another important procedure is replacing the pump lubricant. In this case, only those lubricants recommended by the manufacturer should be used.

If the pump located in the well breaks, these substances can leak out of the housing. The ingress of foreign oily impurities into the water can significantly impair its quality.

Some practical advice

As a lubricant in the pumps “Aquarius” vaseline oil of high purity is used.

This composition is used in pharmacology for the manufacture of ointments. In this case, the manufacturer hides the name of the company supplying this product.

As stated in the inscription on the cover, do not open it. In case of rough handling, oil may spill out of the engine.

In total, the Aquarius pump engine contains about half a liter of liquid paraffin. But to restore lubrication, it is better to contact the manufacturer to avoid contamination of the well with technical oils.Authorized service centers usually provide this service without any problems.

If the “Aquarius” pump is supposed to be used in an automated water supply system, be sure to install check valve. The device is not equipped with this element, it will have to be purchased separately.

It is recommended that a valve equipped with a brass damper be preferred. Such devices are characterized by increased resistance to wear and longer life.

If the pump will be used only for irrigation, there is no need to buy and install a check valve. In this case, you can block the flow of water into the hose. In this case, the pump will idle, the device is designed for such loads.

If you need to replace the capacitor, it will be useful to consider the following information. The Aquarius pumps use devices with a capacity of 14-80 microfarads, designed for 400 V. This is a Czech Republic bipolar dry capacitor, the dielectric component of the device is polypropylene.

Depending on the model or time of manufacture of the pump, a TESLA, AEG, Gidra, etc. condenser may be installed in it. We used models with wired contacts, and with petal.

All this allows us to conclude that similar models of any manufacturer are suitable for Aquarius pumps if their characteristics meet the specified technical requirements.

Water pipes in an autonomous water system typically use either half-inch or three-quarters of an inch. But the pump or pipe that connects to the pump outlet should have a diameter of at least one inch.

These sections of the water supply can be connected using an adapter. When using pipes of a smaller diameter, a slight decrease in pump performance can be observed.

This diagram illustrates the characteristics of various models of Aquarius pumps for a well. These data will help you choose the right pump for your specific situation.

Some amateur amateurs tried to reduce the performance of an overly powerful pump by removing part of the working rings. Such actions can be fatal for the device. It is best to initially select the equipment of the desired performance.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The process of disassembling, reassembling and repairing the Aquarius pump is graphically presented in the following video:

The audit and cleaning procedure for a device that has been operating in the well for 11 years can be viewed here:

An interesting experience in changing the oil in the Aquarius pump engine:

It is not necessary to disassemble the pump without first examining its structure and operation. The result can be even more serious breakdowns than those that an amateur craftsman is trying to fix.

Carefulness, accurate knowledge and common sense usually lead to positive results in the repair of this reliable and effective device.

Are you familiar with pump failures? Or have the experience of own repair of its individual components? Please write about this in the comments to our article. Many owners of "Aquarius" may come in handy your recommendations for troubleshooting.