How on earth did this spring get mangled like this?

[awemawson]

This is on a Grundfos CH4-60 six stage pump, and the spring in question presses the two halves of the ceramic mechanical seal together - or rather in this case doesn't resulting in a major water leak.

(It's pumping glycol laced water in the 35 kva chiller unit for my 100kva induction furnace - video via endoscope up the outlet port )

 

[500e]

Not your average cheap video-scope either
Is the shaft rotating & end of spring jam on casing ??
Reckon it is in the £k hot hundreds
We have a £6k one to look in turbines & their gearboxes depth of field is the killer on cheap units also manoeuvrability of view.
This is mid priced for the use

 

[arther dailey]

dont know but can I ask what make/cost was the endoscope,Please. darn good video

 

[JEZGUZ]

It looks as though the spring snapped about half-way down its length.

 

[awemawson]

The endoscope is a very cheap eBay one that I got to look inside my tool turret on my Beaver CNC lathe when I was re-building it described here :

https://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,12592.msg153812.html#msg153812

I can't remember exactly how much it was - ah found the email confirmation - £14.24 - so not much at all.

 

[500e]

That's almost unbelievable all the ones I have seen have the depth of field of a short sighted cricket tried 3\4 just out of interest gave them away, mates son has a Snap On one better but still poor

 

[awemawson]

The pump has sat idle for 13 years - with Grundfos pumps it's best to keep the seals wet in storage and this was wet, but I have a feeling that perhaps initially the two halves of the mechanical ceramic seal had stuck together so the spring would perhaps be tweaked as they freed off. Sure leaks a lot of water. Replacement seal is £142.80 inc VAT !!!!!!!

 

[Screwdriver]

Looks to me as if the spring has wound itself off the valve. There’s a very good chance it’s not broken and quite possibly could be wound back on, maybe even in situ!

course, the downside is, you need to establish why it wound itself off in the first place.

<edit> nope. Poor obs. Looks like it’s not a dual spring but one spring broke in half.

 

[Wallace]

It looks as though the spring snapped about half-way down its length.

That was my first thought seeing there are four ends to a single spring.

 

[bs2236]

The pump has sat idle for 13 years - with Grundfos pumps it's best to keep the seals wet in storage and this was wet, but I have a feeling that perhaps initially the two halves of the mechanical ceramic seal had stuck together so the spring would perhaps be tweaked as they freed off. Sure leaks a lot of water. Replacement seal is £142.80 inc VAT !!!!!!!

If you are replacing the seal don't forget to set the shaft/seal height when you put the motor coupling back on. If you set it too low the pump will self destruct or can cause the seal to fail.

 

[colnerov]

Hi, That looks like the spring broke and then mangled, rather than wound/unwound and then broke. Because if the latter, then the broken end would be curled to some degree. So it's just luck!

Colin

 

[awemawson]

If you are replacing the seal don't forget to set the shaft/seal height when you put the motor coupling back on. If you set it too low the pump will self destruct or can cause the seal to fail.

I’m familiar with the vertical CR style of Grundfos pumps where the motor is coupled by a split joint and you can set the height as you say, but this is a CH4 which is horizontal and the motor armature and pump shaft is all one piece so I think that there is no adjustment available. But Thanks for the heads up.

 

[arther dailey]

The endoscope is a very cheap eBay one that I got to look inside my tool turret on my Beaver CNC lathe when I was re-building it described here :

https://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,12592.msg153812.html#msg153812

I can't remember exactly how much it was - ah found the email confirmation - £14.24 - so not much at all.

is that onev that goes on a mobile phone? thanks

 

[awemawson]

It's LIKE (but not identical) to this one on eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1200P-8L...828417&hash=item4da8fcf9c4:g:DkUAAOSwnbxdSVv1

It has a little box that holds a battery and a WiFi link to your iPhone. Box charges up off a USB lead.

 

[Shox Dr]

It's LIKE (but not identical) to this one on eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1200P-8L...828417&hash=item4da8fcf9c4:g:DkUAAOSwnbxdSVv1

It has a little box that holds a battery and a WiFi link to your iPhone. Box charges up off a USB lead.

looks like the one I have. Picture is fantastic so long as you get it in focus. Problem is the focal length is very small. 10-15mm

 

[jsf55]

Spring adhesion to the shaft/seal on start up after being left so long ?

 

[mcostello]

Here I thought He was talking about the weather as winter certainly has been mangled.