Magical jet pump.

Shadow_storm56

Active member

Equipment
Lawn mower
Oct 22, 2020
468
49
28
Canada
So on the farm we somtimes burn out a jet pump here and there, usually the shaft seals. Only recently realized they can be fixed and reserected one of the old burcam ones. It works great but has a feature I don't understand.

If it runs for a long duration it will randomly just shut off, not weird sounds or anything just like it powered off. Powers going to it, pressure switch is connected and it should be running. Then a few mins later it starts back up like normal. It's like it has a built in run time limiters but I did not see anything. It's an oldish burcam pump anyo
 

Shadow_storm56

Active member

Equipment
Lawn mower
Oct 22, 2020
468
49
28
Canada
That would be my guess too.

How warm does it get when it shuts down?
Doesn't seem warm at all, only shuts off for maybe 5 mins or less. Like it literally seems like it has a timer in it that after it runs 10 mins strait it shuts off for 2 mins. Unless it has a faulty thermal switch that goes off really low
 
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JimmyJazz

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Aug 8, 2020
1,219
739
113
Pittsburgh, Pa
I have too much experience with Burcam shallow well jet pumps. My pump house has flooded several times in the last 3 years resulting in multiple pumps being ruined. I would suggest calling them. They are very nice and would be happy I am sure to help. I have never had a problem with my pump shutting off after a period of time. My showers are probably ten minutes long and that's about the longest I have run the pump continually. I really like the fact that you don't need a pressure tank. If they worked underwater they would be perfect. I was told by Burcam that after the pump dries out it may work again. That has not been the case. I have probably gone thru five of them. I have recently installed eighty pounds of stainless steel plate with gaskets made from a motorcycle inner tube in a hillbilly attempt to hinder water ingress. Exciting. So far so good.
 

JohnDB

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Lifetime Member

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M4500DT
Jun 9, 2018
393
69
28
NZ
Not familiar with your pump, but thinking about my jet pump, does your have a low water level cutout? Or what happens if inlet is restricted and it is starved?
 

Shadow_storm56

Active member

Equipment
Lawn mower
Oct 22, 2020
468
49
28
Canada
Not familiar with your pump, but thinking about my jet pump, does your have a low water level cutout? Or what happens if inlet is restricted and it is starved?
No nothing like that, idk what it's doing but generally it's fine. Just takes a 5 min break every 20 mins
 

cmorningstar01

Active member

Equipment
B7500HST LA302 FEL 5'Finish Mower B5100E 46" Snow Plow 22 ton splitter
Mar 27, 2011
341
81
28
Pemberton NJ USA
I have both Goulds and Myers Jet pumps that are used for irrigation and both have a thermal overload but they have never cut out from running long periods of time, I have occasionally checked them after having them run for hours at a time and the motor housings are warm but not hot and the actual pump (impeller) housings are very cold from the water flowing thru them.
If your pump is cutting off after only running 10 minutes there is something wrong.

We had a new pool liner installed 2 years ago and one of our Goulds 1hp jet pumps we use for irrigation ran for 24 hours a day for 3 days, I did occasionally check to make sure it was not overheating and it wasn't, motor warm...not hot and pump housing very cool/cold
 

Shadow_storm56

Active member

Equipment
Lawn mower
Oct 22, 2020
468
49
28
Canada
I have both Goulds and Myers Jet pumps that are used for irrigation and both have a thermal overload but they have never cut out from running long periods of time, I have occasionally checked them after having them run for hours at a time and the motor housings are warm but not hot and the actual pump (impeller) housings are very cold from the water flowing thru them.
If your pump is cutting off after only running 10 minutes there is something wrong.

We had a new pool liner installed 2 years ago and one of our Goulds 1hp jet pumps we use for irrigation ran for 24 hours a day for 3 days, I did occasionally check to make sure it was not overheating and it wasn't, motor warm...not hot and pump housing very cool/cold
It's definitely not over heating, it would have to be a bad thermal overload. My other jet pumps get much warmer under longer runs and are fine. This one cuts out when the casing is barly warm to the touch
 

armylifer

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Lifetime Member

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BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
Mar 26, 2013
2,051
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113
Thurston County, WA
I would check if the pump is sucking air from a leak somewhere in the input hose. Either that or a restriction in the input hose.