Turney Turbines 'BUSH' pump question

[wavetrain]

Hello all,

I have been given the task to look at a couple of these rumbling chaps in a non domestic building. Turney Turbines as a company no longer exists so I cannot ask them for support.

I pumped some grease through their nipples and replaced an A31 belt and now the rumbling has reduced by 50% but there is a slight water weep when they are running.

I do realise the 'GLAND' referred to on the label is probably the large nut assemble in the middle of the first photo and I would need to either tighten it or loosen it and repack with suitable grease.

It won't turn by hand I thought I would ask advice before putting a tool on it and marking it.

I am sure the professionals here have come across these. Going by the telephone number code thy are about 20 years old, I thought this type of pump dissapeared a very long time ago but searches on the Internet shows they in fact have a good reputation. Why would a noisy belt driven pump like this be preferred to the type we are used to in the domestic situation?

BTW also in this boiler room there are 2 boilers each with a Grundfos shunt pump that have worked non stop for 20 years. At 200 W electricity consumption that is a large bill! The boiler manual which I obtained states they should be wired to the boiler which has shunt pump overrun circuit built in and not as present directly to the mains supply.

Photos below:

 

[WDIK]

nearer 30yrs, seen a few of them, some were a wet lube bearing/seal but not that one.
looks like the shaft is quite coroded, which is why its started to leak.
you might check with a pump reconditioner to see if any seals are available.
also worth checking the valve's are holding before even touching it.

 

[wavetrain]

nearer 30yrs, seen a few of them, some were a wet lube bearing/seal but not that one.
looks like the shaft is quite coroded, which is why its started to leak.
you might check with a pump reconditioner to see if any seals are available.
also worth checking the valve's are holding before even touching it.

I am old enough to remember that London changed from 01 to 081/071 around 1988, so the sticker on the label on photo #2 dates it to 20 years not 30 years

 

[giblets]

The packing behind the castellated nut looks like it needs to be replaced. Don.t know where to get graphited cord of the size anymore. Try Pullen Pumps.

Having said that it is not unusual for them to drip a bit. In fact there is a 3/8" connection where the water is gathering for the connection of a drain if I remember rightly.

 

[Agile]

The general setup is very similar to the Pullen pumps.

It looks to me as if the shaft is snapped to the right of the castellated (?)nut.

Those belt driven pumps are so inefficient that the normal solution would be to replace them with an in line Grunfoss "CR" series and save 60% on the electricity consumption.

Support for Turney pumps is available here:-

http://www.pumpsmotors.co.uk/turney.html

Tony

 

[wavetrain]

Thank you for that info, I have now taken a wrench to the nut on the pullyless pump and it does turn OK so when I have both belted I can play around with them. They both pump by the way when belted

I think Turney Turbines closed business around 10 years ago, but I am still intrigued as to why these pumps were fitted over the last 40 years when the fully enclosed types were so available.

I cannot ask the installer as he is no longer alive, does anyone know why this design survived for so long?

 

[giblets]

I have specified and installed many of these beasties in my time. They were primarily used on larger domestic/commercial/industrial systems. One of the main advanatges of them was that the duty could be altered by changing the pulleys so, for a given pump, there could be a very large number of variations available. They were simple, robust and, as you have found, long lasting.

When ordering one had to specify the actual duty required in g.p.m & head. Not many folks can work that out today I'm afraid so it's easier to buy a pump that has a range of duties controlled by a speed controller.

However, they don't look too good in Madam's new kitchen.

 

[wavetrain]

When I have completely refurbished this pair, I think I will take a video of them running and post it here so everyone can gaze and listen with nostalgia.

Oh and I am serious.

They belong to a church so they will only replace them if they break.

Lets not forget the reliability of Grundfos pumps, remember the shunt pumps I mentioned? They have run non stop for 20 years and still going strong. About £3500 of electricity used at today's prices (assumes 10p/unit not sure of the price right now)

They will be correctly wired to the boilers in due course.

 

[ChrisR]

Many types of graphited gland materials HERE
Fascinating catalogue, by the way.

 

[wavetrain]

Many types of graphited gland materials at IBHS.co.uk
Fascinating catalogue, by the way.

Thank you Chris

 

[giblets]

An excellent find there, Chris. Many thanks. Now BM'd

WT - there is a chance that I may be able to lay my hands on a Service Manual for the pumps. Will try during the week and post back.

 

[Agile]

I cannot see why anyone would want that style of pump since 1080 when the in line designs became available at a sensible price.

In later design saves about 60-70% of the running cost!

The launderette industry universally used them as the pressure pump for the water from a cistern.

During the 80s the launderettes changed them just in order to obtain the cost saving. They could give a payback of about a year.

In ours the 5 HP Pullen pump was replaced by a 760w inline Grunfoss!

Tony