What can happen if a suction line is improperly sized?
Sizing The Liquid Line Liquid lines have similar design limitations as suction lines. A liquid line that is too small will have too much pressure drop. This can cause the liquid to begin to boil before it reaches the metering device. This effectively causes a restriction.
What happens if the suction line is not insulated?
It prevents the suction line from sweating and dripping water inside the house. 2. The insulation also prevents the suction line attracting heat from the outdoors on its way to the condenser coil. If the indoor insulation is missing, water damage to the home may result.
Is it possible to have a leak in a suction line?
There can, however, be a leak of air into the line. It is possible to have a suction line at 20 inches of Hg (vacuum) when the pump is operating. As a tip for field problem solving, I frequently use plastic wrap around the flanges or suspected areas to test for ingress leaks.
What causes the suction line on a pump to become filled with air?
The presence of an air pocket in the suction line is another example of a cause for pump troubles, which should never happen. Any high point in the suction line can become filled with air and interfere with proper operation of the pump.
What causes a suction line leak in an oil heater?
Successfully Locating Suction Line Leaks. Many oil heat service technicians encounter problems with air in the oil supply system. Most are caused by the use of COMPRESSION FITTINGS, but leaks can be found elsewhere.
How big should the suction line be on a self priming pump?
Most experienced pump users know that as a general rule you should always design the suction line to be one size larger than the pump suction. Self–priming pumps are an exception, and the suction piping should be the same size as the pump suction.
Where do you find a leak in a suction line?
Should your tests be conducted on an underground tank and at the last available connection you are still encountering air, you may have located a leak in the buried lines. The leak may be in the indoor or outdoor portion of these lines. Exposing these lines for further testing may be your easiest solution.
What do you mean by suction side air leak?
Suction Side Air Leaks. A suction side air leak is most commonly indicated by air under the pump lid. In the case of a really bad suction air leak you will see a lot of air and the water will be splashing around under the pump lid.
How long does it take to clean a suction line leak?
Start the burner and watch the oil flow through the tester. On a two-pipe system allow approximately 3 minutes of run time to remove the air that entered while installing the tester. On a single-pipe unit, you must purge this air pocket through the bleed port.
Can a PVC pipe cause a suction leak?
This can be anywhere from the pump (including the housing) to the skimmer, all PVC connections, joints, and valves are suspect. It can not be located after the pump, in this case you will be leaking water out not sucking air in. In rare cases a suction leak can be the cause of an underground suction pipe that has been punctured, or cracked.