Pump choices, upgrade or stick it out...

S

snagtooth

New member
So just wondering if you guys had an advice for me on this one. I have an older Hydrotek machine (only machine right now) and the previous owner and I have beat this thing up. It has countless hours on it, I've let the whole system freeze solid twice this winter, etc. Already rebuilt a majority of the pump after the first freeze and now I need to change oil seals and a plunger (noticed the center plunger keeps cracking, bent guiding piston?) Springtime/summer plan includes a new higher gpm machine and would like to keep this Hydrotek on the trailer too for two machines. So, I'm going to rebuild this pump regardless but thinking about picking up the same pump and putting the new one in the machine and the rebuild on the shelf for a spare. Or should I pick up a different pump (slight upgrade)?

-Current pump is a AR RK15.28HN, 3.96gpm, 4000psi, 1450rpm

-I found a killer deal on the AR pump at PWMall.com, cosmetic blemish return, still held under factory warranty, $320.00

-Been looking at different brand pumps and different specs. I read a post here the other day discussing a similar Hydrotek machine a guy bought with a gutted pump, some of you guys chimed in with different suggestions but I can't find the post now.

-The 18hp vangaurd I have on there is beat too so my other thought was upgrading the pump to somewhere around 6gpm/4000psi, running it under powered for a bit and then replacing the engine soon to something a little bigger too. When you under power a pump which do you loose GPM or PSI? Or both?

What do you guys think? Thanks
 
I know Scott has been running the new Legacy 5635 pumps without any problems. It's a direct replacement for the General TS2021. I personally would go with it if I were you. I know Paul sells them.
 
I love my Legacy pumps. In fact, they replaced my AR pumps that came with the machine because I had such a miserable experience with them. The Legacy have been employee proof, and some have a lot of hard hours on them.
 
Calvin, is that an SS35005VH? Is the pump mounted backwards? If so, keep in mind that it's a left hand pump, whether you order it from PWmall or me. There again, if it's the SS machine, you can only get so much heat out of the ADC burner. Too much flow, and the water temp will be lower than it is now.
 
Russ Johnson said:
Calvin, is that an SS35005VH? Is the pump mounted backwards? If so, keep in mind that it's a left hand pump, whether you order it from PWmall or me. There again, if it's the SS machine, you can only get so much heat out of the ADC burner. Too much flow, and the water temp will be lower than it is now.
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Couldn't tell you on the model number, I ground the frame all down and repainted when I got it and didn't think to save the model # plate. I think its a right hand pump. Pressure head facing the front of the machine and the pulley/shaft on the right. It is a 12v adc burner, I have already installed a secondary relief for needed steam applications and I just ordered a larger (2.5 over the 2.25) fuel nozzle to give that a try too. I figured that since the common breaking point seems to be at the 6gpm point for most burners/coils I've seen, I could maybe get away with a little upgrade.

I think I also saw that you had posted that they use this pump in both 1450rpm and 1750rpm on the Hydroteks? I think my pulleys are set up for 1450rpm by doing some rudimentary measurements and rpm ratio calculation.

Rapid HotClean said:
Calvin, yesterday Mike Beck (Eugene) and I were talking on the phone about something somewhat similar. He had a factory built machine with too much pump for the engine - an 18 HP Briggs. It would get hot and blow oil seals. Was also noisy. They're junk.
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Are you talking about a 1450rpm pump being spun at 1750rpm and crapping out? If so I thought the same thing when I read that Hydrotek does that to push a little higher gpm.
 
snagtooth said:
I think I also saw that you had posted that they use this pump in both 1450rpm and 1750rpm on the Hydroteks? I think my pulleys are set up for 1450rpm by doing some rudimentary measurements and rpm ratio calculation.
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Yeah, they run it up to 4.8 gpm with a 16 hp Vanny to get the SS35005.
 
You lose pressure. You'll want to upsize your nozzle to 6.5 or 7 to reduce the pressure so you don't stall the engine
 
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