Alright, so lemme tell you about this acid pump truck project I tackled. It was a doozy, but hey, that’s how we learn, right?
It all started when the old pump on our acid truck crapped out. Like, totally died. We were down a truck and that’s never a good thing. So, the boss comes to me and says, “Alright, you’re on it. Get us back up and running.” No pressure, right?
First thing I did was tear down the old pump. Gotta figure out what went wrong and see if any parts are salvageable. Turns out, the impeller was completely corroded and the seals were shot. Figured that was coming, considering the stuff we pump. Ordered a new pump. Went with a centrifugal pump, stainless steel, Viton seals – the works. Needed something tough to handle the acid.
While waiting for the new pump to arrive, I cleaned up the mounting area on the truck. Removed all the old gunk, rust, and anything else that might get in the way. Then I checked all the hoses and fittings. Replaced a couple that looked suspect. Don’t wanna have a leak later and spray acid everywhere. Safety first!
Pump finally arrives. Shiny new piece of equipment. I grabbed the install manual and started mounting it. Had to drill a couple of new holes in the mounting plate to line it up properly. Then I bolted that sucker down tight. Made sure it was good and secure. Didn’t want it vibrating loose while we’re driving.
Next, I connected all the hoses. Made sure they were all the right size and properly clamped. Double-checked everything for leaks. Then I wired up the motor. Pretty straightforward, just followed the wiring diagram. Tested the rotation to make sure it was spinning in the right direction. Wouldn’t be the first time I got that backwards.
Once everything was connected, it was time for the moment of truth. Filled the tank with water first, just to test the system. Turned on the pump and… nothing. Crap. Checked the power, checked the wiring, checked everything again. Turns out, the breaker had tripped. Reset the breaker, tried again, and… she roared to life! Water was flowing like a champ.
Alright, water test was good. Now for the real deal. Drained the water and filled the tank with a small amount of diluted acid. Started the pump slowly and monitored everything closely. No leaks, no weird noises, everything seemed to be working fine. Increased the flow rate gradually and checked the pressure. Everything looked good.
After running it for a while and making sure everything was stable, I finally gave it the all-clear. The truck was back in service. Took a couple of days of work, but we got it done. Biggest takeaway? Double-check everything, especially the wiring! And always wear your PPE!