Should all pumps be treated equal when evaluating Pump Efficiency and COST OF OWNERSHIP?
May 31, 2017
Many Farmers and Pump Dealers only consider the initial purchase cost of the pump and motor as their TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP, without considering ALL of the key factors which include:
- Pump and motor Initial purchase price
- Installation costs (vertical turbine versus submersible turbine)
- Service Life of the equipment based on service history (5, 10 or 20 years)
- Power cost to operate the pump and motors over its serviceable life
It is surprising to most users that the cost of operating a pump over its service life far exceeds the initial purchase cost. Factors include:
- Pump Efficiency, as tested at selected speed – 1800 rpm, 3600 rpm, etc.
- Motor Efficiency, comparing Vertical Hollow Shaft motors, Submersible motors, etc.
When comparing the operating costs at 2 different installations (as illustrated on page 2), the energy savings alone paid for the entire initial cost of the most efficient pump and motor in less than a few years! Projected savings over 20 years of ownership is projected to be enormous!
When purchasing a new pump, the following should be considered:
- Ask your pump manufacturer to occasionally verify the pump and motor efficiencies through actual testing. This way you can validate what you are really buying. Selecting a pump and motor with the highest ‘wire to water’ efficiency (pump efficiency multiplied by moor efficiency) is what will save you energy costs from your first day in operation. Note that what the industry calls ‘wire to water efficiency’ (pump efficiency multiplied by motor efficiency) is what will save you energy costs from your first day in operation.
- Use this ‘wire to water’ efficiency value to determine your operating costs. Compare it to other pump options, and designs offered by other manufacturers.
BE SMART, BUY QUALITY and SAVE!
For a complementary performance test and ‘wire to water’ efficiency analysis, please contact your local National Pump location.
