SynC™

SynC · SynC Standards

HVAC Pumps

Rev8
IssuedAug 29, 2026
Contents

Revision history

Download
Build a datasheet from this standard Start a project with this standard already attached — one click, no setup.
Use in a project

1 Scope

1.1 Boundary of Work

NOTE This standard governs the pump assembly as a unit of supply: the pump end from the suction connection through the discharge connection, the driving motor, the baseplate or mounting frame, the coupling and its guard, the shaft seal, and the accessories the pump manufacturer mounts before shipment. (1.1.1)
NOTE The standard reaches past the equipment itself into three execution activities that determine whether the pump performs as selected — setting and grouting, coupling alignment, and the arrangement of the suction piping immediately upstream of the pump. A pump that meets its certified curve on a factory test stand and fails in the field almost always fails for one of those three reasons rather than for a defect in the machine. (1.1.2)
NOTE Work outside this boundary is governed by the standards named below, and this standard defers to them rather than restating their requirements: (1.1.3)
  • Piping, valves, strainers, flexible connectors, and pipe supports beyond the pump connections — Hydronic PipingHydronic PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hydronic-piping
  • Variable frequency drives, including drive programming, output filtering, and motor cable length limits — HVAC Variable Frequency DrivesHVAC Variable Frequency DrivesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-variable-frequency-drives
  • Chemical treatment, filtration, and biological control of the circulated fluid — HVAC Water TreatmentHVAC Water TreatmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-water-treatment
  • System flow balancing and the verification of terminal flow rates — Testing Adjusting And BalancingTesting, Adjusting, and Balancing for HVACResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/testing-adjusting-and-balancing
  • Monitoring, alarming, sequencing, and staging logic resident in the control system — Building Automation SystemBuilding Automation SystemResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/building-automation-system
NOTE Open-loop condenser water systems carry a Legionella exposure that closed loops do not, and the building water management program required by ANSI/ASHRAE 188 covers the whole system rather than the pump alone. This standard states only the pump-side installation measures that feed that program; the program itself belongs to HVAC Water TreatmentHVAC Water TreatmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-water-treatment. (1.1.4)

1.2 Terms Used in This Standard

NOTE The following terms carry their Hydraulic Institute meanings throughout this standard: (1.2.1)
  • Best efficiency point (BEP) — the flow at which the pump reaches its maximum efficiency at a given impeller diameter and speed
  • Preferred operating region (POR) and allowable operating region (AOR) — the flow bands defined in ANSI/HI 9.6.3 relative to BEP flow
  • NPSH required (NPSHr) — the suction-side head above vapor pressure at which the pump suffers a defined loss of head, published by the manufacturer as a function of flow
  • NPSH available (NPSHa) — the suction-side head above vapor pressure the system delivers to the pump suction, calculated by the designer
  • Pump energy index (PEI) — the ratio defined in 10 CFR Part 431 Subpart Y comparing a pump's weighted energy rating to the minimally compliant baseline
  • Rated flow and design flow — the flow the pump is selected to deliver at the design total dynamic head, as scheduled on the contract documents

2 Referenced Standards

2.1 Equipment, materials, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited.
2.2 Where referenced standards conflict, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
Standard Title
ANSI/HI 1.1-1.2 Rotodynamic Centrifugal Pumps for Nomenclature and Definitions
ANSI/HI 1.3 Rotodynamic Centrifugal Pumps for Design and Application
ANSI/HI 1.4 Rotodynamic Centrifugal Pumps for Manuals Describing Installation, Operation, and Maintenance
ANSI/HI 2.1-2.2 Rotodynamic Vertical Pumps for Nomenclature and Definitions
ANSI/HI 9.6.1 Rotodynamic Pumps Guideline for NPSH Margin
ANSI/HI 9.6.3 Rotodynamic Pumps Guideline for Operating Regions
ANSI/HI 9.6.4 Rotodynamic Pumps for Vibration Measurements and Allowable Values
ANSI/HI 9.8 Rotodynamic Pumps for Pump Intake Design
ANSI/HI 14.6 Rotodynamic Pumps for Hydraulic Performance Acceptance Tests
ANSI/HI 40.6 Methods for Rotodynamic Pump Efficiency Testing
10 CFR Part 431 Energy Efficiency Program for Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment (Subpart Y, Pumps)
ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1 Energy Standard for Sites and Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings
ANSI/ASHRAE 188 Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems
NEMA MG 1 Motors and Generators
NEMA 250 Enclosures for Electrical Equipment (1000 Volts Maximum)
NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (Article 430)
ASME B16.1 Gray Iron Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings (Classes 25, 125, and 250)
ASME B16.5 Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings, NPS 1/2 Through NPS 24
ASTM A48 Gray Iron Castings
ASTM A536 Ductile Iron Castings
ASTM A276 Stainless Steel Bars and Shapes
ASTM B584 Copper Alloy Sand Castings for General Applications
ISO 21940-11 Mechanical Vibration, Rotor Balancing (Procedures and Tolerances for Rotors with Rigid Behaviour)
ASCE/SEI 7 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures
IBC International Building Code
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.219 Mechanical Power-Transmission Apparatus
MSS SP-58 Pipe Hangers and Supports, Materials, Design, Manufacture, Selection, Application, and Installation

3 Submittals

3.1 Action Submittals

3.1.1 The Contractor shall submit the following for review and approval before any pump is released for fabrication:
  • Product data for each pump tag, identifying configuration, casing pattern, connection size and type, and shipping weight
  • Certified performance curve for each pump tag at the selected impeller diameter and design speed, plotted from shutoff to runout, showing head, efficiency, brake horsepower, NPSHr, and the minimum continuous stable flow
  • Selection report stating design flow, design head, selected impeller diameter, maximum catalog impeller diameter, efficiency at the design point, brake horsepower at the design point, and the design flow expressed as a percentage of BEP flow
  • Pump energy index value and the equipment class under which it was determined
  • NPSH available calculation for each pump, prepared by the Engineer of Record, evaluated at the design point and at runout
  • Motor data including nameplate ratings, nominal and guaranteed efficiency, power factor, service factor, insulation system, bearing arrangement, and inverter-duty rating
  • Shaft seal data identifying arrangement, face materials, elastomers, flush plan, and pressure and temperature limits
  • Materials of construction for casing, impeller, shaft, shaft sleeve, wear rings, and fasteners
  • Baseplate drawing showing anchor bolt pattern, grout dam, leveling provisions, and the grout the manufacturer requires
  • Coupling data including type, spacer dimension, and the manufacturer's published alignment tolerance
  • Vibration isolation product data including rated load, static deflection, and natural frequency at the operating load
  • Seismic restraint calculations and attachment details, stamped by a professional engineer registered in the project jurisdiction
  • Coordination drawings showing the pump footprint, suction and discharge piping arrangement, motor and impeller removal clearances, and maintenance access
Action Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ Pump product data by tag
☑ Certified performance curve, shutoff to runout
☑ Selection report with impeller trim and percent of BEP flow
☑ Pump energy index and equipment class
☑ NPSH available calculation by the Engineer of Record
☑ Motor data including efficiency and inverter-duty rating
☑ Shaft seal data
☑ Materials of construction
☐ Baseplate drawing with anchor pattern and grout dam
☐ Coupling data and published alignment tolerance
☐ Vibration isolation product data
☐ Seismic restraint calculations and details
☑ Coordination drawings with removal clearances
3.1.2 Fabrication and shipment shall not proceed until the action submittals for that pump tag have been returned marked no exceptions taken or make corrections as noted.
NOTE The selection report is the submittal that carries the most information per page: the ratio of design flow to BEP flow, the trim of the impeller relative to the maximum catalog diameter, and the brake horsepower at runout together predict most of what will go wrong with the pump over its life. (3.1.3)

3.2 Closeout Submittals

3.2.1 The Contractor shall submit the following before the pumps are accepted:
  • Operation and maintenance manuals meeting ANSI/HI 1.4 for each pump model furnished
  • As-built nameplate record for each installed pump, including serial number, as-installed impeller diameter, and motor serial number
  • Certified factory test report for each pump tag for which factory testing was required
  • Field startup report recording measured suction pressure, measured discharge pressure, calculated total dynamic head, measured flow, motor voltage and current, and the corresponding point on the certified curve
  • Coupling alignment record showing cold readings, the thermal offset applied, and readings taken after thermal stabilization
  • Baseline vibration measurements taken at the pump and motor bearing housings
  • Water treatment acceptance record for the loop the pump serves, obtained from the party responsible under HVAC Water TreatmentHVAC Water TreatmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-water-treatment
  • Warranty documentation correlating each serial number to its installation date and warranty expiration date
  • Spare parts inventory identifying each item by pump tag and manufacturer part number
Closeout Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ Operation and maintenance manuals per ANSI/HI 1.4
☑ As-built nameplate record with installed impeller diameter
☐ Certified factory test report
☑ Field startup report referenced to the certified curve
☑ Coupling alignment record, cold and thermally stabilized
☑ Baseline vibration measurements
☐ Water treatment acceptance record for the served loop
☑ Warranty documentation by serial number
☑ Spare parts inventory by pump tag and part number
3.2.2 The as-installed impeller diameter shall be recorded from the pump nameplate or from direct measurement, not copied from the submitted selection.
NOTE An impeller trimmed in the field, or a pump shipped with a diameter other than the one submitted, invalidates every later comparison against the certified curve. Recording the diameter at closeout is what makes the curve usable years afterward, when a facility engineer is trying to decide whether a pump has degraded or was simply never the pump on the drawing. (3.2.3)

4 Quality Assurance

4.1 Manufacturer Qualifications

4.1.1 The pump manufacturer shall have continuously designed and produced rotodynamic pumps of the configuration furnished for not less than the period indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Manufacturer Experiencerange
years
3510152025
4.1.2 The manufacturer shall maintain a documented quality management system covering casting inspection, hydrostatic testing, assembly, and performance testing.
4.1.3 The manufacturer shall commit in writing that replacement parts for the pump model furnished will remain available for not less than the period indicated in the datasheet, measured from the date of manufacture.
Minimum Replacement Parts Availability Periodrange
years
51015202530

4.2 Single-Source Responsibility for the Assembly

4.2.1 The pump end, motor, baseplate or frame, coupling, and coupling guard shall be furnished as a single coordinated assembly by or through one pump manufacturer.
4.2.2 The pump manufacturer shall be responsible for the hydraulic performance of the assembly, the mechanical compatibility of its components, and the dimensional coordination of the baseplate, coupling, and motor.
4.2.3 Unless the Contract Documents direct otherwise, the pump end and motor shall be assembled and aligned at the factory rather than mated in the field.
4.2.4 Where the Contract Documents direct field assembly of a pump end and a separately procured motor, responsibility for coupling selection, baseplate flatness, and alignment shall rest with the Contractor, and the pump manufacturer's performance obligation shall be limited to the pump end.
NOTE Splitting the supply is a real procurement pattern, usually driven by an owner's motor standardization program, and it is workable when the responsibility shift is stated in advance. What causes disputes is an unstated split discovered at startup, when a vibration problem has two suppliers each pointing at the other. (4.2.5)

4.3 Installer and Startup Qualifications

4.3.1 Setting, grouting, and coupling alignment of base-mounted pumps shall be performed by personnel who can document prior experience with pumps of comparable size and configuration.
4.3.2 Coupling alignment shall be performed by a millwright or pump service technician qualified in the alignment method indicated in the datasheet.
4.3.3 Where the pump manufacturer offers a factory startup service for the model furnished, the Contractor shall engage that service for the initial startup of each pump at or above the horsepower indicated in the datasheet.
Motor Horsepower Threshold for Manufacturer Startup Servicerange
hp
510255075100200
NOTE A setpoint of 0 hp requires factory startup on every pump on the project. (4.3.4)

4.4 Pre-Installation Conference

4.4.1 A pre-installation conference shall be held before the first pump is set, attended by the mechanical contractor, the pump manufacturer's representative, the controls contractor, the balancing agency, and the Owner's representative.
4.4.2 The conference agenda shall cover rigging and setting sequence, housekeeping pad and grouting procedure, verification of the suction piping arrangement against the approved coordination drawings, alignment method and tolerance, startup sequence, and the point in the schedule at which system flow will be measured against the pump curve.
4.4.3 Minutes of the conference shall be distributed to all attendees and to the Engineer of Record within five business days.

5 Service Conditions

5.1 Circulated Fluid

5.1.1 The circulated fluid shall be as indicated in the datasheet, and all wetted components shall be compatible with that fluid at the operating temperature and treatment chemistry.
Circulated Fluidselect
Water
Propylene glycol and water solution
Ethylene glycol and water solution
Methanol and water solution
Deionized or demineralized water
Glycol Concentration by Volumerange
%
1020253035405060
Per drawings — fluid concentration as indicated on the mechanical schedules (deferred by default)
5.1.2 Where the circulated fluid is a glycol solution, the pump selection shall be corrected for the density and viscosity of the solution at the minimum operating temperature.
5.1.3 Where the circulated fluid is a glycol solution, the shaft seal elastomers and any nonmetallic wetted parts shall be confirmed compatible with the glycol type and its inhibitor package.
NOTE Glycol raises density and viscosity together, and the two work in opposite directions on the selection: higher density raises the brake horsepower required for the same head in feet, while higher viscosity lowers both head and efficiency relative to the water curve. A selection taken straight off a water curve at 40 percent propylene glycol and 20°F will be short on head and long on motor load at the same time. (5.1.4)
NOTE Deionized and demineralized water is aggressive toward copper alloys in a way that treated hydronic water is not, and the material selections that suit a treated closed loop do not carry over to it. (5.1.5)

5.2 Loop Type

5.2.1 The loop the pump serves shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Hydronic Loop Typeradio
● Closed loop
○ Open loop, cooling tower or fluid cooler condenser water
○ Open loop, other
5.2.2 Where the pump serves an open loop, the wetted material selections, the shaft seal flush arrangement, and the strainer provisions upstream of the pump shall account for suspended solids and dissolved oxygen continuously replenished at the tower.
NOTE A closed loop reaches a stable, largely deoxygenated chemistry within weeks of fill and holds it, so wear rates settle to a low steady value. An open loop never does: the tower aerates the water on every pass, concentrates dissolved solids by evaporation, and admits airborne debris. The same pump in the two services sees wear rates that differ by roughly an order of magnitude at the seal faces and wear rings. (5.2.3)

5.3 Operating Temperature and Pressure

5.3.1 The pump and all wetted components shall be rated for continuous operation across the temperature range indicated in the datasheet.
Maximum Continuous Fluid Temperaturerange
°F
324060100140180200220250300
Per drawings — design temperatures as indicated on the mechanical schedules (deferred by default)
Minimum Continuous Fluid Temperaturerange
°F
1020323640455565100180
Per drawings — design temperatures as indicated on the mechanical schedules (deferred by default)
5.3.2 The pump casing and its connections shall be rated for not less than the system maximum working pressure indicated in the datasheet at the maximum continuous fluid temperature.
System Maximum Working Pressure at the Pumprange
psig
75125175250300400
Per drawings — system working pressure as indicated on the mechanical drawings (deferred by default)
5.3.3 The pressure rating of a flanged cast iron casing falls as temperature rises, so the pressure class shall be established at the coincident maximum pressure and maximum temperature rather than at either one alone.
5.3.4 Where the pump can be subjected to system static pressure while shut down, that static pressure shall be included in the working pressure used to establish the casing rating.
NOTE The coincident condition is what catches designers out on tall buildings and on high-temperature heating water. A casing that is comfortably rated at 250 psig cold can be below its allowable working pressure at 250°F, and a pump at the bottom of a 20-story riser sees the full static column whether it is running or not. (5.3.5)

5.4 Site Elevation

5.4.1 The site elevation shall be as indicated in the datasheet, and the NPSH available calculation shall use the atmospheric pressure corresponding to that elevation rather than sea-level pressure.
Site Elevationrange
ft
1000200033005000660080001000012000
Per drawings — site elevation as indicated on the contract documents (deferred by default)
5.4.2 Where the site elevation exceeds 3,300 ft, the motor manufacturer shall confirm the motor rating at that elevation and at the maximum ambient temperature at the pump location.
5.4.3 Where the site elevation exceeds 3,300 ft, the pump manufacturer shall confirm that the selected pump remains within its allowable operating region at the corrected NPSH available.
NOTE Atmospheric pressure is worth roughly 33.9 ft of water column at sea level and roughly 27.8 ft at 5,000 ft. That six-foot difference is larger than the entire NPSH margin on many condenser water selections, which is why a pump specified from a sea-level catalog and installed in Denver can cavitate on the first hot day. Motor derating at altitude comes from the same thinning air, acting on convective cooling instead of suction head. (5.4.4)

6 Hydraulic Selection

6.1 Design Duty Point

6.1.1 Each pump shall be selected and certified to deliver the design flow at the design total dynamic head indicated in the datasheet.
Design Flowrange
gpm
10255075100150200300400500750100015002000300040006000800012000
Per drawings — mechanical equipment schedule (deferred by default)
Design Total Dynamic Headrange
ft
1020304050607590100125150200250300400500600
Per drawings — mechanical equipment schedule (deferred by default)
6.1.2 The certified curve submitted for each pump tag shall be plotted at the selected impeller diameter and at the design speed, not at the maximum catalog diameter.

6.2 Operating Region

6.2.1 The design operating point shall fall within the operating region indicated in the datasheet, determined per ANSI/HI 9.6.3 for the specific speed of the pump selected.
Required Operating Region at the Design Pointradio
● Preferred operating region per ANSI/HI 9.6.3
○ Allowable operating region per ANSI/HI 9.6.3
6.2.2 No pump shall be selected to operate beyond its allowable operating region at any condition the control sequence can produce, including the runout condition that occurs with all control valves open.
6.2.3 Where a variable-speed pump will operate below the preferred operating region at part load, the selection report shall identify the lowest flow the control sequence permits and confirm that flow lies within the allowable operating region.
NOTE The preferred operating region is not a fixed band. ANSI/HI 9.6.3 puts it as wide as 70 to 120 percent of BEP flow for low specific speed pumps and narrows it for higher specific speed designs, so the acceptable window has to be read for the pump actually selected rather than assumed. (6.2.4)
NOTE The two ways out of the region fail differently. To the left of BEP, internal recirculation in the impeller eye drives noise, radial load, and seal chamber turbulence at flows that look harmless on a curve. To the right, radial load rises again and NPSHr climbs steeply, so a pump that runs out during a low-load reset can cavitate at a condition nobody tested. (6.2.5)

6.3 Impeller Trim and Selection Margin

6.3.1 The impeller diameter selected shall not exceed the percentage of the maximum catalog diameter indicated in the datasheet.
Maximum Selected Impeller Diameter, Percent of Maximum Catalog Diameterrange
%
707580859095100
6.3.2 The selected impeller diameter shall not be below the minimum trim the pump manufacturer publishes for the casing, and the certified efficiency at the trimmed diameter shall be stated in the selection report.
6.3.3 No safety factor shall be added to the scheduled flow or head by the Contractor or by the pump supplier; where the selection requires margin, that margin shall be established by the Engineer of Record and reflected in the scheduled duty.
NOTE Leaving headroom below the maximum catalog diameter is cheap insurance against a system that turns out stiffer than calculated: a larger impeller can be fitted in the same casing later, while a pump already at maximum diameter has to be replaced. Trimming too far in the other direction costs efficiency, because the trimmed vane no longer matches the casing volute. (6.3.4)
NOTE Stacked safety factors are the most common cause of oversized hydronic pumps. When the designer adds margin to the calculated head, the supplier adds margin to the selection, and the installer specifies the next frame size up, the pump lands far to the left of BEP and runs there for thirty years. (6.3.5)

6.4 Net Positive Suction Head

6.4.1 The Engineer of Record shall calculate the NPSH available at the pump suction at the design point and at runout, accounting for atmospheric pressure at the site elevation, static suction head or lift, suction piping and fitting losses, and the vapor pressure of the circulated fluid at the maximum continuous fluid temperature.
6.4.2 The NPSH available shall exceed the NPSH required by at least the margin ratio indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum NPSH Margin Ratio, NPSHa Divided by NPSHrrange
11.11.21.31.51.7522.5
6.4.3 The NPSH available shall exceed the NPSH required by at least the absolute margin indicated in the datasheet, applied in addition to the margin ratio.
Minimum Absolute NPSH Marginrange
ft
2357101520
6.4.4 Where neither an NPSH margin ratio nor an absolute margin is indicated in the datasheet, the margin shall be established per ANSI/HI 9.6.1 for the service and suction energy of the pump selected, and the value used shall be stated in the selection report.
6.4.5 Where the calculated NPSH margin is not met at any operating condition the control sequence can produce, the Contractor shall notify the Engineer of Record before releasing the pump for fabrication.
NOTE ANSI/HI 9.6.1 does not publish one margin. It gives a range of roughly 1.1 to 2.5 times NPSHr, selected by service category and by suction energy, so a low-suction-energy closed-loop circulator and a high-suction-energy condenser water pump land at opposite ends of that band. A ratio alone also behaves badly at small numbers, which is why an absolute floor in feet is specified alongside it: 1.2 times an NPSHr of 4 ft leaves less than a foot of real margin. (6.4.6)
NOTE Cavitation from a thin margin is intermittent and quiet at first. It removes metal from the impeller vane just behind the leading edge, where nothing is visible until the impeller comes out, and the first symptom an operator notices is usually a seal that will not stay in service. (6.4.7)

6.5 Rotative Speed

6.5.1 The rotative speed at the design point shall not exceed the maximum indicated in the datasheet.
Maximum Rotative Speed at the Design Pointrange
RPM
880115017503550
6.5.2 The rotative speed shall be reported in the selection report for each pump tag, together with the NPSHr and efficiency at the design point at that speed.
NOTE Speed is an outcome of the selection rather than an input to it. The designer fixes flow, head, and the available NPSH; the combination of those three with the required operating region determines which speeds can produce a viable pump, and often only one can. A datasheet entry here caps the speed when a project has a reason to, and stays empty when it does not. (6.5.3)
NOTE Doubling the speed roughly doubles impeller tip velocity, and NPSHr rises steeply with it, so a 3550 RPM selection needs materially more suction head than an 1750 RPM selection of the same duty. Working against that, the faster pump is physically smaller and cheaper, and reaches high heads at low flow that a slower pump cannot reach in one stage. Where suction head is plentiful and head is high relative to flow, the higher speed is what makes the duty achievable at all. (6.5.4)
NOTE Seal face wear and bearing load both scale with speed, so the maintenance interval on a 3550 RPM pump in continuous service is shorter than on the same duty at 1750 RPM, and the noise it radiates into the mechanical room is higher. Where a pump runs continuously in a space adjoining occupied areas, those two consequences usually decide the speed. (6.5.5)

6.6 Low-Flow Protection

6.6.1 The minimum continuous stable flow published by the pump manufacturer shall be stated on the certified curve for each pump tag.
6.6.2 Where the control sequence can hold the pump below its minimum continuous stable flow, low-flow protection shall be provided as indicated in the datasheet.
Low-Flow Protectionradio
○ Continuous minimum-flow bypass to the suction header
○ Automatic recirculation valve
○ Control sequence limits that hold flow above the minimum
○ None, system design maintains flow above the minimum continuous stable flow
NOTE A pump held below its minimum continuous stable flow converts most of its shaft power into heat in the casing. In a small closed loop the water in the casing can approach its saturation temperature within minutes, at which point the pump is boiling its own working fluid and the seal is running dry. (6.6.3)

7 Energy Performance

7.1 Pump Energy Index

7.1.1 Where the pump falls within an equipment class regulated under 10 CFR Part 431 Subpart Y, its pump energy index shall not exceed the value indicated in the datasheet.
Maximum Pump Energy Indexrange
0.50.60.70.80.90.951
7.1.2 The pump energy index reported for each pump tag shall be determined per ANSI/HI 40.6 and shall identify whether it is the constant-load or variable-load index.
7.1.3 The index reported shall be the constant-load index for a pump furnished without continuous speed control and the variable-load index for a pump furnished with continuous speed control.
7.1.4 Where the pump falls outside the regulated equipment classes, the submittal shall state which scope limit places it outside rather than omitting the index.
NOTE The regulated classes are end-suction close-coupled, end-suction frame-mounted with its own bearings, in-line, radially split multistage vertical in-line diffuser casing, and submersible turbine. The scope is bounded by flow of 25 gpm or more at BEP, head of 459 ft or less at BEP with the full-diameter impeller, 1 to 200 hp at BEP flow, and two-pole or four-pole induction driver speeds. A large split-case pump, a low-flow circulator, and a line-shaft cooling tower pump can all fall outside it. (7.1.5)
NOTE An index of 1.00 is the regulated ceiling rather than a target, and lower is better: the index is a ratio against a minimally compliant baseline pump of the same class and specific speed. The two variants are weighted differently — the constant-load index averages performance at 75, 100, and 110 percent of BEP flow, while the variable-load index averages 25, 50, 75, and 100 percent — so the two numbers are not comparable to each other. (7.1.6)

7.2 Hydraulic Efficiency

7.2.1 The pump hydraulic efficiency at the design point shall be not less than the value indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Pump Hydraulic Efficiency at the Design Pointrange
%
40505560657075808590
7.2.2 Where the datasheet indicates no minimum efficiency, the certified efficiency at the design point shall be reported for each pump tag and shall be evaluated against the manufacturer's published BEP efficiency for that pump.
NOTE Achievable efficiency is a function of size, specific speed, and configuration, and no single number spans the range this standard covers. A 50 gpm in-line circulator and a 4,000 gpm double-suction split-case pump differ by more than twenty efficiency points at their respective best points, so a minimum written for one is either trivial or unbuildable for the other. (7.2.3)
NOTE For a variable-speed pump the design-point efficiency is the least representative number on the curve, because the pump spends most of its hours somewhere else. The useful comparison is the efficiency weighted across the load profile, which is exactly what the variable-load pump energy index reports. (7.2.4)

7.3 Flow Control Mode

7.3.1 The flow control mode for the pump system shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Pump Flow Control Moderadio
○ Constant speed, constant flow
○ Constant speed, staged pumps
○ Variable speed, continuous speed control
7.3.2 Where ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1 applies to the project, a pumping system with total pump system power above 10 hp that serves control valves modulating as a function of load shall be designed for variable flow and shall be capable of reducing flow to 50 percent or less of design flow.
7.3.3 Where ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1 applies and the individual pump serves a variable-flow system with pump system power above 5 hp, controls shall limit pump motor demand to no more than 30 percent of design wattage at 50 percent of design flow.
7.3.4 Variable-speed pumps shall be driven by drives conforming to HVAC Variable Frequency DrivesHVAC Variable Frequency DrivesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-variable-frequency-drives.
NOTE The 30 percent demand limit at half flow is what makes the requirement a speed-control requirement in practice rather than a flow-reduction requirement. Throttling a constant-speed pump to half flow leaves motor demand well above 30 percent because the pump simply rides up its curve; reducing speed follows the affinity relationship, where power falls roughly with the cube of speed. (7.3.5)

8 Pump Configuration and Pressure Boundary

8.1 Pump Configuration

8.1.1 The configuration of each pump shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Pump Configurationselect
End suction, frame mounted with its own bearings
End suction, close coupled
In-line, close coupled
In-line, split coupled
Horizontal split case, double suction
Vertical multistage, radially split diffuser casing
Vertical turbine, line shaft with above-deck motor
Vertical turbine, submersible motor
NOTE Configuration is a consequence of the duty, the space, and the suction arrangement rather than a preference, which is why this field carries no default. Frame-mounted end suction covers the broad middle of commercial hydronic duty and keeps the seal accessible without disturbing the motor. Close-coupled construction removes the coupling, the baseplate, and the alignment problem, at the cost of pulling the motor to reach the seal. (8.1.2)
NOTE In-line pumps carry their own weight into the piping and free the floor, which decides the question wherever mechanical room area is the binding constraint. Split-case double-suction pumps balance axial thrust hydraulically and hold a flatter efficiency curve, advantages that matter at the high flows where their footprint can be justified. (8.1.3)
NOTE Where the supply water level sits below the pump, no horizontal configuration solves the problem well, and vertical turbine construction with the bowls submerged is what removes the suction lift entirely. That is the usual condition at a cooling tower whose sump is below the pump room floor. (8.1.4)
NOTE Split-coupled in-line construction sits between the close-coupled and frame-mounted cases: the motor and pump have separate shafts joined by a spacer coupling, so the seal can be changed with the motor in place while the assembly still hangs in the line. (8.1.5)

8.2 Pump Arrangement and Redundancy

8.2.1 The number of pumps and the redundancy arrangement for each pump system shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Pump Arrangementselect
Single pump, no redundancy
Duty and standby, two pumps at 100 percent capacity
Parallel duty, two pumps at 50 percent capacity
Parallel duty with standby, three pumps at 50 percent capacity
Parallel variable-speed set, three or more pumps staged by demand
Series, primary and secondary
Per drawings — mechanical equipment schedules and flow diagrams (deferred by default)
8.2.2 Where pumps operate in parallel, each pump shall be selected on a continuously rising head-capacity characteristic from the design point to shutoff.
8.2.3 Where pumps operate in parallel, the selection report shall state the flow each pump delivers when running alone with the system fully open, and the motor shall be non-overloading at that flow.
NOTE A drooping or flat characteristic near shutoff lets two parallel pumps find two different operating points on the same head, so one pump backs the other down and can push it below minimum flow while the control system reports both running normally. (8.2.4)
NOTE The single-pump runout condition is the load case parallel sets are most often sized wrong for. With one pump down and the system wide open, the surviving pump moves far to the right of its design point, where brake horsepower on a rising power curve is at its highest. (8.2.5)

8.3 Casing Pressure Boundary

8.3.1 Pump suction and discharge connections shall be of the type indicated in the datasheet.
Pump Connection Typeselect
Flanged, ASME B16.1 Class 125
Flanged, ASME B16.1 Class 250
Flanged, ASME B16.5 Class 150
Flanged, ASME B16.5 Class 300
Grooved end
Threaded, NPT
Companion flange with union
8.3.2 Cast iron flanges shall conform to ASME B16.1 and steel flanges shall conform to ASME B16.5 for the class furnished.
8.3.3 Gasket, bolting, and mating flange requirements at the pump connections shall conform to Hydronic PipingHydronic PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hydronic-piping.
8.3.4 The casing shall be furnished with tapped connections as indicated in the datasheet, each fitted with a plug or a valved fitting before shipment.
Tapped Casing Connectionscheckbox
☑ Casing drain at the low point
☑ Casing vent at the high point
☑ Suction gauge connection
☑ Discharge gauge connection
☐ Seal chamber flush connection
☐ Seal chamber quench connection
NOTE A casing vent is what lets an operator clear the air pocket that collects at the top of a volute after a system fill or a partial drain, and without it the first start after a drain-down runs the seal dry for as long as the pocket survives. (8.3.5)

8.4 Casing Material

8.4.1 The pump casing shall be of the material indicated in the datasheet.
Casing Materialselect
Cast iron
Ductile iron
Bronze
Carbon steel
Stainless steel, Type 316
8.4.2 Cast iron casings shall conform to ASTM A48, Class 30 or higher.
8.4.3 Ductile iron casings shall conform to ASTM A536.
8.4.4 Bronze casings shall conform to ASTM B584.
8.4.5 Stainless steel casings shall be Type 316 or Type 316L.
NOTE Cast iron develops a stable protective film in treated, deoxygenated closed-loop water and holds its dimensions across the temperature swings of heating and chilled water service, which is why it dominates that application. Where the water is continuously aerated, chloride-bearing, or outside the treatment program's control, that film does not form and the corrosion allowance the casting relies on is consumed instead. (8.4.6)
NOTE Where a pump will be left drained or partially drained between seasons, the interior of a cast iron casing rusts in air far faster than it corrodes in treated water, and the scale that forms is carried into the seal faces on the next start. Bronze and stainless casings do not have this failure mode, which is what recommends them for seasonal or intermittently drained service. (8.4.7)

9 Rotating Element

9.1 Impeller

9.1.1 The impeller shall be of the type indicated in the datasheet, keyed or threaded to the shaft and secured against loosening in the direction of rotation.
Impeller Typeradio
● Enclosed
○ Semi-open
○ Open
9.1.2 The impeller shall be of the material indicated in the datasheet.
Impeller Materialselect
Bronze
Cast iron
Ductile iron
Stainless steel, Type 316
Stainless steel, duplex
Glass-filled thermoplastic composite
9.1.3 Bronze impellers shall conform to ASTM B584.
9.1.4 The impeller shall be dynamically balanced to ISO 21940-11 grade G6.3 or finer, and the balance record shall be available to the Engineer of Record on request.
NOTE An enclosed impeller carries a shroud on both sides of the vanes, so its clearance to the casing is set by replaceable wear rings rather than by the casing itself. That is what makes the clearance restorable at overhaul, and it is the reason enclosed construction dominates clean hydronic service. Semi-open and open impellers give up that feature in exchange for tolerance of solids and easier clearance adjustment. (9.1.5)
NOTE A bronze impeller running in a cast iron casing sets up a galvanic pair in which the much larger casing is the anode, so the current density on the casing stays low and the arrangement is stable in treated water. Reversing the area ratio — a small iron part in a large bronze casing — is what makes galvanic pairing a problem. (9.1.6)

9.2 Wear Rings

9.2.1 Unless the datasheet indicates otherwise, pumps at or above 25 hp with enclosed impellers shall be furnished with renewable wear rings.
9.2.2 Wear rings shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Wear Ring Arrangementradio
○ Renewable rings on both the casing and the impeller
○ Renewable casing ring only
○ No renewable rings, clearance formed by the casing and impeller
Wear Ring Materialselect
Bronze
Stainless steel, Type 316
Hardened stainless steel
Filled fluoropolymer
Not applicable, no renewable rings
9.2.3 Wear rings shall be secured against rotation and shall be renewable without machining the casing or the impeller.
9.2.4 Wear ring material shall be selected so that the ring pair does not gall on contact, which for a metallic pair means a hardness difference between the two rings.
NOTE The wear ring clearance is the only path from the discharge side of the impeller back to the suction eye, so as it opens the pump recirculates an increasing fraction of its own flow internally. The head-capacity curve barely moves while efficiency falls steadily, which is why the loss goes unnoticed until someone measures brake horsepower against flow. (9.2.5)
NOTE Renewable rings are what make that loss reversible. Restoring the clearance at overhaul returns the pump close to its original efficiency for the price of two rings, where a pump without them needs a new impeller, a new casing, or both. (9.2.6)

9.3 Shaft and Shaft Sleeve

9.3.1 The shaft shall be of the material indicated in the datasheet, sized so that the shaft deflection at the seal faces stays within the seal manufacturer's limit across the allowable operating region.
Shaft Materialselect
Carbon steel
Alloy steel
Stainless steel, Type 316
Stainless steel, 17-4 PH
9.3.2 Stainless steel shafts shall conform to ASTM A276 for the grade furnished.
9.3.3 A renewable shaft sleeve shall be provided as indicated in the datasheet, sealed against leakage between the sleeve and the shaft.
Shaft Sleeveradio
○ Renewable sleeve through the seal chamber
○ No sleeve, seal runs directly on the shaft
NOTE The shaft carries torque, the radial load the volute imposes, and the axial thrust the impeller develops, all at once, and it does so while holding the seal faces square to within a fraction of a thousandth of an inch. Shaft deflection at the seal is the quantity that decides seal life on a pump running away from BEP, which is why the seal manufacturer's deflection limit is the governing sizing criterion rather than stress. (9.3.4)
NOTE A sleeve moves the wear surface off the shaft onto a part that costs a fraction as much to replace, at the cost of a slightly larger shaft diameter through the seal chamber. Running a seal directly on a corrosion-resistant shaft eliminates the sleeve joint and the leak path with it. (9.3.5)

9.4 Bearings and Lubrication

9.4.1 Bearings shall be of the lubrication type indicated in the datasheet, arranged to carry the radial and axial loads the pump develops across its allowable operating region.
Bearing Lubricationradio
○ Regreasable antifriction bearings
○ Oil-lubricated antifriction bearings
○ Sealed antifriction bearings
9.4.2 Bearings shall be selected for a rating life not less than the value indicated in the datasheet, calculated at the design operating point.
Minimum Bearing Rating Life at the Design Pointrange
hours
876017500250004000050000100000
9.4.3 Where regreasable bearings are furnished, grease fittings and relief provisions shall be accessible without removing the coupling guard.
9.4.4 Where oil-lubricated bearings are furnished, a constant-level oiler and a sight glass shall be provided, and the oil grade and change interval shall be stated in the operation and maintenance manual.
NOTE Bearing rating life is calculated at one operating point, so it is only as representative as that point. A pump that spends its life at 60 percent of BEP flow carries a radial load several times the load at BEP, and the rating life at the design point overstates what the bearings will actually see. (9.4.5)
NOTE Sealed bearings need no maintenance and admit no contamination, which suits small and close-coupled pumps where the bearing is unlikely to outlive the motor anyway. Regreasable bearings can be maintained indefinitely and can also be destroyed by over-greasing, so the interval and quantity in the maintenance manual matter more than they appear to. (9.4.6)

10 Shaft Sealing

10.1 Seal Arrangement

10.1.1 The shaft seal for each pump shall be of the arrangement indicated in the datasheet.
Shaft Seal Arrangementselect
Single mechanical seal, balanced
Single mechanical seal, unbalanced
Single cartridge mechanical seal
Dual mechanical seal with pressurized barrier fluid
Dual mechanical seal with unpressurized buffer fluid
Compression packing with lantern ring
10.1.2 The seal shall be rated for the seal chamber pressure and the fluid temperature that occur at every condition the control sequence can produce, including the static pressure the pump sees while shut down.
10.1.3 Where compression packing is furnished, a lantern ring and a flush connection shall be provided, and the operation and maintenance manual shall state the leakage rate the packing requires for cooling.
10.1.4 Where the pump serves a space in which visible leakage is unacceptable, compression packing shall not be used unless the datasheet selects it and a drain is piped from the stuffing box.
NOTE A cartridge seal arrives from the seal manufacturer pre-assembled and pre-set on its own sleeve and gland, so field installation is a matter of sliding it on and releasing the setting clips. A component seal requires the installer to set spring compression by measurement, and a compression error of a sixteenth of an inch either leaks immediately or runs the faces hot. Where the crew changing seals is a building maintenance staff rather than a pump shop, that difference determines how long the second seal lasts. (10.1.5)
NOTE A balanced seal reduces the net closing force on the faces by stepping the sleeve diameter, which keeps face temperature manageable as seal chamber pressure rises. Unbalanced construction is simpler and less expensive, and it stays within its face loading limits at the lower chamber pressures typical of small closed-loop circulators. (10.1.6)
NOTE Compression packing is still in service on vertical turbine line shafts and on pumps where a controlled leak is tolerable and a seal replacement outage is not. It requires that leak to carry away face heat, so a stuffing box tightened until it stops dripping is a stuffing box that is about to score the sleeve. (10.1.7)

10.2 Seal Face Materials

10.2.1 The seal face combination shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Mechanical Seal Face Combinationselect
Carbon against alumina ceramic
Carbon against silicon carbide
Carbon against tungsten carbide
Silicon carbide against silicon carbide
Tungsten carbide against tungsten carbide
10.2.2 Where the pump serves an open loop, or where the pump is installed in existing piping that has not been cleaned and flushed, the seal face combination shall be selected for tolerance of suspended solids.
NOTE Carbon running against a hard seat is the low-friction pairing, and it tolerates brief dry contact better than any hard-on-hard combination because the carbon sacrifices itself rather than heat-checking the mating ring. What it does not tolerate is particulate: any solid harder than carbon embeds in the softer face and turns it into a lap, and the wear rate climbs by orders of magnitude. (10.2.3)
NOTE Silicon carbide against silicon carbide and tungsten carbide against tungsten carbide both resist that embedding, which is what makes them the pairings used where solids are continuously present. Hard-on-hard faces run hotter and are far less forgiving of a dry start, so they trade one failure mode for another rather than removing both. (10.2.4)
NOTE Alumina ceramic and silicon carbide differ mainly in thermal conductivity and hardness. Silicon carbide moves face heat away several times faster, which widens the margin against thermal distortion at higher speeds and pressures; alumina is less expensive and entirely adequate where the chamber stays cool and clean. (10.2.5)

10.3 Seal Elastomers

10.3.1 Seal elastomers shall be as indicated in the datasheet and shall be compatible with the circulated fluid, its treatment chemistry, and the full operating temperature range.
Seal Elastomerselect
EPDM
Fluoroelastomer, FKM
Perfluoroelastomer, FFKM
Nitrile, NBR
Tetrafluoroethylene propylene, FEPM
10.3.2 Where the system will be shock-treated, disinfected, or cleaned with chemicals outside the routine treatment program, elastomer compatibility with those chemicals shall be confirmed with the seal manufacturer and the treatment supplier before the procedure is performed.
NOTE EPDM is compatible with water, glycol solutions, and the amine and nitrite chemistries used in hydronic treatment, across the temperature range of ordinary heating and chilled water service, which is what makes it the near-universal choice in that service. It is also the elastomer that petroleum products attack fastest, so any system that can see oil is a system that needs a different one. (10.3.3)
NOTE Fluoroelastomer extends the usable temperature well above EPDM's limit and resists oxidizers and hydrocarbons, but it is attacked by hot water and steam at the top of its range and by some amine treatments. The two are close to complementary rather than one being a superset of the other. (10.3.4)

10.4 Seal Flush

10.4.1 The seal flush arrangement shall be as indicated in the datasheet, and the flush piping shall be furnished and mounted by the pump manufacturer.
Seal Flush Arrangementselect
Internal recirculation from the casing discharge to the seal chamber
External flush from a clean source
Cyclone separator in the seal flush line
External quench to the atmospheric side of the seal
Barrier or buffer fluid system serving a dual seal
No flush, dead-ended seal chamber
10.4.2 Where an external flush is furnished, the flush source, its pressure relative to seal chamber pressure, and its flow rate shall be stated on the submittal.
10.4.3 Where a cyclone separator is furnished, the separator's reject line shall be piped to the pump suction and shall not be valved closed.
NOTE Flush flow does two things at once: it carries face heat out of the seal chamber and it sweeps solids out before they reach the faces. Recirculating from the discharge does both adequately when the fluid itself is clean, and does the second one backwards when it is not, because discharge water in an open loop carries the same tower debris the seal is trying to avoid. (10.4.4)
NOTE A dead-ended seal chamber has no flow through it at all, so face heat leaves only by conduction. That is workable on small, cool, low-pressure duty and becomes the reason for a short seal life as any of those three conditions changes. (10.4.5)

11 Pump Motor

11.1 Motor Rating and Supply

11.1.1 The motor for each pump shall be rated as indicated in the datasheet and shall conform to NEMA MG 1.
Motor Nameplate Horsepowerrange
hp
0.250.330.50.7511.52357.5101520253040506075100125150200250300350400500600700
Per drawings — mechanical equipment schedule (deferred by default)
Motor Supply Voltagerange
V
11520823046048057523004160
Per drawings — electrical drawings and panel schedules (deferred by default)
Motor Supply Phaseradio
○ Single phase, 1Φ
○ Three phase, 3Φ
Per drawings — electrical drawings and panel schedules (deferred by default)
11.1.2 Motor voltage and phase shall match the branch circuit serving the pump as shown on the electrical documents, and any discrepancy between the mechanical schedule and the electrical documents shall be resolved before the motor is released for fabrication.
11.1.3 Motors at or above 1 hp shall be three phase where three-phase power is available at the pump location.
11.1.4 Where three-phase power is not available at the pump location, single-phase motors shall be furnished only within the horsepower range for which the pump manufacturer offers single-phase construction.
NOTE Motor voltage is a fact about the building's electrical distribution rather than a property of the pump, which is why it defers to the electrical documents. The recurring coordination failure is a mechanical schedule that names a nominal utilization voltage while the panel schedule serving the pump carries another, and the mismatch is discovered when the motor arrives. (11.1.5)

11.2 Motor Enclosure

11.2.1 The motor enclosure shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Motor Enclosureselect
Totally enclosed fan cooled, TEFC
Totally enclosed nonventilated, TENV
Totally enclosed air over, TEAO
Totally enclosed blower cooled, TEBC
Open drip proof, ODP
Weather protected type I, WP-I
Explosionproof
11.2.2 Where the motor is installed outdoors or in a space open to weather, the enclosure shall be rated for that exposure and the motor shall be furnished with a drain and breather at its low point.
11.2.3 Where the motor is installed in a classified location, the enclosure shall be listed for the class, division, and group established for that location under NFPA 70.
11.2.4 Open drip proof construction shall not be used where airborne moisture, dust, or corrosive vapor reaches the motor location.
NOTE A totally enclosed frame keeps the winding isolated from the room air and rejects heat through the frame surface, which is what lets the same motor sit in a dusty penthouse, a wet cooling tower deck, and a clean mechanical room. Open drip proof construction cools the winding with room air directly, so it runs cooler for the same frame size and admits whatever the room air carries. (11.2.5)
NOTE On a cooling tower deck the exposure is not only weather but drift: fine droplets of concentrated, chemically treated water carried out of the fill. That is a more aggressive environment than rain, and it is the reason motors in that position are specified with the enclosure and the winding treatment they are, rather than with an ordinary outdoor rating. (11.2.6)

11.3 Motor Efficiency

11.3.1 Motor efficiency shall be as indicated in the datasheet, and the guaranteed efficiency at full load shall be stated on the motor submittal.
Motor Efficiency Levelradio
● NEMA Premium efficiency per NEMA MG 1
○ Super premium efficiency exceeding NEMA Premium
○ NEMA energy efficient
11.3.2 Where the motor falls within the scope of federal minimum efficiency regulation, its nominal full-load efficiency shall be not less than the regulated minimum for its horsepower, enclosure, and pole count.
11.3.3 Motor efficiency at part load shall be stated for any motor served by a variable frequency drive, at 50 percent and 75 percent of rated load as well as at full load.
NOTE The efficiency step from energy-efficient to premium construction is a point or two at full load, and it is worth the most on a motor that runs at high load for most of the year — a primary chilled water pump or a condenser water pump in a continuously occupied building. On a pump that runs at 40 percent speed most of the time, the same step buys far less than the speed control itself already did. (11.3.4)

11.4 Inverter Duty and Shaft Currents

11.4.1 Where the motor is driven by a variable frequency drive, its insulation system rating shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Motor Inverter-Duty Ratingradio
○ Inverter duty per NEMA MG 1 Part 31
○ Inverter capable per NEMA MG 1 Part 30
○ Not applicable, motor is not driven by a variable frequency drive
11.4.2 A motor not rated for inverter duty shall not be connected to a variable frequency drive unless an output filter conforming to HVAC Variable Frequency DrivesHVAC Variable Frequency DrivesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-variable-frequency-drives is provided and the motor manufacturer accepts the resulting waveform in writing.
11.4.3 Shaft current protection shall be provided as indicated in the datasheet.
Motor Shaft Current Protectionradio
○ Insulated nondrive-end bearing
○ Shaft grounding ring at the drive end
○ Insulated nondrive-end bearing and shaft grounding ring
○ None
11.4.4 Motor and drive grounding and bonding shall conform to HVAC Variable Frequency DrivesHVAC Variable Frequency DrivesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-variable-frequency-drives.
NOTE NEMA MG 1 Part 31 requires the insulation system of a motor rated 600 V or less to withstand 1,600 V peak at a rise time of 0.1 µs. That figure exists because a drive's switching edge reflects at the motor terminals and can arrive at nearly twice the bus voltage, and the length of the motor cable determines how much of that overshoot survives. (11.4.5)
NOTE The same fast switching edge drives a voltage between the rotor shaft and the frame. Where it exceeds roughly 300 mV peak, NEMA MG 1 Part 31 points toward interrupting the current path, and the two ways to do that are to insulate the bearing so the current cannot pass or to give it a lower-impedance route through a grounding ring. Doing only the first on a motor that also drives a metallic coupling can push the current through the pump bearings instead. (11.4.6)

11.5 Non-Overloading Selection and Service Factor

11.5.1 The motor service factor shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Motor Service Factorrange
11.151.25
11.5.2 The motor nameplate horsepower shall equal or exceed the pump brake horsepower at every point on the certified curve between shutoff and runout, evaluated at the density of the circulated fluid at its minimum operating temperature.
11.5.3 The service factor shall not be used as capacity in the non-overloading evaluation.
11.5.4 Where the motor is driven by a variable frequency drive, the motor current at the design point shall not exceed the nameplate full-load current.
NOTE Non-overloading selection against the full curve rather than against the design point is what protects the motor at runout, and runout is not a hypothetical: it is the condition on the first cold morning when every control valve is open, and the condition after a standby pump fails to start. On a rising power curve, brake horsepower at runout can exceed the design-point value by a third. (11.5.5)
NOTE Service factor is thermal headroom for a motor on a sinusoidal supply. A drive's switching waveform already consumes part of that headroom in additional winding and core heating, which is why the current at the design point is evaluated against the full-load rating rather than against the service-factor rating on a drive-fed motor. (11.5.6)

12 Baseplate, Coupling, and Isolation

12.1 Baseplate and Grouting

12.1.1 The baseplate for base-mounted pumps shall be as indicated in the datasheet, and shall be stiff enough that the pump-to-motor alignment holds under operating load and thermal growth.
Baseplate Typeselect
Fabricated steel baseplate
Rigid steel baseplate with grout dam and machined mounting pads
Stress-relieved steel baseplate with machined mounting pads
Polymer concrete baseplate
Structural steel frame without grout
Not applicable, close-coupled or in-line pump
12.1.2 The baseplate shall be grouted as indicated in the datasheet.
Baseplate Groutradio
● Nonshrink cementitious grout
○ Epoxy grout
○ Not applicable, ungrouted mounting
12.1.3 The underside of the baseplate shall be cleaned of rust, scale, and primer not compatible with the grout before grout is placed.
12.1.4 The baseplate shall be leveled and shimmed to the pump manufacturer's flatness tolerance before grouting, and the levelness shall be recorded before the grout is placed.
12.1.5 Grout shall be placed so that no voids remain beneath the baseplate, with vent holes at the high points of each grouted compartment.
12.1.6 Where the Engineer of Record and the Contractor disagree whether a grouted baseplate contains voids, the initial determination shall be made by the Engineer of Record, and the cost of any resulting investigation shall be borne by the Contractor where voids are found and by the Owner where they are not.
NOTE The baseplate's job is to hold two shafts collinear while one end of the assembly grows and the other does not. A void under the baseplate turns it into a beam supported at its ends, and the resulting flexure shows up as a vibration signature that reads exactly like a pump defect. More than one pump has been pulled and rebuilt to fix a hollow baseplate. (12.1.7)

12.2 Coupling and Guard

12.2.1 The coupling shall be of the type indicated in the datasheet, selected by the pump manufacturer for the motor torque, starting method, and the misalignment the installation can produce.
Coupling Typeselect
Elastomeric jaw coupling
Elastomeric tire coupling
Metallic disc coupling
Grid coupling
Rigid spacer coupling
Direct drive, close coupled with no coupling
12.2.2 On frame-mounted and split-coupled pumps, the coupling shall include a spacer of sufficient length to permit removal of the seal without moving the motor.
12.2.3 A coupling guard conforming to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.219 shall be furnished with every pump having an exposed coupling.
12.2.4 The coupling guard shall be removable and replaceable without disturbing the pump or motor alignment.
NOTE An elastomeric element accommodates misalignment by deforming, so it also absorbs torque pulsation and isolates the two shafts electrically. It is a wear part, and its condition is the thing a coupling guard is opened to inspect. A metallic disc pack accommodates misalignment by flexing steel instead, with no wear part and no electrical isolation, and it fails abruptly rather than gradually when its misalignment limit is exceeded. (12.2.5)
NOTE The spacer is what turns a seal change from a motor-removal job into an afternoon. Without it, the motor comes off the baseplate and the alignment has to be re-established from scratch every time a seal is replaced. (12.2.6)

12.3 Vibration Isolation

12.3.1 Vibration isolation shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Vibration Isolationselect
Restrained spring isolators
Freestanding spring isolators
Concrete inertia base on spring isolators
Elastomeric isolators
Isolation pads
Direct mounting on the housekeeping pad
12.3.2 Isolators shall be selected for a static deflection not less than the value indicated in the datasheet at the operating load of the assembly.
Minimum Isolator Static Deflectionrange
in.
0.150.250.50.7511.52.53.5
12.3.3 Where the pump is isolated, the piping connections at the pump shall be arranged so that the pump carries no piping weight, per Hydronic PipingHydronic PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hydronic-piping.
12.3.4 In-line pumps supported by the piping shall have pipe supports adjacent to the pump that carry the pump weight, and the pump shall not be supported as a cantilever on its suction and discharge runs.
NOTE Isolator selection is a comparison between the isolator's natural frequency and the pump's running frequency, and useful isolation only begins when the running frequency is several times the natural frequency. That is why the required deflection rises as the running speed falls, and why an isolator adequate under a 3550 RPM pump can transmit almost everything under an 1150 RPM pump of the same weight. (12.3.5)
NOTE An inertia base adds mass rather than compliance. The added mass lowers the natural frequency of the isolated assembly and reduces the motion the pump makes on its springs, which is what keeps a heavy pump from rocking on start and stop. (12.3.6)

12.4 Seismic Restraint

12.4.1 Seismic restraint shall be provided as indicated in the datasheet.
Seismic Restraintradio
○ Required
○ Not required
Per drawings — seismic design criteria as indicated on the structural drawings (deferred by default)
12.4.2 Where seismic restraint is required, restraints shall be designed for the forces determined under ASCE/SEI 7 and the IBC using the seismic design category and component importance factor established by the Engineer of Record for the project.
12.4.3 Restraints shall permit the vibration isolators to function normally under operating conditions and shall limit motion during a seismic event so that attached piping, conduit, and the pump and motor are not damaged.
12.4.4 Restraint calculations and attachment details shall be prepared and stamped by a professional engineer registered in the project jurisdiction.
NOTE The seismic design category and the component importance factor are determined by the design team for the building as a whole, not chosen equipment by equipment, which is why this standard takes them as given rather than assigning them. The importance factor in particular follows from the building's risk category and from whether the system is designated as required to function after an event. (12.4.5)

13 Pump Instrumentation and Control Interface

13.1 Pressure Indication

13.1.1 Pressure indication at each pump shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Pump Pressure Indicationselect
Compound suction gauge and discharge pressure gauge
Single gauge on a valved manifold across the pump
Differential pressure gauge across the pump
Pressure transmitters reporting to the building automation system
Local gauges and pressure transmitters
13.1.2 Gauges shall be liquid filled and shall be provided with an isolation valve at each connection.
13.1.3 Gauge range shall be selected so that the design operating pressure falls between one third and two thirds of full scale.
13.1.4 Discharge pressure indication shall be taken between the pump discharge and the check valve so that the pump's own discharge pressure can be read while the pump runs.
NOTE The difference between the suction and discharge readings is the pump's actual total dynamic head, and comparing it against the certified curve at the measured flow is the only field diagnostic that distinguishes a pump problem from a system problem. Taking the discharge reading downstream of the check valve destroys that diagnostic, because a partially open or fouled check valve then hides inside the number. (13.1.5)

13.2 Motor Starting

13.2.1 The starting method for constant-speed pump motors shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Constant-Speed Motor Starting Methodselect
Full voltage across the line
Solid state soft starter
Autotransformer reduced voltage starter
Wye delta starter
Part winding starter
Not applicable, motor driven by a variable frequency drive
13.2.2 Motor branch circuit protection, disconnecting means, and overload protection shall conform to NFPA 70 Article 430.
13.2.3 Where a reduced-voltage or soft starting method is indicated, the starter shall develop sufficient torque at the reduced voltage to accelerate the pump to full speed against a filled system within the starter's transition time.
NOTE Reduced-voltage starting is specified to limit inrush where the supply cannot absorb it or where repeated across-the-line starts are objectionable, and it is only useful on a load that will accelerate at reduced torque. A centrifugal pump started against an open discharge is such a load; the same pump started against a closed valve and a full static column is not always. (13.2.4)

13.3 Building Automation Interface

13.3.1 The pump points listed in the datasheet shall be provided and shall be integrated per Building Automation SystemBuilding Automation SystemResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/building-automation-system.
Pump Points at the Building Automation Systemcheckbox
☑ Run status by differential pressure or flow switch
☑ Run command
☑ Fault or trip alarm
☐ Discharge pressure transmitter
☐ Suction pressure transmitter
☐ Differential pressure across the pump
☐ Flow, where a flow meter is installed
☐ Motor speed feedback
☐ Seal leakage detection
☐ Bearing temperature
☑ Lead and lag designation and rotation
13.3.2 Where the pump is driven by a variable frequency drive, the points the drive itself reports shall be taken from HVAC Variable Frequency DrivesHVAC Variable Frequency DrivesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-variable-frequency-drives, and only the points listed above that the drive does not report shall be added at the pump.
13.3.3 Run status shall be proven hydraulically rather than electrically.
NOTE A current switch on the motor leads proves that the motor is turning, which is not the question the control system is asking. A deadheaded pump with a closed discharge valve, an airbound casing, or a sheared coupling all draw current and produce no flow, and every one of them reports as running. (13.3.4)

14 Factory Testing

14.1 Hydrostatic and Mechanical Run Tests

14.1.1 Each pump casing shall be hydrostatically tested by the manufacturer before shipment, with no leakage through castings, joints, or welds.
14.1.2 Each assembled pump and motor shall be given a mechanical run test at the factory, verifying direction of rotation, freedom from abnormal noise, and bearing housing vibration within the manufacturer's factory acceptance limits.
14.1.3 Factory test documentation shall be furnished as indicated in the datasheet.
Factory Test Documentation Requiredcheckbox
☑ Hydrostatic test certificate
☑ Mechanical run test report
☑ Certified performance curve from production testing
☐ Witnessed performance test report per ANSI/HI 14.6
☐ Material certificates for casing and impeller
☐ Impeller balance record

14.2 Hydraulic Performance Acceptance Test

14.2.1 Where a hydraulic performance acceptance test is required for a pump tag, the test shall be conducted per ANSI/HI 14.6 to the acceptance grade indicated in the datasheet.
Hydraulic Performance Acceptance Grade per ANSI/HI 14.6select
Grade 1B
Grade 1E
Grade 1U
Grade 2B
Grade 2U
Grade 3B
14.2.2 Where the datasheet indicates no acceptance grade, the pump manufacturer shall state on the submitted curve the acceptance grade on which its published tolerances are based.
14.2.3 The test report shall state the measured flow, head, input power, and efficiency at each duty point tested, together with the tolerance band applied.
14.2.4 Where a tested pump falls outside the tolerance band of the specified grade, the manufacturer shall correct or replace the pump and retest it, and the cost of the retest shall be borne by the manufacturer.
NOTE The grade number sets how wide the tolerance band is and the letter sets how it is placed. Grade 1 bands are the tightest and Grade 3 the widest; a B suffix puts the band symmetrically around the guarantee, a U suffix removes the negative half so the pump can exceed the guarantee but never fall below it, and the E suffix is the bilateral grade written for cases where efficiency is the quantity being guaranteed. (14.2.5)
NOTE For a Grade 1 test the flow band runs ±5 percent bilateral or 0 to +10 percent unilateral, and head ±3 percent or 0 to +6 percent. Grade 2 roughly doubles both. The practical consequence is that a unilateral grade shifts all of the selection risk onto the manufacturer, and its price reflects that. (14.2.6)

14.3 Test Witnessing

14.3.1 Witnessing of the hydraulic performance acceptance test shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Performance Test Witnessingradio
● Not witnessed, certified test report submitted
○ Witnessed at the test facility by the Engineer of Record
○ Witnessed at the test facility by the Owner's representative
○ Witnessed remotely by live video
14.3.2 Where witnessing is required, the Contractor shall give not less than fifteen business days written notice of the scheduled test and shall submit the duty points to be verified with that notice.
14.3.3 Where a witnessed test is postponed by the manufacturer after notice has been given, the manufacturer shall bear the witnesses' rescheduling costs.
NOTE Witnessing is bought for two reasons that have nothing to do with distrust: it puts the design team in the room when a pump misses, where the conversation about trim and tolerance happens in minutes instead of weeks, and it produces a test the Owner can point to. It costs travel time and factory scheduling, which is why it concentrates on large pumps, on tight head-capacity envelopes, and on plants that cannot be taken out of service to correct a bad selection. (14.3.4)

15 Field Testing and Startup

15.1 Pre-Startup Verification

15.1.1 The Contractor shall verify that pump and motor nameplate data match the approved submittal for that pump tag before the pump is started.
15.1.2 The Contractor shall verify that the suction piping arrangement as installed matches the approved coordination drawing.
15.1.3 The Contractor shall verify direction of rotation with the coupling disconnected or with the pump uncoupled from the motor.
15.1.4 The Contractor shall verify that the loop has been filled, vented, flushed, and released for pump operation by the party responsible under HVAC Water TreatmentHVAC Water TreatmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-water-treatment.
15.1.5 The Contractor shall verify that suction strainers are clean and that any temporary startup strainer is removed or replaced before the pump is placed in service.
15.1.6 The Contractor shall record cold coupling alignment readings before the first start.
NOTE Bumping the motor with the coupling connected to check rotation drives the pump backward against a full system, which loosens a threaded impeller and can unscrew it into the casing. The half hour spent disconnecting the coupling is insurance against a rebuild. (15.1.7)
NOTE A temporary startup strainer left in place is one of the more common causes of a first-summer cavitation complaint, because it collects construction debris steadily and nothing on the control system reports the rising suction loss. (15.1.8)

15.2 Startup and Functional Testing

15.2.1 The Contractor shall start each pump and record suction pressure, discharge pressure, motor voltage, motor current, and flow at the design condition.
15.2.2 The Contractor shall calculate total dynamic head from the recorded pressures and shall plot the operating point against the certified curve at the measured flow.
15.2.3 Where the measured operating point falls outside the tolerance band of the certified curve, the Contractor shall notify the Engineer of Record and shall not proceed to balancing until the discrepancy is resolved.
15.2.4 For variable-speed pumps, the Contractor shall operate the pump at minimum speed, at intermediate speeds, and at design speed, and shall identify any speed at which resonance occurs.
15.2.5 Where resonance is identified, skip-frequency bands shall be programmed in the drive per HVAC Variable Frequency DrivesHVAC Variable Frequency DrivesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-variable-frequency-drives and the bands shall be recorded in the startup report.
15.2.6 The Contractor shall coordinate with the balancing agency per Testing Adjusting And BalancingTesting, Adjusting, and Balancing for HVACResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/testing-adjusting-and-balancing to confirm system flow at the pump design condition.
15.2.7 The Contractor shall exercise each building automation point at the pump and shall verify the reported value against the field measurement.
NOTE A measured point that lands to the right of the certified curve almost always means the system is less resistant than calculated rather than that the pump is over-performing, and the correction is usually an impeller trim rather than a throttled valve left permanently closed. A throttled valve burns the same energy every hour for the life of the building. (15.2.8)

15.3 Coupling Alignment Verification

15.3.1 Coupling alignment shall be verified by the method indicated in the datasheet.
Coupling Alignment Methodradio
○ Laser alignment
○ Reverse dial indicator
○ Rim and face dial indicator
15.3.2 Straightedge and feeler-gauge alignment shall not be used as the final alignment method on any pump at or above 5 hp.
15.3.3 Alignment shall be verified cold, and shall be verified again after the pump has run long enough for the casing and the motor to reach stable operating temperature.
15.3.4 Final alignment after thermal stabilization shall be within the tolerance indicated in the datasheet.
Maximum Coupling Misalignment After Thermal Stabilizationrange
mils
12345710
15.3.5 Where the datasheet indicates no alignment tolerance, the coupling manufacturer's published tolerance for the coupling furnished shall govern, and the published value shall be recorded in the startup report alongside the readings taken.
15.3.6 Both sets of readings, and the thermal offset applied at cold alignment, shall be recorded in the field startup report.
NOTE Alignment is the installation activity that most often decides how long the seal and the bearings last, and heating water pumps make it harder than the rest: the casing grows several thousandths of an inch as it comes up to temperature while the motor barely moves, so a joint aligned perfectly cold is misaligned hot. The cure is to align cold deliberately off-center by the growth the manufacturer predicts, then confirm the prediction with hot readings. (15.3.7)

15.4 Field Vibration Acceptance

15.4.1 Bearing housing vibration shall be measured at each pump and motor bearing after the pump has reached stable operating temperature.
15.4.2 Measured vibration shall not exceed the allowable values on the basis indicated in the datasheet.
Field Vibration Acceptance Basisradio
● ANSI/HI 9.6.4 field test allowable values
○ ANSI/HI 9.6.4 factory test allowable values
○ Coupling and pump manufacturers' published field acceptance limits
15.4.3 For variable-speed pumps, vibration shall be measured at minimum speed, at an intermediate speed, and at design speed.
15.4.4 Where measured vibration exceeds the allowable value, the Contractor shall determine the cause and correct it, and the cost of the corrective work and of any retest shall be borne by the Contractor unless the cause is shown to originate outside the Contractor's scope.
NOTE The measurements taken at acceptance become the baseline every later measurement is compared against, and their value depends entirely on the measurement points and the operating condition being recorded well enough to repeat. A vibration reading with no speed and no flow recorded alongside it is not a baseline. (15.4.5)
NOTE ANSI/HI 9.6.4 sets different allowable values for a factory test and a field installation, because a pump on a factory stand sits on a stiff, isolated foundation and a pump in a building sits on whatever it was set on. Applying the factory values in the field is a legitimate tightening of the requirement, and it is a requirement the installation as designed has to be capable of meeting. (15.4.6)

16 Installation

16.1 Setting and Anchoring

16.1.1 Pumps shall be set in the locations and orientations pump locations as indicated on the mechanical plans.
16.1.2 Base-mounted pumps shall be set on housekeeping pads detailed housekeeping pad details as indicated on the contract documents.
16.1.3 Housekeeping pads shall extend not less than 4 in. beyond the baseplate footprint on all sides and shall stand not less than 4 in. above the surrounding finished floor.
16.1.4 Anchor bolts shall be sized and embedded for the operating loads and, where seismic restraint is required, for the seismic loads determined under ASCE/SEI 7.
16.1.5 Post-installed anchors shall be qualified for the substrate and for cracked concrete where the design requires it.
16.1.6 Clearance shall be maintained at each pump for removal of the impeller and the motor, and for access to the seal, the bearings, and the grease or oil fittings.
NOTE The raised housekeeping pad does more than dress the installation: it keeps the baseplate above the water that reaches a mechanical room floor from a relief valve, a coil drain, or a wash-down, and it gives the grout an edge to be finished against. (16.1.7)

16.2 Suction Piping

16.2.1 Suction piping shall provide a straight, uninterrupted run immediately upstream of the pump suction connection of not less than the length indicated in the datasheet, expressed in suction pipe diameters.
Minimum Straight Suction Pipe Runrange
pipe diameters
358101520
16.2.2 Where the straight run indicated cannot be achieved, flow conditioning shall be provided as indicated in the datasheet and the pump manufacturer shall confirm in writing that the arrangement is acceptable for the pump furnished.
Suction Flow Conditioningradio
○ None, straight pipe run only
○ Suction diffuser at the pump suction connection
○ Straightening vanes in the suction pipe
○ Long radius elbow oriented in the plane of the shaft
16.2.3 Reducers on horizontal suction runs shall be eccentric and shall be installed flat side up.
16.2.4 Suction piping shall be arranged so that no high point can trap air between the system's air separation point and the pump suction.
16.2.5 Strainers, valves, and specialties in the suction piping shall conform to Hydronic PipingHydronic PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hydronic-piping.
NOTE An elbow close to the suction connection delivers water to the impeller eye with a swirl and an uneven velocity profile, which loads the vanes unequally once per revolution. On a double-suction pump the same elbow feeds the two halves of the impeller differently and produces an axial thrust the bearings were not sized for. (16.2.6)
NOTE A concentric reducer on a horizontal run makes an air trap at its top by construction, and the pocket it holds is released into the impeller in slugs. The eccentric reducer installed flat side up removes the pocket; installed flat side down, it makes a worse one. (16.2.7)

16.3 Discharge Piping

16.3.1 A check valve shall be installed in the discharge piping of each pump that operates in parallel with another pump or that can be subjected to reverse flow.
16.3.2 An isolation valve shall be installed downstream of the check valve at each pump.
16.3.3 Check valve type, closing characteristic, and orientation shall conform to Hydronic PipingHydronic PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hydronic-piping.
16.3.4 Discharge piping shall be supported so that no piping weight or thermal load is carried by the pump connections.
NOTE The isolation valve downstream of the check valve is what allows the check valve itself to be serviced without draining the system, and it is the valve most often omitted on the assumption that the check valve will never need attention. (16.3.5)

16.4 Vertical Turbine Pumps in Sumps

16.4.1 Where the supply water level is below the pump, vertical turbine construction shall be used, and self-priming horizontal pumps with foot valves shall not be used.
16.4.2 The vertical turbine discharge head shall be supported at the sump deck and shall be designed for the weight and operating thrust of the column, line shaft, bowls, and impellers below it.
16.4.3 The bowl assembly shall be set at a depth that maintains submergence not less than the value indicated in the datasheet at the minimum operating water level and the maximum flow.
Minimum Submergence Above the Suction Bellrange
in.
612182436486072
16.4.4 Required submergence shall be determined per ANSI/HI 9.8 for the bell diameter and inlet velocity of the pump furnished, and the calculated value shall be submitted with the pump.
16.4.5 Where the sump geometry cannot provide the required submergence, a vortex suppression device or an intake modification conforming to ANSI/HI 9.8 shall be provided, and the modification shall be submitted for review before fabrication.
16.4.6 Motors on cooling tower decks shall be positioned so that they are not in the path of drift or splash from the tower fill.
NOTE ANSI/HI 9.8 sets required submergence from the inlet bell Froude number rather than from a fixed dimension, in the form S/D = 1.0 + 2.3 F, where F is the Froude number at the bell. Submergence therefore rises with inlet velocity, which is why a sump that is adequate at part flow can pull an air core at full flow. (16.4.7)
NOTE An air-entraining vortex costs head and capacity immediately and damages the first-stage impeller over time, and it usually announces itself as a pump that performs to curve in the morning and falls off in the afternoon, when the tower basin level drops. (16.4.8)

16.5 Open-Loop Water Management

16.5.1 The pump installation shall not create low points or dead legs in the suction piping that retain water when the system is drained.
16.5.2 Pumps in open-loop service that will stand idle between seasons shall be drained through the casing drain and shall be returned to service in accordance with the building water management program under HVAC Water TreatmentHVAC Water TreatmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-water-treatment.
16.5.3 The Contractor shall provide the pump-side information the building water management program requires under ANSI/ASHRAE 188, including casing volumes, drain point locations, and idle-period procedures.
NOTE Water that sits still in a pump casing or a dead leg between seasons is the condition Legionella colonization needs, and it is created by installation geometry rather than by anything in the pump itself. The pump-side contribution to the water management program is mostly a matter of eliminating trapped volumes and documenting the ones that cannot be eliminated. (16.5.4)

17 Delivery, Storage, and Handling

17.1 Packaging and Protection

17.1.1 Pumps shall be shipped with all openings closed by the manufacturer's protective covers, and the covers shall remain in place until the connecting piping is ready to be made up.
17.1.2 Shipments shall be inspected for damage on arrival, and damage shall be photographed and reported to the manufacturer before the shipment is accepted.
17.1.3 Rotating elements shall be secured for shipment where the manufacturer's instructions require it, and any shipping restraint shall be removed before the pump is rotated.

17.2 Storage

17.2.1 Pumps shall be stored indoors in a clean, dry, ventilated location.
17.2.2 Storage requirements shall follow the expected storage duration indicated in the datasheet.
Storage Duration Before Installationradio
● Less than three months
○ Three to twelve months
○ More than twelve months
17.2.3 Where storage will exceed three months, the pump manufacturer's extended storage procedure shall be obtained and followed, and the storage log shall record each action taken.
17.2.4 Where storage will exceed three months, shafts shall be rotated by hand at intervals not exceeding one month, and the rotation shall be logged.
17.2.5 Motor space heaters, where furnished, shall be energized during storage in any location where condensation can occur.
NOTE A shaft left in one position for months lets the bearing rollers press flats into the races and lets the seal faces bond to each other where the film has dried out. Both damage modes are invisible at installation and appear as a vibration or a leak within weeks of startup. (17.2.6)

17.3 Rigging and Lifting

17.3.1 Rigging shall use only the lifting points the manufacturer designates for the assembly.
17.3.2 The manufacturer's rigging instructions shall be present at the point of rigging and shall be reviewed before the lift.
17.3.3 Motor lifting eyes shall not be used to lift an assembled pump, and slings shall not be passed around the pump casing or the piping connections.
NOTE A motor eyebolt is rated for the motor, and using it to pick up the whole assembly loads it several times over its rating while swinging the baseplate below it. Slings around a casing crush the machined faces and can bend the shaft through the impeller. (17.3.4)

18 Warranty

18.1 Warranty Period and Coverage

18.1.1 Each pump shall be warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for the period indicated in the datasheet.
Warranty Periodrange
years
1235
18.1.2 The warranty period shall begin on the date indicated in the datasheet.
Warranty Commencementradio
● Date of substantial completion
○ Date of beneficial use by the Owner
○ Date of startup
○ Date of delivery to the site
18.1.3 The mechanical seal shall be warranted for the period indicated in the datasheet, measured from the same commencement date as the pump warranty.
Mechanical Seal Warranty Periodrange
years
1235
18.1.4 Warranty coverage shall include the items indicated in the datasheet.
Warranty Coveragecheckbox
☑ Replacement parts
☑ On-site labor for repair or replacement
☐ Removal and reinstallation of the pump or motor
☐ Freight both ways on returned components
☐ Annual preventive maintenance visit
☐ Next business day on-site response
18.1.5 Where the datasheet indicates no mechanical seal warranty period, the seal shall carry the same warranty period as the pump.

18.2 Repair and Re-Warranty

18.2.1 A component repaired or replaced under warranty shall carry a new warranty running for the full original period from the date the repair is completed, or for the remainder of the original period, whichever ends later.
18.2.2 The manufacturer shall bear the cost of collateral damage caused by a warranted failure or by the warranty repair itself, including damage to the pump, motor, coupling, baseplate, and directly connected piping.
18.2.3 Where the Engineer of Record and the manufacturer disagree whether a failure is covered, the initial determination shall be made by the Engineer of Record.
NOTE A re-warranty written as the remainder of the original term shrinks toward nothing as the term runs out, so a seal replaced in the eleventh month of a twelve-month warranty would carry one month of coverage. Restarting the full term from the repair date removes that. (18.2.4)

18.3 Warranty Exclusions

18.3.1 Warranty coverage shall not extend to damage caused by installation contrary to the manufacturer's published instructions.
18.3.2 Warranty coverage shall not extend to damage caused by operation outside the allowable operating region, by dry running, or by operation against a closed discharge valve beyond the time the manufacturer permits.
18.3.3 Warranty coverage shall not extend to damage caused by water chemistry outside the limits established under HVAC Water TreatmentHVAC Water TreatmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-water-treatment, provided the manufacturer states those limits in the submittal.
18.3.4 Warranty coverage shall not extend to damage caused by service conditions materially different from those stated at the time of selection.
NOTE An exclusion for water chemistry is only enforceable if the manufacturer published its limits where the Owner could see them, which is why this standard conditions the exclusion on those limits appearing in the submittal rather than surfacing after a failure. (18.3.5)

19 Spare Parts

19.1 Spare Parts Furnished

19.1.1 The spare parts indicated in the datasheet shall be furnished at substantial completion.
Spare Parts Furnishedcheckbox
☑ One mechanical seal assembly for each pump model installed
☐ One set of shaft sleeves for each pump model installed
☐ One set of wear rings for each pump model installed
☑ One coupling element for each coupling installed
☑ One set of casing and seal gaskets for each pump model installed
☐ One set of bearings for each pump model installed
☐ One impeller for each pump model installed
☐ One complete pump assembly of the most numerous size on the project
19.1.2 Spare parts shall be packaged for long-term storage and shall be labeled with the pump tags they serve, the pump model, and the manufacturer's part number.
19.1.3 Spare parts shall be delivered to the Owner and receipted, and the receipt shall be included in the closeout submittal.
NOTE The seal is the part that fails first and most often, and a spare of the correct face and elastomer combination on the shelf is the difference between an afternoon outage and a week of waiting on a seal that has to be built to order. Cartridge seals in particular are frequently not stocked by distributors in the exact configuration a given pump uses. (19.1.4)

19.2 Maintenance Documentation and Tools

19.2.1 The documentation and tools indicated in the datasheet shall be furnished with the pumps.
Maintenance Documentation and Toolscheckbox
☑ Installation, operation, and maintenance manual per ANSI/HI 1.4
☑ Preventive maintenance schedule with intervals
☑ Bearing lubrication chart naming grease type, quantity, and interval
☐ Seal installation instructions and setting dimensions
☐ Model-specific service tools such as impeller pullers and seal fixtures
☑ Spare parts ordering guide with manufacturer part numbers
☐ Certified dimensional drawing for each pump model
19.2.2 The certified curve for each pump tag, marked with the as-installed impeller diameter and the measured startup operating point, shall be placed in the operation and maintenance manual.
NOTE The curve with the startup point marked on it is the single most useful page in the manual, because every future troubleshooting question about the pump is answered by comparing a new measurement against that mark. (19.2.3)

Edit this page

SynC Standards are reference material provided for informational purposes only and as a guide. They are not engineering, architectural, or legal advice and are not a substitute for the judgment of a licensed design professional. It is the responsibility of the user to determine the applicability of any standard to a specific project and to verify all requirements against the governing codes, manufacturer data, and project conditions. SynC does not render professional services and forms no professional relationship by publishing this content. Provided "as is," without warranty of any kind, including fitness for a particular purpose. See our Terms of Use for the complete terms. Moderation log.

This standard is published by SynC and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. You may share and adapt it, including commercially, provided you give credit, link to the license, indicate any changes, and license your adaptations under the same terms. Keep the attribution and notice below with any copy — it includes the warranty disclaimer the license requires you to retain.

Attribution & reuse notice — keep this with any copy:
"HVAC Pumps." SynC Standards. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Source: https://synergyinconstruction.com/wiki/sync/hvac-pumps — reference material only; not professional engineering advice and provided without warranty. Verify against governing codes and have a licensed professional review before use.