Quick Help! Bench Testing Taco 007 F5 IFC?

Can I pull the motor and cartridge of Taco 007-F5-IFC from the plumbing component and apply power on the bench to test if the impeller is moving???

If the cartridge is oriented straight up in the air, will it spin/run, or will the cartridge dislodge or burst into flames

Anti-climatic night/morning. FINALLY got two of the upstairs sets of baseboard plumbed, purged the air, but no flow with the Taco...

This *might* be the pump I pulled from the oil boiler when it was new. I wasn't getting enough flow and blamed the pump, but later found a plumbing problem that I resolved and put this on the shelf. It has surface rust marks in the water chamber, so I gave it a few "love taps" in case it was stuck.

When purging with my return line drain valve, I left the pump running and could hear it squeal a bit. Thought maybe I was draining too fast? But- it DID get hot water into the baseboard, it just won't keep it there. Zone is on, pump is "running"

Any quick help on this would be most appreciated!!!

Yes, you can test for short time while rotor is dry. Don't tip it sideway or it can shoot out/dislodge.
Did you think being on 2nd floor there may be too much head to lift?
Maybe a 008 pump is a better choice???

McGiever wrote:Yes, you can test for short time while rotor is dry. Don't tip it sideway or it can shoot out/dislodge.
Did you think being on 2nd floor there may be too much head to lift?
Maybe a 008 pump is a better choice???

Thank you for your quick reply and good question!

I swapped in a "new in the box" Taco 007-F5-IFC.
We now have HEAT UPSTAIRS!!!!

I am quite displeased that the "new" Taco 007 pump is ROTATED 90* on its flanges. Makes for a very UGLY install! On the newer zone plumbing in front, I have rotating flange valves- now I know WHY they started selling those.

Hard to argue with the results, though. 62F sure BEATS the 54F up here overnight!

I only have the one sub-zone enabled right now. Going to run it a while and then enable and balance the other side.

This pump was also VERY NOISY when it first started. Unghhaa, unghhaa, unghhaa. (sound it out, you know the sound). I turned it off, loosened the motor mounts, smacked the motor with my hand and turned it on for a second, then back off. Tightened the ALLEN SCREWS (just keeps getting better with this design) evenly and snugged down, then powered back on and all seems well!

Overall, very happy with the heat!

But I need to play with this other pump on the bench and see if it is jammed up or something?

BTW, checked it while installed with IR Temperature Gun. It was 200F (!) The one running next to it was 168F, within a few degrees of the system water. I was purging air and adding makeup water, so it dropped the system down.

Oh...and the new thermostat just KICKED OFF at 64F. That was QUICK!

Dude, I'm going to go crank it up to 68F and see what happens. If you see a mushroom cloud on the horizon, you'll know it didn't go well, haha!

Thanks again everyone for all the help on these systems. I am really STOKED!

I suggest just turning the impeller by hand to see if it is stuck. Sometimes they stick if unused for a long time, or it could have a piece of grit jamming it. Bench test with the pump assembled, pour a little water through it first.

FYI you can order the pump with the mounting flange in either orientation.

I would not run it dry, ceramic won't like it. Squirt some oil on it and spin by hand first and don't run it long.

I'll do that. I didn't know about the flange direction. If I can get the other one fixed, it is the last position without the fancy new swiveling flanges

It is possible when I had this in the oil boiler system (new install a few years back and my parallel backup now) that a piece of solder or something dislodged and jammed it up...

My thermostat kicked off at 68F and it drifted to now 69.4F according to my indoor thermometer. It's 11F based on my outside thermometer.

This is warmer than this house has EVER been since it was built when I was a kid.

coaledsweat wrote:I would not run it dry, ceramic won't like it. Squirt some oil on it and spin by hand first and don't run it long.

Thanks. Never thought about oil. I was wondering if I could rig up a container with water, set it down in it with a flange and stub after getting it loose and somewhere for the water to fly (!) as a final test if I can get the impeller to spin.

I'm really thinking it must be jammed up. That would sure be the "easy" solution

On the faulty pump did you separate the motor from the cast iron pump body as you were going to initially to do a test?

If you did, you can pull the cartridge out and clean everything well, then reassemble before your motor bump bench test.

McGiever wrote:On the faulty pump did you separate the motor from the cast iron pump body as you were going to initially to do a test?

If you did, you can pull the cartridge out and clean everything well, then reassemble before your motor bump bench test.

I just pulled it apart and checked the cartridge. It was stuck, but a little wiggle and such once out and it spins.

It has a gritty spot in it, like a spun or flattened bearing.

I tried a little liquid wrench (I know, but that is what I had within reach). Might try a little hydraulic fluid on it and see if maybe it is just rusty grit in the bearings.

It's near the front of the shaft by sound.

These are not dis-assemble-able, right?

007-042RP cartridge for the Taco 007-f5-IFC cast iron pump, right???

CoalisCoolxWarm wrote:I'll do that. I didn't know about the flange direction. If I can get the other one fixed, it is the last position without the fancy new swiveling flanges

Taco circulators are available with flanges in both orientations. The one with the flange 90 degree opposed to the motor is called their "rotated flange" model. The standard orientation is for the flange to be inline with the motor.

lsayre wrote:Taco circulators are available with flanges in both orientations. The one with the flange 90 degree opposed to the motor is called their "rotated flange" model. The standard orientation is for the flange to be in line with the motor.

Well, what do you know. I've always gotten most of my stuff from the same HVAC supply house and never asked. Guess that happens when you get used to doing something a certain way

If I replace this cartridge, it won't matter for the others. Thanks.

CoalisCoolxWarm wrote:

lsayre wrote:Taco circulators are available with flanges in both orientations. The one with the flange 90 degree opposed to the motor is called their "rotated flange" model. The standard orientation is for the flange to be in line with the motor.

Well, what do you know. I've always gotten most of my stuff from the same HVAC supply house and never asked. Guess that happens when you get used to doing something a certain way

If I replace this cartridge, it won't matter for the others. Thanks.

If you didn't specifically ask for a rotated flange, and they gave you one, they are the ones who made the mistake. If they are reputable they should replace it for you.

lsayre wrote:Taco circulators are available with flanges in both orientations. The one with the flange 90 degree opposed to the motor is called their "rotated flange" model. The standard orientation is for the flange to be inline with the motor.

If it was purchased any time in this century, I might've done that. LOL.

Not quite that old, but probably about 5 yrs ago...