Equipment needed

• Electronic vacuum gauge
• Clamp ammeter
• 1/8” flat blade screwdriver
• 6x6” flat piece of aluminum or plastic, 0.25” or thicker.
• Appropriate power cord:
  • 220V, 10HP - 8 AWG or heavier
  • 220V, 25HP - 4 AWG or heavier
  • 480V, 10HP -12 AWG or heavier
  • 480V, 25HP – 8 AWG or heavier
• Starter test power cord or machine that is wired with a vacuum pump switch.

Procedure

The following procedure must be followed in its entirety. If at any time any adjustments or repairs are made, the procedure must me restarted from the beginning.

1. Inspect the pump or blower for any shipping plugs that may be in exhaust ports or intakes and remove. Inspect pump for any packing materials, such as plastic, that may be contacting the pump or motor. If not removed, shipping plugs will be forcefully ejected from the pump when it is turned on. Plastic may melt to the pump or motor or restrict cooling.
2. Verify voltages against sales order. Verify that the motor voltage is set correctly; verify that the starter coil voltage is correct.
3. Adjust the overload relay, with the 1/8” flat blade screwdriver, to the current rating indicated on the motor nameplate. It should be noted that we have either 208V or 480V in our building. Set the current for the overload relay appropriately.
4. Attach the appropriate power cord to the motor starter.
5. Attach the electronic vacuum gauge to the vacuum gauge port on the piping on the pump assembly.
6. Connect either a starter test cable or vacuum pump switch on a machine to the motor starter.
7. Connect power to the pump.
8. Set clamp ammeter to appropriate current range and attach to one phase of incoming power.
9. Turn pump on with either the test cord or the vacuum pump switch on machine.
10. Block vacuum port with either plastic or aluminum.
11. Observe reading on ammeter. This must not exceed the nameplate current on the motor. If the nameplate current rating is exceeded, immediately discontinue use of the pump or blower and investigate and correct the reason for exceeding the rated current.
12. Measure the current on the remaining two phases
13. Observe the Vacuum reading on the electronic vacuum gauge. For a Becker pump, this value must equal or exceed 23” Hg. 10 HP FPZ vacuum blowers must operate in the range of 8-8.5” Hg. Exceeding 8.5” Hg will result in damage to the blower. The setting for the FPZ blower must be set by adjusting the relief valve so that the vacuum is within the proper range. For all other pumps or blowers, refer to the pump or blower manufacturer’s specifications for the proper vacuum range.
14. Allow the pump or blower to operate for a minimum of 10 minutes and then recheck the current on all 3 phases and check the amount of vacuum with the vacuum gauge. Verify that the current and vacuum are within the proper range. If the current and vacuum are out of range, this must be corrected. While the pump is running, listen for any hissing sounds that may indicate leaks. Repair leaks if necessary.
15. Remove the electronic gauge and install the gauge that is to ship with the pump or blower. Verify that it reads approximately the same as the electronic gauge.
16. To complete the testing, the pump or blower must be tested with the machine it is shipping with. Testing is not complete unless this step is followed. The only exception to this is if the pump or blower is not shipping with a machine.