Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions Gast Rotary Vane Pump Question

I have a brand new 1/4 HP Gast Rotary Vane pump. It probably hasn't been run 24 hrs. yet and I noticed that the housing is hot while it's running. It's so hot that I can only hold my fingers on it for 5 seconds. The pump has a fan attached to it and it's located on the second floor of an old farm building and not in a box. The running PSI is 5.0. Is this heat normal?

Gast Model AT05

All compressors I have run across run very hot. Compressor portion should be hotter than the motor. The motor has thermal protection, which will shut down the motor until cooled. It is probably normal.

Hi Loretta, Are the "pups" enjoying the new water yet? That compressor will exhaust off in the 195-205F range is not considered hot for a compressor,just like burgermeister comments.The intake air should not be above 105-120F range. With your system in an open area and at that pressure all is AOK.

Hi Ted, no, no swimming yet, they would love to though. One of my 2 geese was in the pond when I started the pump up one day and it was too funny to see him swim away in terror from the bubbles. I actually coaxed him towards the center by calling him from the other side before starting the pump . The goose turned 16 this year and I really should show more respect towards him .

Thank you both for the information! I might put my thermometer that registers hi & lows in the pump area to see what kind of intake temperatures I get this summer.

What does "exhaust off" mean?

Compressed air exiting the port marked "out" on that particular pump.The temp range is lower with lower pressure and higher with pressure reading that approach the 10 psi max limitation. The amperage draw and motor temp is also higher at 10 psi thus the lower the pressure on most pumps the more life youll get out of them. I do not suggest runing a 10 psi pump over 7 psi for maximum pump longevity.