On Fri, 6 Jan 2006 12:26:09 -0000, "Set Square"
wrote:

Most pumps seem to come with dire warnings about not running them dry.

Anyone know why this is? Does a pump rely on water to cool it - albeit using
'coolant' at 80-odd degrees? Or is water needed to lubricate the bearing in
some way?

It would sometimes be useful to test a pump dry - by running it for a minute
or so -before fitting it, and I'm trying to assess the consequences of so
doing.

The water lubricates the bearings.

You should fit them with shutoff vaules on eiter side, in some sort of
accessible place, so if they fail, you don't have to rip the house
apart to fix em.

Rick