FLA of Centrifugal pump

[bjenks]

I am trying to determine which pump is better for an irrigation pump. My question is can you determine anything about the quality of the pump based on the full load amps if both pumps have the same HP rating (both are standard motor/pump design and not variable speed)? Or do you only look at the Gal/min vs PSI(TDH) since the NEC dictates breaker and wire size.

I am looking at a Gould Pump vs a Sta-Rite pump and the Gould pump's FLA is considerably higher than the stated FLA of the Sta-Rite. The Sta-Rite pump has a slightly lower price and Gal/min vs PSI at the same HP rating. I can't decide on which pump to use as Sta-Rite might not be a better solution even though it is a lower price.

 

[jraef]

FLA by itself will not be useful in your debate. In many other types of loads it might indicate motor efficiency, but in a centrifugal pump it may also be a direct result of the pump design in general. As a gross rule, motor current follows flow, so if the Goulds pump has a higher GPM at the same pressure, it would be drawing more current.

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