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aaronwilmoth80911
Top Member
538 Posts |
 Posted - 04/11/2016 : 05:34:34 AM
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| Do you guys have booster pumps in your buses? Does anyone know how effective they actually are? All of our buses have them, and it seems to me that we spend more time, money and effort than what they are actually worth. Does anyone have any insight as to how effective they actually are? |
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Fastback
Top Member
1500 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2016 : 06:04:03 AM
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| Before lock up torque convertors and overdrive transmissions I did'nt think we needed them at all. Now I think it depends on your operation, city/rural, and how your heaters are plumbed into the system. |
Why yes, the ORIGinal CHARGER is a Fastback |
Edited by - Fastback on 04/11/2016 06:04:28 AM |
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second.flood
Top Member
USA
640 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2016 : 06:06:39 AM
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| We have eliminated them, and no longer spec them. Money pit. |
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aaronwilmoth80911
Top Member
538 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2016 : 07:03:24 AM
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| My plan is to run 2 buses at a high idle for about 15-20 minutes, run one booster pump and leave the other off and check the temps at the heaters to see how big of a difference it is. Rebuilding them is a crap shoot, and replacing them is expensive. |
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bwest
Administrator
United States
3820 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2016 : 07:42:02 AM
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| That sounds like a good plan! Let us know how it turns out. |
Bryan |
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aaronwilmoth80911
Top Member
538 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2016 : 07:58:42 AM
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| Will do. I'm hoping it works how I want it to and we can get rid of them |
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Fastback
Top Member
1500 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2016 : 08:04:08 AM
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The booster pump not running may be a bigger restriction than no booster pump at all.
We have buses that the heaters are plumbed in series, drivers heater first, one after the other, my gut says no booster pump needed on those.
Others are plumbed in parallel, I doubt booster pump is needed on these either.
Others are plumbed RF heater in series, left hand heaters in parallel if you will, these are most likely to need a booster pump to promote flow to the left hand side.
If its a rear engine bus, I suspect it needs a booster pump no matter the plumbing. |
Why yes, the ORIGinal CHARGER is a Fastback |
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flint1
Senior Member
Canada
74 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2016 : 08:11:13 AM
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| We have elminated all booster pumps on our fleet. We have found Pre heating with a webasto to be the biggest improvement in heat output. Engine temp is already 140f when the bus is started. We are in northern Canada and freq see -40. |
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Fastback
Top Member
1500 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2016 : 08:30:59 AM
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| And the Espars/Webastos have their own water pump.. |
Why yes, the ORIGinal CHARGER is a Fastback |
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aaronwilmoth80911
Top Member
538 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2016 : 10:03:56 AM
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| We do have Webasto heaters, and they help tremendously. And Fastback, I was thinking the same thing about them being a bigger restriction then helping. |
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second.flood
Top Member
USA
640 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2016 : 10:06:59 AM
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Also, our drivers still have the booster pump switch. Most of them still turn the switch on, happy as can be.
No pump and they don't notice a difference. :) |
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RonF
Top Member
867 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2016 : 10:19:14 AM
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| I have been eliminating mine for years when they leak and can tell no difference in heat. However we are in Southeast Georgia so........ |
US Army retired CMBT |
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bfaulkner
Senior Member
168 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2016 : 2:21:00 PM
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| We have a few bypassed and a few not. No real difference between them. We recently got a new style for the few REs we have that need them. The new style has no metal fittings that leak and seem like a major upgrade. WE have had them for a year with no leaks so far. Kysor #1099311. |
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aaronwilmoth80911
Top Member
538 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2016 : 04:17:43 AM
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| Bfaulkner, this looks just like the one that comes on the new IC buses, and from what I've seen so far, they are not a major improvement. We only have a couple, but they do tend to leak where the 2 halves bolt together. Not a huge deal, but enough to irritate a guy. One of the other districts in my area has had International warranting them with the metal styles. They say they are burning out in about 3-6 months time. |
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wrenchsnapper
Active Member
27 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2016 : 7:31:52 PM
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| Ive done quite a bit of research and testing of booster pumps . The only engine I have ever seen NEED a pump is a 6.0 ford and the vt365. Maxxforce,dt,cummins have no effect of pumping flow as they have decent sized water pumps. Also on the IC busses most of ours were wired backwards from the factory and they all have to be checked that the orange wire is positive. Getting rid of the cable control valves is also a big help. |
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wrenchsnapper
Active Member
27 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2016 : 7:34:59 PM
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| Booster pumps are mostly for low rpm operation where the water pump doesnt develop pressure. If anyone has a ford van with a 6.0 you can easily tell when the pump fails. The air coming out of the vent turns cold within seconds of going to idle. |
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bwest
Administrator
United States
3820 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2016 : 11:20:55 AM
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| This is where I say "you don't need a booster pump on a propane". LOL, had to say it! Sorry |
Bryan |
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bwest
Administrator
United States
3820 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2016 : 09:08:02 AM
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| Boy, I guess I shut the conversation down with the propane comment. lol. Anyway, had one come in today that is loosing coolant. Couldn't see anything dripping so I pressured it up. Yep, you guessed it, booster pump. I ordered one but am thinking that maybe I don't need it. Anyone in my climate just deleting them? I just south of I-70 in Illinois. I know this IC sure doesn't warm up too fast in the winter. Gotta love my propanes, takes care of that problem and doesn't bring any of its own to the table. |
Bryan |
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krmvcs
Advanced Member
362 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2016 : 09:47:50 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by bwest
Gotta love my propanes, takes care of that problem and doesn't bring any of its own to the table.
not yet.... |
-Ken- |
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bwest
Administrator
United States
3820 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2016 : 10:36:22 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by krmvcs
quote:
Originally posted by bwest
Gotta love my propanes, takes care of that problem and doesn't bring any of its own to the table.
not yet....
I've got 5 years and 85k miles of experience and the problems are few.  |
Bryan |
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jeeptjken
Senior Member
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2016 : 12:52:32 PM
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| in our fleet first time they leak we delete them same thing with the drivers heater valve mounted to the heater core we remove them and silver solder a 90 in its place |
How did you get the gosinta in the whatchamacallit |
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Topic |
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Heater booster pumps
