Question
QUESTION: Hello!  

In summer of 2007, we hired a company to install a sprinkler system.  Since we have extremely low water pressure in our subdivision, we needed a water pump. Even though our 40  head system is split over 8 zones, the pressure was just too low.

So they advised on a tankless pump and it seemed to work ok.  However, they did not give me any instructions on how to winterize our system.  In September I thought I should at least turn off the valve to our system since we didn't need it anymore that year.

But, one day in January I walked around our house and found water spewing out the bottom of our water pump.

I need to get our system working again for 2008 so can you give me some advice on what I might need to do?  Do I need to take it to a technician?  If I open it myself can you tell me what to look for?  Or, do I need to scrap it and get another one?

Thank you for your help!

Dave

ANSWER: Sorry to hear your contractor let you down.
The pump is referred  to as a "booster pump". Freeze damage is generally repairable, but the parts are sometimes slow to get. So repair or replacement is a matter of how long you want to wait to get the system up and running.
As far as repairing the pump. They are fairly simple and with a bit of mechanical knowledge and some guidance you should be able to fix it yourself.
If you could tell me the manufacturer and model # of the pump it will help. The model # is usually located on the pump end and the manufacturer is on the motor. Also if you can tell where the water is leaking from, the front of the pump or the backside toward the motor. This will tell me how difficult the repair will be. Finally, what state your in so I can locate a distributor for parts.

Matt

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hey Matt:
When I looked over the moter, I noticed something odd.  The pump is made by Berkeley but the part of the label that appeared to include the model number had been torn off.  The only think I could find was a motor number on the remaining label: C48K2EC11C3

Is that enough information?

Thanks,

Dave King

Answer
Thanks for the update.
Berkeley is the most important info. The model # of the pump is right at the end of the pump where the water comes into it. It is usually a metal tag.
Attached is a web link to the pump model I believe you have. It should help determine what parts are damaged.
http://www.starite.com/pdf/S873.pdf
A large nationwide irrigation distributor is John Deere Landscapes. Google them and you should find a local distributor. The will be able to order parts you need or the whole pump.
Let me know what I can do to help.

Matt