Looking 4 Bill Wann Skimmer Problems

greg 45 · 01-29-2007, 05:56 PM

Anyone that can help with this. I purchased a Bill Wann Skimmer second hand from a reefer in Long Island. The skimmer isn't skimming very well. The dart needlewheel pump overheats and shuts down.I have upgrated Alita pumps fron the 40 to the 80 , this has helped. Also yes I have talked to SPAZZ he has been a great help but this isn't his design. Bill if you are out there please help. I have called and left messages & you dont answer calls.
Thank You Greg
thekid453@verizon.net

Geoff · 01-29-2007, 08:11 PM

could you post a pic of the skimmer. most of the time when pumps overheat and shut down it is because they are being run without enough resistance on the impellor. could the impellor have been modded to much and is now spinning to fast causing the pump to overheat?

it could also be pulling in to much air. i am guessing the venturi is on the inlet side of the pump. to much air in the intake will also cause the pump to spin to fast and overheat. there is a fine line with pumps like that.

G~

greg 45 · 01-30-2007, 04:18 AM

If I lower the air input the pump overheats faster. Yes the air input is one the side.Spazz thinks the pump is spinning to slow causing overheating.When I increased the amount of air the pump cooled down. I will try and post a picture not good at that.
Thank You 4 Trying

Geoff · 01-30-2007, 08:12 PM

how is the inlet plumbed? AC pumps actually use less power the more head pressure they encounter.

G~

greg 45 · 01-31-2007, 04:52 AM

The water inlet enters at the bottom of the box into a T inside the box. Exits the box into a T where the dart and the air is injected. I am running the skimmer on a hammerhead. The person I purchased it from ran a 2000 gph pump

greg 45 · 01-31-2007, 04:56 AM

Geoff · 01-31-2007, 10:51 AM

could you post a pic of the other side. trying to figure out what some of the other pipes are for? what size pipe is used on the inlet, after the pump? do you have a pic of the skimmer installed and running? with a skimmer of that size, you have to be carefull of gravity. you may have to move the pump up a bit so that it is not fighting so much head pressure. head pressure is a needlwheel skimmers worst enemy.

G~

greg 45 · 01-31-2007, 03:33 PM

Geoff · 01-31-2007, 03:42 PM

why are the new pics so much smaller than the other one.

i have having a hard time picking out details, sorry.

G~

greg 45 · 01-31-2007, 04:40 PM

sorry new at pictures I will try again.

greg 45 · 01-31-2007, 05:40 PM

By the way I did order a Baldor motor to replace the A.O. Smith motor. Hope this helps. Inlet size is one inch. Outlet after pump is 1 1/2 then there is the bubble diffuser.Possible the head pressere is killing the AO SMITH motor. ?????

Geoff · 01-31-2007, 07:18 PM

no not necessarily the motor, but the bubble production. any amount of head pressure after the pump makes it harder for the pump to pull air into the venturi on the inlet side. with such a tall skimmer fighting head pressure is always going to be a problem if using a low pressure air injection system.

i tried to find info on the skimmer and was not able to find a web page. was looking to see what they recommend. i am guessing they are expecting a pressure air injection system to be used. like normal venturi's, Becketts, or even eductors.

G~

greg 45 · 02-01-2007, 04:33 AM

Tha air is supplyed by a Alita 40 , then I up grated the air pump to a alita 80. That is how the air is supplyed . That is the pipe on the left side of the dart pump.

Geoff · 02-01-2007, 10:03 AM

why is the inlet pipe smaller than the outlet pipe? this is to and from the dart correct? not a good idea to this. Sequence recommends against this. you can go smaller on the outlet than the inlet, but not vice versa. this could be why your pump motor is overheating. this causes the motor to overspin.

the pics are still pretty small.

G~