Biggest Pump Test Facility in the Cape
One of Cape Town’s leading specialists in the repairs and overhauling of electric motors, generators and alternators, Killarney Gardens-based Cape Armature Winders, has now further entrenched its position with the installation of a state of the art test bay facility. Features of the facility include an increase in current to a 1600amp AC and DC supply with a crainage feed capacity of 40 tons.
According to the company’s commercial director George Epenetos, the construction of the newly completed submersible pump test facility will also be of huge benefit to companies utilizing this equipment and makes it the only one of its kind in the Western Cape.
“The testing bay will enable customers to know precisely the performance of their pump and motor set. We have set a new standard for repairs to submersibles”, he says. He points out that many pump and motor sets are integrated by design. This is particularly true for submersible pumps which are not only commonly used in the sewage industry, but many other processes such as in the pumping of water, oil, chemicals and in the food and beverage sectors. Epenetos points out the critical element in pumping is efficiency, which will determine whether a pump and motors set is still fully fit for service after repairs or maintenance.
Crucial here is efficient energy consumption and optimum pump flow. “We have built a test facility that will determine to ISO9906 requirements, the performance of any pump and motor set providing head and flow curves and ‘wire to water’ power consumption and efficiency. Pumps of 200kW and below can be tested”, he says. Cape Armature Winders has extensive experience in the successful repair of numerous different makes of submersible pump sets – including for the City of Cape Town’s submersible sewage pumps and large Pleuger platform pumps for the off-shore industry.
Epenetos says pump maintenance can pose a difficult problem; “If you require maintenance, on whom do you call for assistance – an electrical motor specialist or a pump specialist? In many cases expensive equipment may be poorly treated through there being inadequate expertise in the maintenance process”. “Cape Armature Winders will solve this problem. We provide a reliable, OEM quality service for maintenance and repair. You can entrust us with your expensive asset in the knowledge that specialists will take care of every aspect. In addition, we offer a level 2 BBBEE grading and ISO9001/2008 quality assurance”, he says.
Reporting a strong upturn in business since 2009, it seems the company is now all wired up for further strong growth in the future.