Why does nobody talk about how much a worn impeller can kill your pump's output?

I've been running a 6-inch dredge on the Mississippi near Cairo, Illinois for the last 2 summers. This past June I noticed my production was down maybe 30% compared to the year before. I checked everything - suction lines, swing cables, even the engine RPMs. Turned out the impeller vanes were worn down maybe a quarter inch from all the sand and gravel. Swapped it out for a new one from the supplier and my pump pressure jumped right back up. Cost me about 400 bucks and a half day of work but the difference was night and day. Has anyone else noticed their pump losing efficiency and traced it back to impeller wear?

3 comments

3 Comments

felix1472mo ago

Exactly the same thing happened to me last season, a quarter inch wore off and lost me 20% flow easy.

emmaj332mo ago

Oh come on @felix147, that tiny bit of wear wouldn't cost you 20% unless your setup was already struggling. Probably more to do with your pump or filter than the impeller.

alexw751mo ago

Right on, emma. I had a pump lose like 15% flow one season and spent forever chasing impeller wear, turned out to be a hairline crack in the volute housing (which you'd never see unless you took it apart). Wasted a whole weekend rebuilding the head before I found the real problem.