SNGB submersible pump fault

[andrewh]

Thank you David. I checked with SNGB following this post and have been assured my pump, delivered two weeks ago , is the latest with the modification to stop leakage. We shall see. Is the sump gasket a cork or rubber seal do you recall?

[Heuer]

Cork.

[stef]

I had a closer look at my leaking (now replaced) pump.

The power cable is 'sealed' by a rubber donut inside a brass fitting that shrinks as you tighten it.

I found 3 problems.

1. The power cable diameter had shrunk quite a bit, probably due to the pressure from the rubber donut.

2. There was heat shrink over the power cable. It was not sealing 100% so fuel could seep between the heat shrink and the cable.

3. The heat shrink was damaged just where it entered the brass fitting so fuel could enter there as well as where the heat shrink finished further down..

For the fun of it I stripped off the heat shrink. I then put fuel resistant sealer inside the fitting (from the underside), did up the fitting, turned it over and filled the hole around the cable with sealant. Once dried, this should give a good seal.

This sealant is supposed to stay flexible, a bit like silicone.

It is called Three Bond 1104 NEO, and resists heat, oil, gasoline and particularly LPG

If the SNG improved pump works as promised, I'll probably never find out if my fix worked.

[andrewh]

looking at my "new" pump without stripping it down, it would appear to have araldite resin stuffed in the top of the aperture where the cable runs. I am not sure that is much of a "fix" for the MK2 design from SBGB but it may work. Time will tell, I am a long way from needing to fill with fuel so I will have to wait.

[stef]

Well, my MK1 SNG pump had no resin in it at all. It was only the rubber ring doing all the sealing.

If the resin they have used can withstand the petrol and does not crack or separate from the brass sleeve it should last.

[PierreW]

one year ago I had the same problem as you all and I solved it by filling all the passage nut with 2 components polyurethane glue. no more leaks since !