Can 1 lifter pump supply 2 monitor heaters?

[catamount]

I recently bought a house that is heated with 2 monitor kero heaters on the 2nd story. They are in adjoining rooms and each has its own lifter pump.

The pump in the living room is older and makes quite a racket when the pump turns on (drowns out the tv). The pump in the adjoining master bedroom is much quieter.

What I'm wondering is if I can remove the living room lifter pump and run both heaters from the 1 quieter pump. Both heaters are below the pump so from a technical aspect it should work with a Y joint?

I know it'll have to run more often but am looking for a quieter living room!

[HayZee518]

I would have to assume that one pump has the capacity for one heater if I'm reading the instructions correctly. you might run into trouble keeping the fuel sump full according to the heat demand.

[catamount]

I would have to assume that one pump has the capacity for one heater if I'm reading the instructions correctly. you might run into trouble keeping the fuel sump full according to the heat demand.

I just did some searching and found the following image... it looks like its possible?

[catamount]

Typical Monitor Lifter Pump Installations

[adnadeau]

I have a Monitor 441 on the 1st floor and a Toyotomi K-1 water heater in the cellar, both running off a lifter pump on the second floor. Any time the lifter pump is one or more floors above the appliance, you must put an in-line pressure reducer at the K-1 input to the appliance. The fuel inlet pressure must not be greater than 2.5 psi, which is the head pressure for about 7 ft of kerosene.

[catamount]

So it is possible! Thanks for the tip! The 2nd heater will only be about 6' below the lifter pump so it should be fine without a reducer. Thanks!

[Coohlrain]

Broken lifter pump

Hi!
I am really excited that I found this forum and am hopeful my problem isn't too difficult. I have a Monitor heater with a lifter pump on my second floor. Well the pump isn't working and I finally got brave and took it apart. What I found is this. There are 2 chambers. One on the right and one on the left. The one on the left must be the pump itself. It has a round black top that spins its little heart out when the pump is on, but nothing fills the chamber. I found that there is a plastic "stick" that connects the pump to a slot in a round cylinder in the bottom of the pump. Well the bottom cylinder the "stick" goes into does not move at all which of course caused the "stick" to break. I assume if the pump was working right this cylinder in the bottom would spin? Does anyone know why it isn't spinning and just seems stuck? I removed a brass cap from the bottom of the pump and removed this cylinder but can't see why it would just stay put. There were 3 screws holding a plastic plate to the bottom of the cylinder. I know that I will need to get a new "stick", unless I can glue it somehow. But even if I get a new stick I think it will just break if I can't figure out why the bottom cylinder doesn't spin. Am I making any sense at all? I am totally new at this and not very savy about this type of stuff put I am a Yankee girl who wants to fix what I can on my own. Anyone have any ideas or input? I would love to hear from you if you do, or I guess even if you don't. Ok, I've rambled long enough. Thanks for reading this far. Jenny

[adnadeau]

You don't say whether you have a Monitor or Toyotomi lifter pump. Looking at the parts breakdown for the Toyotomi (https://www.toyotomiusa.com/products...s/OPT-91UL.pdf), there is the motor on top, a short plastic drive shaft (the "stick"), and a round pump assembly at the bottom of the tank. My guess is that the pump assembly has an inner rotor and an outer casing. Therefore, the pump shaft should rotate while the outer casing is fixed in place. Try turning the rotor gently with a screwdriver in the slot. Maybe something is jammed down inside, or it's just worn out. A pump like this has some sort of impeller that spins inside a round housing. The impeller will have flexible arms or vanes that slide in and out of a rotating hub. The arms/vanes must make contact with the inside of the housing. If you can figure out what's broken, you should be able to get parts from your local dealer or call Nelson & Small. This is all conjecture on my part, short of dismantling my own pump.

[Coohlrain]

Broken Lifter Pump

Hi adnadeau!
Thanks for writing. My bad in not giving the model. It is a Monitor 1103. Yes, the stick is probably the drive shaft. It has little paddles on each end that fit into slots on the bottom of the motor and into the cylinder in the bottom.

I did take the cylinder out of the bottom of the chamber and tried to turn the rod that comes out of it (that the drive shaft fits into) with a pair of pliers and it doesn't turn hardly at all. I have to really force it and it doesn't turn completely once I get it to move.

I will take it apart again and look at what I think is the impeller? Do you know if there is a diagram of the Monitor pump? The Toyotomi diagram you sent the link to looks similar but not exact. Who is Nelson & Small? I am determined to do everything I can before I give up Having a diagram would probably help me explain what I think the problem is much more clearly.

I am going to go take it apart again and look at the plastic piece the metal cylinder fits into and see if it might be the impeller? Maybe it is broken.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post. I appreciate it very much.

Jenny

[adnadeau]

Do you have an owner's manual for this thing? It might have a diagram. I can't find anything on the web. Can you take a picture of the pump and post it? Nelson & Small is the east coast distributor for Monitor & Toyotomi products.

[Coohlrain]

Broken lifter pump

Hmmm, I thought I posted a reply last night but now I don't see it!

Let's see. Here is a link to some pictures - never mind... it won't let me post a link It says I have to post 5 or more times until it will let me. If you want to contact me at my email maybe I can send you the link via email. Mine is jeni@wildblue.net

The big round black piece is the cylinder that won't spin. There is a rod going into it (that the stick/shaft goes into) and it simply does not "spin". If the whole cylinder is supposed to spin once it is installed it seems way too tight in the opening when assembled to be able to spin.

So once I turn the motor on it simply snaps the stick/shaft.

Any advice you can give is appreciated. As I said, I am determined to do everything I can before I drop $400 - $500 on a whole new lifter pump!!!

Thanks!
Jenny

[adnadeau]

Looks like the bottom of the pump is removable. Undo the three socket-head cap screws and see what's inside.

[Coohlrain]

It worked adnadeau!!! I had to use vice grips to secure the nuts and really force it apart but once apart there was a lot of crud binding it up.! I used carburetor cleaner and completely cleaned it. It came entirely apart and there was a small cylinder inside the big one with little plastic ribs. I took that out and just cleaned and cleaned and cleaned, put it back together and now it is working like a champ! I do think the drive shaft needs to be replaced. It had snapped apart but there is a plastic sleeve holding the two ends together. It is precarious so I will check with Nelson & Small and see if I can order a new one. I don't think the one I have in there will last too long before it gives me trouble.

You have no idea how pleased I am! This is such a victory for me. That pump has not worked in years and I simply didn't bother heating my upstairs. It gets pretty cool up there so this is going to be a real treat to have heat again! Your willingness to help is just outstanding. Thanks for your patience and know that you just kept one more electronic device out of the landfill and saved me about 400 bucks. THANKS! Jenny

[HayZee518]

I have never experienced a high lift pump. all my heaters have been at ground level. if you can send me an exploded diagram I can study it for future problems.

[adnadeau]

The Toyotomi pump manual is at (http://www.toyotomiusa.com/products/...s/OPT-91UL.pdf). I can't find one for the Monitor pump. Congratulations, Jenny; nice work.