Page 13
WATERAX
BB-4 Owner's Manual
04/2015
13
3. Discharge water.
Once the pump is primed, and with the engine running, you can begin to discharge water.
a. Slowly open the discharge valve. If pressure does not build in the discharge hose, the pump has
not been fully primed. The valve should be closed and the pump primed again.
b. Adjust the pump performance by throttling the engine up or down, or opening or closing discharge
valves at various positions, or any combination of the two.
Note:
If the engine throttle is increased and the engine RPM increases without an increase in
pump pressure, the pump may be cavitating. Refer to the limitations listed at the
beginning of this section, and see the troubleshooting section for a verification checklist
and possible solutions.
Shutdown
1. After completing the pump operation, gradually reduce the engine RPM and slowly
close the discharge valves (preferably in the order listed).
2. Whenever the unit has been run at full throttle for most of the operation, allow the
valves to remain slightly open and run the engine at idle for approximately 5 minutes
before shutting down the unit.
3. If the pump was last run with foam or water that is salty, brackish or high in mineral
content, flush the pump with fresh water for a minimum of 2 minutes or until the water
is clear.
4. Close off the hydrant or water supply to the pump.
5. Open all valves to relieve any pressure left in the system.
Cold Weather Operation
The pump can be run in below freezing temperatures if certain precautions are taken to
avoid the formation of ice in the pump.
1. After priming the pump, the unit should be run at low speed for a short period of time to
allow all components to warm up before continuing with the remaining operating
procedures.
2. Unless wrapped in a heater, drain the pump of all water if it is stopped for any length of
time. The engine/drive unit should be turned over a few revolutions to make sure all
water has been removed from the pump. Drain the pump priming line if a primer has
been used.
3. After use, drain the pump, manifolds, and lines of all water. You can also pour some
antifreeze into the pump and circulate it through the pump and plumbing system.
