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Trash pumps are one of the unsung heroes of your rental inventory. Very little thought is given to them unless they are needed. But when they are needed, their utility and importance become obvious.

A trash pump's life is not glamorous. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find a piece of equipment whose duties are more humble. Because the nature of the work they do requires them to take a lot of abuse, they can use a little TLC to achieve the longest and most productive life.

A pump is a pump?

To the uninformed, one trash pump is like any other, but in reality, there are differences. For starters, pumps can be easily separated into smaller and larger categories. The smaller variety, typically with 2- to 3-inch capacities, are powered by gas engines, while the larger pumps, which run around 4- to 6-inch capacities, are powered by diesel engines. There are also submersible trash pumps, but they are much less common than engine-driven models.

In addition to size, trash pumps can be classified as recirculation priming pumps, or wet-prime, and vacuum-assist pumps which require no priming. According to Jim Widrick, manager of national rental accounts at Gorman-Rupp, an advantage of vacuum-assisted pumps is they can be allowed to run dry without fear of damage to the pump.

Maintaining long life and productivity

The key to long life and productivity from your trash pumps is diligent maintenance. Pumps made by reputable manufacturers are built for the rigors of extreme usage, but all will benefit from regular service and preventive maintenance. And for the most part, the care of trash pumps is quite simple.