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At Pump Express we pride ourselves on expert sizing, stocking and express-shipping of top-of-the-line pumping equipment by manufacturers known for efficient, reliable and skillful design. The companies we represent are often at the forefront of pump industry trends and many have in recent years produced consumer-oriented pump apps that can be downloaded to a Smartphone or tablet. Some are even using mobile phone applications to improve lives in areas of the world where water is scarce.

Portable and pocket-sized, mobile apps can be a great resource for tech savvy installers, contractors and homeowners seeking quick solutions to pump-specific questions.  Taco, Bell & Gossett, Berkeley, Grundfos and Wilo have produced mobile apps providing customers with a variety of features  including unit converters, energy savings calculators and planning guides.

Grundfos has brought mobile technology into the realm of practical applications with the addition of SMS (self-managing system) modules that enable units like it’s LC/LCD level controllers to communicate directly with facilities managers via cell phone in alarm situations, minimizing the need for system spot-checks and speeding up response time in the event of an emergency.

Along the same lines, Liberty‘s ADC-1 Auto Dialers for Alarms and Control Panels  will send an alert  message to up to four separate telephone numbers.

But it’s the remote “roaming” zones of the world that stand to reap the biggest benefits from new synergies in the pump and mobile industries. The expansion of mobile phone networks in Africa, India and other developing countries has given rise to many communities where cell phones outnumber reliable water sources.

Responding to complaints about water mismanagement among the residents of a rural community in Musingini, Kenya, Grundfos began working with one of Africa’s leading telecommunications companies to implement a solar-powered, water vending program. The centerpiece of the resulting system was a solar-powered cell phone activated with a smart card permitting water to flow until either the card was removed or the user’s account ran out of credit. This arrangement made it possible for Grundfos to monitor how efficiently a solar well was operating, for a regulating body to gauge water use and for resource administrators to determine how much income was generated. Communities across Kenya have adopted the mobile banking/solar powered well model developed by Grundfos in Musingini.

In the future, rural communities in Africa, India and other countries where demand for potable water often exceeds supply may benefit from improved water access thanks to the application of mobile phone technology to hydronics by pump industry pioneers.

For more information on innovative products by Grundfos, Liberty or any of the other quality manufacturers we stock and sell call us at 1-800-298-4100 or visit us at www.pumpexpress.com

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Square D’s Susan McCollum guides pump Express staff through Schneider Electric’s extensive line of starters and controls.

Pump Express staff recently took part in a seminar led by a Schneider Electric training team specializing in Square D commercial controls and drives. The training was part of a recent deal between Pump Express and Square D to carry the full line for commercial and industrial HVAC applications.

As part of a select group of distributors qualified to sell Square D variable frequency drives (VFDs) based on extensive experience with commercial and industrial HVAC pump applications, Pump Express was given a detailed tour of the Square D catalog by the manufacturer-appointed team and led through a series of tutorials aimed at facilitating efficient selection and sizing of controls and VFDs for commercial and industrial clients.

“We learned not only the complete product offering that Square D has, but we also learned about different applications where their product can be implemented to better suit our customers needs,” said Sales Manager Fred Hettinger.

A highlight of the training was Commercial Drive Specialist Gail O’Keefe’s VFD simulator demonstrating the energy savings to be accrued from retrofitted and new VFD installations. (Watch the demo on the Pump Express Video Page.)

“Now that VFDs have become affordable, constant speed systems are slowly going the way of the dinosaur,” said Application Engineer Dan Szegda. “Not only is a VFD drive saving you costs on energy consumption but you’re also lowering your carbon footprint.”

Like Hettinger, Szegda appreciated the broad range of applications that stood to benefit from the Square D line.

“Not only pumps have motors on them. So do chiller systems and ventilation fans. Square D VFDs will allow Pump Express to provide additional value outside our work pertaining to pumps.”

Visit the Pump Express website for the complete line of Square D controls and drives.

Call PUMP EXPRESS at 800-298-4100 for detailed selection and sizing information of Square D controls and drives or visit our website at www.pumpexpress.com.

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