Following a two-year design and laboratory test phase and a further two years of field testing, the new generation of Franklin Electric’s 4” submersible motors was launched into the southern African market last year.

The new design, which was introduced to the European market in 2012, includes updated and user-friendly features such as full 304/316 stainless steel construction and reduced part count, clamped positive stop cable mount, flat cable with integrated earth lead and a replenishing valve that is accessible from the outside.

The Franklin Electric 4-inch submersible motor was first available in South Africa in 1972 and has since become the driving force behind residential and light commercial submersible pumps with some of the earliest installed pumps still in operation today. Last year Franklin Electric reclaimed three working submersible pump motors with a combined age of 112 years in order to put them on display and showcase their longstanding performance.

Lyon Van Der Merwe, Franklin Electric SA Application Engineering Manager, says that the 4” NextGen submersible motor is remarkable for a number of reasons, but most notably for the fact that is has retained the same basic mechanisms and design elements for the past 30 years, proving that Franklin Electric does indeed supply quality pumps manufactured for the long haul.

“With the NextGen 4” low thrust submersible pump, Franklin Electric customers can expect even better results at the same competitive prices as before. If the previous motor design could exceed a lifespan of 30 years, just imagine what you can expect from the new generation design,” enthuses Van Der Merwe.
He adds that new developments on the pump concentrated on improving the electrical design of the motor, thereby increasing motor efficiency, lowering the motor temperature and extending the service life.

New features include:

• A full AISI 304/316 stainless steel construction and lower part count which has improved not only the look and feel of the pump but also the motor performance when used in slightly aggressive environments

• A new clamped positive stop cable mount that uses only 1 T25 hexalobular slot combination head screw that is torqued down to a positive stop with a well-defined torque of 3 – 4,5 Nm

• A novel plug sleeve design that accommodates a jacketed, 4-cored flat lead which significantly reduces the effort of water-tight splicing the motor short lead to the drop cable, thereby reducing the installers time as well as the cost and risk of water ingress
• An easily accessible outer replenishing valve allowing for a replenishing possibility via syringe from the outside of the motor by removing the plastic cap and filter
• Modern, state-of-the-art design capabilities and manufacturing technology to replace heavyweight machining and resource intensive components needing functional protective coatings with modern, lightweight sheet metal stainless steel and high grade composite material.

Van Der Merwe says that all these novel features have been incorporated into the new 4” submersible pump without compromising any of the key design elements that made Franklin Electric’s original 4” submersible motor the benchmark for an industry over 50 years ago.

Features that remain the same include a water lubricated motor, reducing the risk of borehole water contamination from oil and eliminating the chance of the motor malfunctioning due to water leakage. In addition, the depth of installation has no negative effect as the pressure on the exterior of the borehole and within the water-filled motor remains the same.

Recognised as the world's largest manufacturer of submersible electric motors since 1944, Franklin Electric has grown into a water systems enterprise, providing innovative products for a multitude of applications across the globe. Franklin Electric SA is the largest supplier of submersible borehole pump motors, water pumping systems and submersible petrol pumps in southern Africa, with approximately 1,2 million of these submersible motors having been sold in the country since the company was first established in South Africa in 1972.

For more information about Franklin Electric 4” NextGen submersible motors, contact Jano Verreynne on 082 498 1631 or 011 723 6500, or visit www.franklin-electric.co.za.