TL;DR

High power draw is usually excess flow (system resistance dropped), higher liquid density than design, or internal binding. Measure amps and head to locate the cause.

What you might see

motor amps above nameplate FLA
overload relay tripping
driver running hotter than normal
higher energy bill with no increased output

Likely causes

Tap to mark as ruled out

System resistance decreased (e.g., bypass valve opened), shifting the operating point far right of BEP and increasing required BHP
Process liquid specific gravity or viscosity higher than the original design basis
Internal binding from contact between the impeller and wear rings due to seal collapse or debris
Motor or drive efficiency loss from worn bearings or damaged windings

Required tools

Clamp ammeter (true-RMS)
Pressure gauges (suction and discharge)
Tachometer
IR thermometer
LOTO kit

Safety first

Lock out the driver before opening the casing or rotating the shaft by hand.
All current measurements on energized equipment require appropriate arc-flash PPE.

Procedure

8 steps · ~45 min

1
Lock out the pump driver.
2
Record current suction pressure, discharge pressure, and motor amps. Calculate differential head and compare to the Goulds rated curve to confirm the operating point.[1]
3
Verify the process fluid specific gravity and viscosity have not changed from the original design values. A 10% SG increase raises BHP by 10%.
4
Check all system valves. A partially open bypass sends flow back to suction, appearing as high amps with low net delivery.
5
Rotate the pump shaft by hand with power locked out. Binding or rough spots indicate impeller-to-casing contact or debris.
6
Open the casing and inspect for debris lodged between the impeller and casing walls.[1]
7
Measure bearing temperatures after a short run. Hot bearings can increase load amps by 3-5% and will worsen over time.
8
If the operating point is confirmed far right of BEP, throttle the discharge valve or trim the impeller diameter to match the new system curve.

Sources

Goulds 3196 i-FRAME Process Pump Installation, Operation & Maintenance Manual, Goulds Pumps (ITT)
Goulds 3196 i-FRAME IOM, power consumption and operating point procedures (general)
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