Large vertically mounted driving units, usually electric motors, when in a static state before start-up will have its gravity-influenced tonnage of mass resting on a thrust bearing with as little oil as is mechanically possible for that initial first revolution of the unit. And this is just the rotating element of the electric motor.

When even more tonnage of mass, as in the rotating element of a vertically mounted pump is added to the equation, well, I salute whoever developed a bearing and lubrication combination sufficient to withstand such punishment without immediate and permanent damage with even one pressing of the start button. However, the subject matter here is the alignment of such a motor to such a pump.

And no, no sixth grade arithmetic is involved. This is about #1: Personnel safety and #2: Equipment reliability.

Beginning with #1: We deal with personnel safety in aligning the above graphically-described motor.

When one of these motors has been sitting static for anything from minutes to years it s pretty much the same to a person or a crew of persons if said equipment has to be manually rotated. Very difficult to turn and even harder to quickly stop. It isn t a simple twist of the wrist force that will get that first turn started, or a pipe, or strap wrench, or even a cheater pipe. I ve seen it take (quite literally) tons of force to get that first rotation going. Fortunately I ve also seen or...