If you have ever stood in front of a KSB name plate and stared at the name plate thinking, “I know this is important… but what exactly am I looking at?” — you are not alone.
A KSB SE & Co. KGaA pump name plate is not just a metal tag. It is the pump’s identity card. It tells you what the pump was designed to do, how it must operate, and whether it is suitable for your system.
Let’s break it down in a practical, real-world way.
1 Pump Type / Model on KSB Name Plate
Example: Etanorm 100-160
This tells you the pump range and hydraulic size.
- 100 = Discharge nozzle diameter (usually in mm)
- 160 = Nominal impeller diameter (mm)
If you are working with something like a KSB Etanorm, this model number immediately tells you the frame and hydraulic family.
👉 Why it matters: When ordering spares or checking curves, this is the first number you need.
2 Serial Number On KSB Name Plate
Every KSB pump has a unique serial number.
This number allows KSB (or you as the supplier) to:
- Identify manufacturing date
- Confirm original build specification
- Trace materials and test records
👉 For warranty or technical support, this number is gold.
3 Flow Rate (Q)
Usually shown in:
- m³/h
- l/s
Example: Q = 50 m³/h
This is the design flow — how much water the pump should move at its duty point.
👉 If your system needs 80 m³/h and the plate says 50 m³/h, you already know there is a mismatch.
4 Head (H)
Example: H = 32 m
This is the pressure the pump produces, expressed as meters of water column.
👉 Think of head as “how high the pump can push the water.”
If your system requires 45 meters total dynamic head and your plate says 32 meters, the pump will struggle.
5 Speed (n)
Example: n = 2900 min⁻¹
This is the rotational speed (RPM).
- 2900 RPM → 2-pole motor
- 1450 RPM → 4-pole motor
👉 Speed directly affects flow, head, and power consumption.
6 Power (P2)
Example: P2 = 7.5 kW
This is the required shaft power.
Important:
- This is not always the motor input power (P1).
- Your motor must match or exceed this rating.
👉 Undersized motors cause overheating and nuisance trips.
7 Voltage & Frequency on KSB Name Plate
Example:
- 400V
- 50 Hz
In South Africa, you typically expect:
- 400V
- 50 Hz
If frequency changes, pump performance changes.
8 Impeller Diameter
Example: Ø 148 mm
This tells you if the impeller was trimmed.
👉 Very important when comparing to catalogue curves. A trimmed impeller shifts the curve.
9 Year of Manufacture
Helps determine:
- Age of pump
- Spare part availability
- Warranty status
Why the KSB Name Plate Really Matters
In your business, Boss Man, this is where many sales mistakes happen.
A customer phones and says:
“I have a KSB pump that isn’t working properly.”
Before talking price, curves, or replacements — ask for a photo of the name plate.
That one photo can tell you:
- If the pump was correctly selected
- If it is overloaded
- If it was modified
- If it matches the system requirements
It prevents guessing. And guessing is expensive.
Practical Example
Let’s say the name plate shows:
- Q = 40 m³/h
- H = 28 m
- P2 = 5.5 kW
- n = 2900 RPM
But the system now requires:
- 60 m³/h
- 35 m
The pump is not “faulty.”
It is simply operating outside its design envelope.
That understanding builds authority — and trust.
Final Thought on The KSB Name Plate
A KSB name plate is not just technical data.
It is a story:
- What the pump was built to do
- How it should operate
- Whether it is in the right application
Once you learn to read it properly, you stop guessing and start diagnosing.
And in the pump world — that is the difference between replacing parts… and solving problems.