⚠️ Disclaimer: These tasks are guidelines only. They do not include lockout/tagout (LOTO), energy isolation, or other safety requirements. Review and verify suitability for your specific equipment and application. Add all required safety procedures per your company's policies and regulatory requirements before use. You are responsible for the safe and appropriate execution of all maintenance activities.
A peristaltic pump has one real consumable: the hose. Everything else — the rotor, the rollers or shoes, the drive — exists to squeeze that hose in a controlled, repeating pattern. When the hose fails, the process stops. When the hose is about to fail, most PM programs have no idea. This checklist targets the hose and the mechanical system that destroys it.
The pump's role in your broader PM program starts with understanding the equipment category — see the full overview of pumps across your facility.
How to Use This Checklist
Record actual findings, not check marks. "Hose shows minor surface cracking at mid-span" is a finding. "OK" is a checkbox. The two are not interchangeable. Hose condition degrades incrementally — what looks minor today becomes failure in three weeks if the trend isn't tracked.
Good finding: "Hose wall at 12 o'clock position shows visible surface crazing approximately 3 inches from inlet fitting — flagged, photo taken, trended."
Bad finding: "Checked hose — OK."
The Field Checklist covers the highest-consequence tasks for technicians executing the PM. The Reference Checklist is the full task library for managers building or auditing the program.
Field Checklist — Critical Tasks
Visual Inspection
| Task | Freq | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Inspect pump exterior and hose for signs of leaks, cracking, abrasion, or swelling. Look along the full hose length and at both end fittings. | Every PM | MEC |
| Check pump inlet and discharge connections for leaks or looseness. Tighten or flag for repair as needed. | Every PM | MEC |
| Inspect hose for internal collapse, kinking, or deformation. Rotate pump slowly by hand (LOTO if required) and inspect full circumference. | Monthly | MEC |
Operational Checks
| Task | Freq | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Listen and feel for abnormal noise or vibration during operation. Rumbling, squealing, or pulsation beyond normal may indicate a worn rotor or hose. | Every PM | MEC |
| Verify flow rate is consistent with expected output. Reduced flow often indicates hose wear or roller/shoe wear. | Every PM | MEC |
| Check rotor speed and direction match process requirements. Verify VFD or motor settings have not been changed. | Monthly | ELE |
Mechanical Inspection
| Task | Freq | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Inspect roller or shoe assemblies for visible wear, flat spots, or cracking. Replace if wear is uneven or exceeds manufacturer limits. | Quarterly | MEC |
| Inspect motor coupling or drive connection for wear, misalignment, or play. Tighten or replace as needed. | Quarterly | MEC |
Lubrication
| Task | Freq | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Check lubricant (oil or grease) level inside pump casing per manufacturer specification. Top off or schedule change as required. | Quarterly | MEC |
| Change pump casing lubricant (if oil-lubricated). Flush old oil, inspect for metal particles or discoloration, and refill with correct grade. | Annually | MEC |
Hose Replacement
| Task | Freq | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Replace pump hose per manufacturer interval or condition assessment. Document hose serial number, installation date, and run hours at replacement. | Semi-Annually | MEC |
Reference Checklist — Full Task Library
Visual Inspection
| Task | Freq | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Inspect full hose length for external cracking, blistering, abrasion, or swelling. Check both end fittings and any clamp zones for leakage or distortion. | Every PM | MEC |
| Check inlet and discharge piping connections for leaks, looseness, or signs of stress. Verify no tension or torque is being transferred to pump housing. | Every PM | MEC |
| Inspect hose for internal collapse, ovalization, or kinking by rotating the rotor slowly through a full revolution (LOTO if required). Check all three compression zones. | Monthly | MEC |
| Inspect pump casing interior for hose debris, rubber particles, or shredded material that may signal imminent hose failure. | Monthly | MEC |
| Check all fasteners on pump housing, end caps, and mounting base. Retorque any loose hardware per manufacturer spec. | Monthly | MEC |
Operational Checks
| Task | Freq | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Verify pump output flow rate against process baseline. A drop in flow at the same speed setting is a leading indicator of hose wear. | Every PM | MEC |
| Listen for abnormal operating noise (squealing, rumbling, irregular pulsation). Compare to baseline. Investigate if noise pattern has changed. | Every PM | MEC |
| Check motor operating current and compare to nameplate FLA. Elevated current can indicate hose over-compression, rotor drag, or internal wear. | Every PM | ELE |
| Verify rotor speed setting (RPM/Hz) matches process requirements. Confirm VFD parameters have not drifted or been altered. | Monthly | ELE |
| Review pump run-hour log and compare hose life to specification. If hose is failing earlier than expected, evaluate compression set, fluid compatibility, or operating speed. | Annually | MEC |
| Verify all pressure relief or anti-siphon devices (if installed) function correctly. Test operation and confirm setpoint is within specification. | Annually | MEC |
Mechanical Inspection
| Task | Freq | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Inspect roller assemblies for flat spots, uneven wear, bearing roughness, or cracking. Rotate each roller by hand; replace if rough or binding. | Quarterly | MEC |
| Measure hose wall thickness at compression zones using calipers if accessible, or assess by tactile inspection. Compare to new hose baseline. Replace if thinning is apparent. | Quarterly | MEC |
| Inspect motor coupling or drive connection for wear, backlash, or misalignment. Check flexible element condition. | Quarterly | MEC |
| Inspect rotor and shaft for corrosion, pitting, or mechanical damage during hose replacement window. Measure shaft runout if vibration has been noted. | Semi-Annually | MEC |
| Inspect motor bearings for noise, roughness, or end-play. Regrease or replace per manufacturer schedule. | Annually | MEC |
Lubrication
| Task | Freq | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Check pump casing lubricant level and condition (if oil-lubricated). Look for metal fines, discoloration, or emulsification. Top off or schedule oil change. | Quarterly | MEC |
| Change pump casing oil (if oil-lubricated type). Drain fully, inspect for metallic particles, flush if needed, and refill with manufacturer-specified oil grade and quantity. | Annually | MEC |
Electrical Inspection
| Task | Freq | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Verify motor insulation resistance (megohm test at 500V DC). Record and trend results. Flag readings below 1 MΩ for investigation. | Semi-Annually | ELE |
Hose Replacement
| Task | Freq | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Replace pump hose per manufacturer-recommended interval or condition assessment — whichever comes first. Record hose part number, lot number, installation date, and accumulated run hours. | Semi-Annually | MEC |
Failure Modes This Checklist Targets
Hose wall fatigue. The hose degrades at the compression zones — the points where the rotor's rollers or shoes contact it with each revolution. Wall thinning, crazing, and internal delamination develop gradually and accelerate. By the time a hose ruptures, it has been failing for weeks.
Internal collapse and occlusion. A hose that has lost elasticity due to age, chemical degradation, or over-compression begins to collapse between contact points. Flow drops. The pump continues to run. Nobody notices until output falls below process tolerance.
Roller and shoe wear. Worn or flat-spotted rollers create uneven compression across the hose circumference. Some zones get over-squeezed. Some get under-squeezed. The result is uneven hose wear and flow pulsation that gets attributed to other causes.
Casing lubricant breakdown. Many peristaltic pumps run the hose inside a lubricated casing. When that lubricant degrades, picks up metal fines, or drops below minimum level, friction increases and hose surface wear accelerates. The lubricant tells you what's happening inside the pump.
Rotor and drive misalignment. Misalignment at the coupling translates directly into uneven rotor load. The hose pays for it. Vibration increases, compression becomes asymmetric, and hose life shortens in ways that look like product quality or fluid temperature problems.
Motor electrical degradation. The drive motor is often ignored on peristaltic pump PMs because the hose gets all the attention. Insulation resistance trending catches motor degradation before it becomes an unplanned failure. A motor failure on a hose pump is just as bad as a hose failure — and it's preventable.
Related Checklists
- Diaphragm pump PM tasks, organized by inspection type
- Magnetic drive pump PM tasks, organized by inspection type
