Common Pool Pump Issues
When theres a problem with your pool pump, youll notice many immediate issues. Once your pool pump is down for a few days, youll quickly notice algae scum building up.
Take care of these problems right away before your pool requires serious maintenance to re-open. The difference could amount to hundreds of dollars when deciding to replace the whole pool pump or just the motor mechanism.
Call us today to learn more about optional pool and spa coverage and recieve a free quote to begin comparing your options: 860-288-4791
Does It Make Sense To Repair My Pool Pump Motor
When it comes to a failed pool pump motor, the pool owner is faced with that eternal question, repair or replace?
The first thing to check is if its still under warranty. For a pump that still has the original motor, you would contact the manufacturer of the entire pump. If you have already replaced the motor before, you would contact the manufacturer of the motor. As most pump and motor warranties are only 1 year, you might be out of luck but its worth double checking the purchase date.
Assuming you are out of warranty, you have a decision to make. A replacement motor is generally going to cost you in the neighborhood of $150 $300 depending on the horsepower. Add another $15 $30 for the absolutely necessary, non-negotiable new shaft seal. Can you repair it instead for less? Probably. Is it worth it? Maybe.
Heres the deal with repairing pool motors. You have to figure out the actual problem first. Is it the capacitor, the bearings, an electrical short? If youre mechanical and handy and know your way around a pool pump, then it could be fairly easy for you to diagnose the issue and even repair it yourself.
If you are in the throes of the repair / replace debate and want one of our techs to chime in, please feel free to call us at 877-372-6038.
Can A Pool Pump Be Rebuilt
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Keeping this in view, how much does it cost to rebuild a pool pump motor?
A replacement motor is generally going to cost you in the neighborhood of $150 $300 depending on the horsepower. Add another $15 $30 for the absolutely necessary, non-negotiable new shaft seal.
Also, how do I know if my pool pump is bad? 3 signs your pool pump is going bad
In this way, how long do pool pumps last?
8 to 12 years
How long should I run my pool pump every day?
Swimming pool pumps should be run an average 8 hours a day to properly circulate and clean your water. The pump should push your entire pool in gallons in this 8 hour period of time.
common pump problems andquick fixes
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The Pool Pump Is Making A Loud Screeching Noise Or Sounds Like Its Full Of Rocks
Screeching or gargling noise can be frustrating for pool owners and surrounding neighbors. If your pool pump sounds like its running with rocks inside the pump basket, it might be starved for water. This can be attributed to a couple of different things. First, check your suction lines. If too many of them are closed off, the pump will struggle to get water and become noisy. Next, check your skimmers. If they are clogged, remove any debris and re-assemble. If all else fails, your pump could be too powerful for your pool. If this is the case, youll want to downgrade to a pump with less power to avoid future problems.
If your pool pump is causing a screeching noise, it could be caused by worn bearings. You can change the bearings out, but many pool owners opt to switch out the oldermotor for a new one.
Pump Is Not Pumping Water
If the pump is not pumping water at all, check that all suction and return valves are open, and the pump lid is on tight, with the lid o-ring in place. Lubricating the lid o-ring regularly will help improve the seal. Check that the drain plugs are tightly inserted with Teflon tape, and that the pump basket is inserted in the proper way, and is sitting all the way down.
If the pump has lost prime completely, fill a bucket with water or bring over a garden hose and re-prime the pump manually by filling up the pump. If the pump wont catch after a several attempts to fill with water, check for an air leak on the suction side of the pump, an obstruction in the line, or low water level.
If you just pulled the pump to check the impeller or replaced a shaft seal, make sure the seal is installed correctly and that the diffuser and diffuser gaskets are seated firmly.
If the pump wont pump water fully, check that:
- Suction side valves are open.
- Older suction side valves can leak air through stem or lid.
- Pump lid o-ring is a good fit, in good condition, and lubricated.
- Pump lid cover is Tight .
- Impeller is not clogged with small debris.
- Check that pump basket is not broken or misaligned.
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Blowing Bubbles And Spitting Water
Have you noticed the constant appearance of bubbles in your swimming pool? Or perhaps youve actually felt some sucking action while youre in the water.
Either way, these are signs that your pump has a potential air leak. You need to have this looked at ASAP, as this means your pump isnt filtering the pool water properly. This can result not only in dirty or cloudy-looking pool water, but also health hazards.
Signs You Need Pool Pump Replacement
Did you know that there are a whopping 10.4 million residential swimming pools in the United States? Or that Texas is among the top five states where many of these pools are?
Whats more, Texas homeowners spend an average of $220 for a one-time pool cleaning service! After all, swimming pool upkeep is crucial to keep it from becoming contaminated.
This doesnt mean that your pool should be getting dirty every other day though. If this is happening to your pool, thats a sign you have a pool pump problem. Its best that you hire a pool pump repair service ASAP to address this issue.
There are many other symptoms of a faulty pump though, and some of them often signal the need for a replacement.
Ready to discover what these other signs are? Then keep reading as weve listed some of the most common you should be on the lookout for!
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Pump Starts Then Stops
It is the fifth and last cause of pool pump troubleshooting. When your pump is off every five seconds check the incoming voltage. In-ground Hayward pump contains 230V and you give only 115V it can be fused or damage.
Instructions:
- Clear away mulch and leaves from around the motor air vents.
- Shut off power at breaker and tighten all wire connections.
- Check that they do not break motor wires, wet, or touching each other.
- When it has continuously these problems change it or repair it.
Replacing A Hayward Pump Motor
Sure, you could just replace your entire Hayward pump, but replacing only the motor is just as easy, and you dont have to touch any of the plumbing. Plus, you can save $100 or more.
In case you need to know, a pool pump motor is the rear-half of the pump, the black metal cylinder, or for original Hayward pumps, a motor painted in a bright gold color.
The plastic front-half of the pump, known as the wet end of a pool or spa pump, can last for decades with a few new pump parts mainly gaskets, baskets and lids.
Hayward pump motors last 8-10 years, if youre lucky but when they begin to overheat and shut down, or when the bearings begin to squeal, or if your motor trips the circuit breaker, it may be time for a new motor.
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The Pool Pump Is Sucking In Air
To operate properly, pool pumps must be air tight. If there is a leak, the pool pump will suck in air and become problematic. The first thing youll want to check is the pump lid. If not on properly, the pump will suck in air and the pump will not be able to prime. If that does not solve the problem youll want to check where the pipe enters the pump, the valve stem on any of the suction valves, the plumbing on the suction side of the pump , o-rings and gaskets. Look for cracks, leaks, loose or old fittings and replace or repair if needed. If you still cant find a leak, spray some shaving cream on to the areas listed above. The leak will draw the shaving cream in and leave a dimple.
How Do You Rebuild A Hayward Super Pump
Time to get down to business: Remove Motor From Pump. Unbolt motor assembly. Secure Motor Shaft. Secure motor shaft from turning by sliding wrench on motor shaft. Remove The Impeller. Remove impeller. Remove The Shaft Seal. Installing The New Shaft Seal. Install Seal Plate and Impeller. Re-installation of the Diffuser and Motor.
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Leaking Pump Shaft Seal
Contents
A shaft seal plays an important part in any pool pump which is to prevent water from leaking along the motor shaft. However, it isnt always at its best, even the best pool pump has its shaft seal failed sometime. As a result, you will see water running down the backside of the seal plate through the hole.
So how to find air leak in pool pump? You can easily see the leak with your eyes. Keep in mind that it is not a loose clamp band. In order to fix this type of leak, you need to check if you are having the right shaft seal for your pump first. If you arent, then you will definitely need to buy a new and correct one. The next thing you do is to replace your old shaft seal with the new one. Its easy, isnt it?
The Pool Pump Is Making A Humming Noise And Will Not Start
If your pool pump will not start and you hear a humming noise, check you impeller for any debris. If debris starts to build, it can block the impeller and disable the pool pump. To check the impeller, turn the power off to the pump and remove the screws in the middle of the pump body. Once the screws have been removed, pull the assembly out of the housing and remove the gasket away from the impeller, remove any debris and re-assemble.
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How Do You Know If Your Pool Pump Is Bad
3 signs your pool pump is going bad Low readings on the filter pressure gauge. If your gauge is reading low, it could be due to a clogged skimmer basket or pump strainer. Constant leaking. We talked about the ways to check for leaks and how to fix them. Constantly losing prime. Read: How do you repair a tire tube?
The Pool Pump Is Leaking Water
In most cases, a leak underneath a pool pump is caused by a pressure-side leak. This is easily combated by inspecting the impeller housing o-ring, shaft seal and replacing any worn, cracked o-rings or seals. Before taking apart your pool pump, we recommend purchasing a go-kit. It is relatively inexpensive and will have all the necessary parts to replace your worn o-rings and seals.
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Hayward Spxhkit3 Quick Pump Repair Replacement Kit For Hayward Super Pool And Spa Pumps
- Quick pump repair replacement kit
- Fits Hayward Super max-rated SP1600X pump series models SP1600X5, SP1605X7, SP1607X10, SP1608X10
- Also fits models SP1610X15, SP1611X15, SP1615X20, SP1616X20 and SP1621X25
- Includes strainer cover gasket, housing gasket, shaft seal assembly, diffuser gasket and Jack’s lube
- Ideal for in ground pools and spas of all types
How Do I Test My Pool Motor
How to Test the Capacitor of a Pool Pump With a Multimeter Shut off the power to the pump with the breaker switch in the nearby breaker box. Open the pump motor cover. Drain all stored power from the capacitor. Remove either of the wires from a terminal on the capacitor. Test the capacitor with an analog multimeter if it is rated at 150 microfarads or less. You may also read, How do you repair a rubber ball?
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Hayward Multiport Valve Repairs
Valve Change: If your multiport valve begins to leak or the handle loses tension, you could repair it with a new key assembly or a new spider gasket, or you could just replace the entire valve in just five steps.
Spider Gasket Change: Losing water out of the backwash line? Remove the top of the multiport valve and inspect the spiderweb style gasket. If its twisted, broken or worn, heres how to replace it, five-step style.
Cracked Valve Body: If there is a small crack around where the pipes screw into the valve ports or where the pressure gauge screws in, these were overtightened or had too many layers of Teflon tape .
So Repair Or Replace The Pool Pump
The first thing we have to do is determine the overall health of your pool pump. Remember that even though your pool pump may look alright, it is subjected to daily heat, rain, pool chemicals, and even the occasional surge caused by lightning strikes!
- Age of the pump – This is the number one factor when it comes to determining whether to replace or repair a pool pump. Again, your mileage may vary, but once your pump passes the five or six year mark, youre already looking at a lot of wear and tear on tear on the internals of the pump. So generally, if you run across problems with your pool pump before the five or six year mark or if its still covered by warranty, then repairing it is the way to go, after that mark, you may have to think about getting a new pool pump altogether as the other components of the pump may start to fail anytime as well.
- Availability of parts – Even if you have a fairly new pump as purchased, there are things that are called new old stock where its a fairly old model thats been sitting around, still technically brand new when you get it. The problem with this is that if for any reason the manufacturer discontinues that model, the availability of parts may become a problem, driving the price of repairs up!
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Pump Flow Rate Is Low
When the filter pressure is high, the filter is dirty ~ and when the filter pressure is low, the basket are dirty. Lower than normal pressure on the filter corresponds with lower than normal flow rates.
Check the pump impeller by removing the pump basket and reaching through the hole to feel for any debris or rocks stuck inside the impeller. If you feel anything unusual, remove the bolts to pull the motor out for a good cleaning of the impeller.
An air leak will also reduce water flow rates, as air is drawn in to the pump, and a dirty pool filter or baskets can clog up the works, and reduce the flow rate. In some cases, it can be a clog in the skimmer line, or even a partially collapsed suction line that is to blame.