Fixing Pumps and Motors

One of the key components to keeping your pool clean is your pump and motor combination.

The two are generally lumped together because they are clamped together and thus look like one piece. Below is a picture of a pump and motor.

Most problems occur with the motor. Generally speaking, when it comes to pumps the problem you will encounter may be leaks. In that case it's either time to fix a gasket or time to replace the pump.

As for motors, there are a few things to do when beginning to troubleshoot them and it all starts with listening. Your are trying to hear:

• humming,
• growling, or
• howling

Humming is usually a smooth, electrical noise without any metallic sounds. Humming is a good sound.

Growling sounds like two pieces of metal grinding together. When you hear growling it's possible to also hear almost a howling noise, similar to a coyote.

If there is a growling noise, pop the motor's center cap (opposite the shaft end) and expose the end of the shaft. You are looking for excessive movement. The shaft should be able to rotate freely, but not side to side.

Growling is caused by the bearings spinning in the housing of the rotor. With this noise you most likely have lost the bearing journals.

If the motor is also howling, it is likely the bearings themselves are worn out, and it’s time to disassemble the motor.

When doing a bearing job, always replace the seals in the pump as well. After all, the most probable reason the bearings were damaged in the first place is because the seals leaked.

If the motor hums when you turn it on, check to see if the shaft is frozen, the same way you did when troubleshooting the growling motor.

When the shaft spins freely, but the motor still won’t work and only hums, then you most likely have a bad start capacitor.

If you find that you are having one of these problems you’re going to want to find out how old your motor is. The average life span of a motor is 10 to 12 years. So if your motor is over 10 years old, you most likely want to replace it. If you attempt a fix, you will most likely run into more problems down the road that will end up costing you more than a mere replacement.

 

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