My polaris pump ran dry causing it to leak. The motor still ran OK, it just leaked at the seal and my polaris lost power. So, I replaced the seal, o-rings, and impeller (it was warped) using the instructions here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRjzEZFyNi0. I even took a picture of the wiring before disconnecting it so I would be sure to reconnect it the same way. When I turned the pump back on for the first time after completing my repairs it hummed for a few seconds then shut off. I tried to turn it off and back on immediately; nothing. If I wait a little bit the pump makes a click sound and then I can turn it on again with the same result; humming then off. Any ideas what is wrong?
Polaris pump hums then shuts off
- Thread starter DIYconvert
- Start date
Do the shaft and impeller spin freely? You can access the shaft at the back by removing the shaft cover.
I can turn the shaft with a wrench without too much torque; however I cannot turn it barehanded. I can see the impeller turning with the shaft when I look down the hole where the hose connects to the top of the volute.
The capacitor seemed to work fine before I started my repairs. It seems more likely that something is seizing and the capacitor is shutting down to prevent overheating. Could I have overtightened something? Was I supposed to lubricate the seal shaft?
The capacitor seemed to work fine before I started my repairs. It seems more likely that something is seizing and the capacitor is shutting down to prevent overheating. Could I have overtightened something? Was I supposed to lubricate the seal shaft?
If you can't turn it barehanded, then there is a problem. I think that you should open it back up and check everything. Once you get it open, you should be able to easily spin the impeller by hand. You can see if the pump starts while it is apart.
Thanks for your help, JamesW. However, I'm concerned about taking apart the pump with it still connected to the power source. Is it really OK to test the pump with it apart? The video I referenced specifically warned against that. Is that just someone being overly cautious? Either way, I will take it apart and check out everything. Before I reattached the volute I could easily spin the impeller by hand however I didnt' try to spin the shaft assembly from the back by hand. I will also take everything apart and try to spin the pump shaft by itself. From your feed back that should be able to spin freely by hand.
As long as you're careful to make sure that the power is off while disassembling the pump, you can take it apart without disconnecting the power. Once it's apart, you should be able to easily spin the impeller and shaft. You can briefly turn the pump on to see if it will run while disassembled, but it's not something you should do if you're not comfortable doing it.
Note: You have to determine if this is something you feel comfortable doing. I don't know your skill level and this is not something you should do if you're not sure that you can do it safely.
Note: You have to determine if this is something you feel comfortable doing. I don't know your skill level and this is not something you should do if you're not sure that you can do it safely.
OK, thanks. Disconnecting the pump from the power is a pain that I would like to avoid next time. I do shut off the power at the breaker so I guess it should be OK to work on it as you describe.
Problem solved. After removing the screws that connect the pump to the motor it was difficult to separate the two. The shaft was rusted. I cleaned it up with some fine sandpaper and then lubricated the shaft and everything turns easily now. The installation instructions for the seal said to clean and lubricate the shaft and counterbore surfaces. I should have read the instructions instead of just relying on the video which did not mention those steps. Pretty obvious, though. Thanks for your help, JamesW.
