We have a 15' round above ground Trevi pool, 4' deep. At the end of last season, it was losing water so quickly we decided we must have a leak at the bottom after no rain all summer and HUGE cracks under the bottom of the pool. While out of town, the water apparently got just below the skimmer with the pump running. We got back, turned it off, and there it sat until now. No more water leaked out, so we're not sure if the leak closed up when we finally got rain or if it was leaking around the skimmer or eyeball. We added water to the normal level, so far it doesn't appear to be leaking out. BUT - - - our pump hums but won't kick on. We figure it burned up running with no water. We have a 2.5 HP A.O. Smith Century Lasar/Waterway Workhorse, 2 speed, model #BN50 on the pump motor. We can't seem to find the same motor; looks like they don't make the 2.5 HP anymore. The model # now says its a 1.5 HP on every website we check. From reading here, seems like maybe we could use a smaller one, but our cartridge filter that's attached to it is huge, maybe 36" tall. If we went with a smaller pump would we need a smaller filter? We have one of those fountains that attach to the eyeball with a hose, runs fine on low speed, but we do have to use high speed in order for the vacuum to be efficient. So, what's our best pump replacement solution? Pool needs bleach, but we figured we needed the pump running first.
Trying to find a replacement pump, may have water leak
- Thread starter brisketbabe
- Start date
You could step down to 3/4 hp with no problem that is whats on most 20000 gal inground pools and it is energy efficent. Down sizing will not effect your filter other than you will have lower back pressure and that will extend the life of your filter. Get chlorine in the pool asap or it will turn green.
Marketing likes to play with the HP numbers to fool us customers. The BN-50 is a 1½ sfhp (service factor x horse power) motor. If that's what's on it now, you're safe in replacing it with the same model. However if it's humming it may just be the capacitor. Take the back cover off and see if you can turn the pump by hand (with the power off, of course). If you can I'd try replacing the capacitor first.
I agree with getting some bleach in there and mixing it good manually now.
I agree with getting some bleach in there and mixing it good manually now.