how long do pumps last

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keastman

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May 9, 2008
51
NE Florida
I'm about to change pumps or motors. I have a 2 hp superpump II that's running fine but want to make it more efficient. We've had the house for 7 years with never a problem with the pump/motor. The pump is 12 years old and runs year round in Fla. I'm about to put a new 2 speed motor in it to run it on low most of the time and save some $ on operation. I got to thinking about the age of the whole unit and am now wondering if perhaps I should just go with a total new pump. Do the wet ends tend to hold up for a long time on superpump II/s? switching out the motor would be the easiest, least expensive route, but I'd hate to see the wet end go in a year or so. I'm handy, so any rebuilding parts to install isn't a big deal if that will do.

Thanks for your input.
 
I'm new here and don't have an answer to your question, but I do have a related question. How much is the power bill to run a pool pump? I have a 1 hp pump. I am in a new house so I don't know how much of my power bill is the pump, and how much the AC. I usually turn the pump off at night, but the pool is slightly clearer if I run the pump 24 hours, and I was told it is actually better for the life of the pump if you run it non stop. I need to know what the power bill is for running the pump in order to make a decision on how much I run it.
 
In my experience pump motor failure is the most common problem, however over time the plastic parts become brittle and prone to breaking (things like the hinge points for the filter cover plates), having said that I have seen them run for 10 years, or have a motor failure on an otherwise good pump after just 2 or 3 years.

Ike

p.s. as to cost of operation a lot is going to depend on your local electricity rates, and if you have variable rate mettering for off prime hours.
 
As long as the wet end is holding up and there is no damage to it the wet end then yes changing just the motor is fine. Just remember make sure the impeller has no interference. 12 years is on the high side so your lucky and git your moneys worth! Unfortunately todays motors don't last as long as the ones from 10-15 years ago. Today 5-7 years is a good pump! Especially when it runs year round and is out in the elements. The constant running of a pump doesn't increase the life span of the pump, Tom. It needs a cool down cycle. Leaving electronic devices on like your TV prolongs it's life. Cycling power ON/OFF on electronics does more damage then the heat it is subjected to.
 
TomAtlanta said:
I'm new here and don't have an answer to your question, but I do have a related question. How much is the power bill to run a pool pump? I have a 1 hp pump. I am in a new house so I don't know how much of my power bill is the pump, and how much the AC. I usually turn the pump off at night, but the pool is slightly clearer if I run the pump 24 hours, and I was told it is actually better for the life of the pump if you run it non stop. I need to know what the power bill is for running the pump in order to make a decision on how much I run it.
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Allowing for some inefficency, a standard 1HP pump is going to run about 1KWH/Hour, so if your rate is $0.14 per KWH, about $1.12 for an 8 hour run.
 
Not all 1 HP pumps are created equal and the power consumption can have a very large range depending on if the pump is up rated or full rated as well as the plumbing it goes on. But the typical range is 1.3 kw to 1.6 kw for an up rated 1 HP and 1.6 kw to 1.9 kw for a full rated 1 HP.
 
Hi, beware of just replacing the motor. We have a five year old AO Smith BN50 motor and a Waterway Workhorse 1.5 hp pump, 2 speed. Pump refused to start, just hummed, ordered and got a replacement motor, exactly the same, only to find out the pump is obsolete and you can't buy the pump housing - a $30.00 plastic part! So, we have a new pump but can't attach it. We're still trying to find the part; it would have been much quicker, easier and cheaper in the long run to just buy a whole new pump with the filter basket attached, but now we're sitting here with a $200.00 new motor that we'll probably end up returning and starting over. Look up your motor and pump online, or if you're handy make sure everything but the motor is okay. When ours was taken apart, the bolts were rusted out and broke off still inside the pump housing; the whole motor actually came apart at the mount first, rusted through. If anyone reading this has the same motor or problem, post it!
 

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TomAtlanta said:
The ideal pump run time depends on many factors and the only practical way to determine it is experimentally.
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Is the experiment basically to see by trial and error how many hours you need to run it to keep the water clear?
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Yup. The minimum run time is the amount of time required to get the pool as clean as you are happy with. The primary driver for run time is the filtration as adequate chemical mixing of the water generally happens in less time.
 
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