SECOND INTELLIFLO XF develops same leak?? how is this?

[tommytuna]

great post...

although my suction line pressure/leak test didn't reveal any leaks, my new cartridge filter still accumulates a fair bit of air after a day. I blow off about 3-4 seconds of air after an all day heater run at higher rpms. Pool guys who did suction test said I shouldn't be worried until i'm blowing 20-30 seconds worth but what I fear is being out of town for 1-2 weeks and this thing blowing the lid off the filter. Wish I had an auto air release valve..

 

[mas985]

Usually you can tell right away if you are accumulating too much air when the pump shuts off, air gets forced back through the pump and water/air rushes out the skimmer. Sometimes even blowing the lid off the skimmer. But if the air makes it back to the pump basket, then I would consider doing something about it.

 

[tommytuna]

Guys - you won't believe this but Pentair replaced with a new pump. All was well for last two months and tonight I noticed the dreaded drip under the motor. I can't believe my eyes.

Any ideas on what part would be causing this leak to occur? see pic (It occurs on motor side of the flange..)

I had an old whisper flo for 7 years prior to this pump and never had a drop of water leak. Very frustrating for such a high end product.

 

[Bama Rambler]

That picture is of the same pump shown on the first page. The flats of the nuts are oriented the same direction. Even the puddles are the same size and shape.

Do you have a picture of the new leak?

 

[tommytuna]

Hi there - you are correct it is the same picture as the last pump. The leak is *identical* to the last leak. Same spot where it drips on the motor side.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I called the Pentair service tech but I can already sense that he will tell me it is impossible and that I must have run the pump dry. GRRRR..

 

[mas985]

When the pump shuts off, do you see any water squirt out of the pump basket?

 

[tommytuna]

no nothing I can see. I have gone around the edge of the outtake line on top of the pump with a microscope to see if it was leaking. Only other thing I can think of that would cause water to accumulate in that same spot aside from the shaft seal. Weird thing is the previous pumps leaked after a week. this one made it almost 8 weeks.

 

[tommytuna]

I should also note that I tightened the bolts a bit after I saw the leak. That didn't seem to help either.

 

[duraleigh]

Your pump supplier should refund your money and cut his losses.

You could be free then to purchase whatever pump you wish and not be burdened by this pump which seems to me is never going to work for you, no matter how many you install.

I guess I have been fortunate. My nine year old Pentair pump has yet to leak the first drop....ever.

 

[JohnT]

Triple check your wiring. I seem to recall someone having quick shaft failures from a wiring issue, but I can't track it down right now.

 

[tommytuna]

I will check dbl check wiring. How would that possible cause a leak?

Old whisperflo gave me 8 years without a drop of leaks so this boggles my mind.

 

[JohnT]

I will check dbl check wiring. How would that possible cause a leak?

Old whisperflo gave me 8 years without a drop of leaks so this boggles my mind.

IIRC, somebody had a miswired pump that was corroding the pump shaft due to current flowing through it.

 

[tommytuna]

My wiring is attached in the pic below. Electrician did it so I never questioned it. Everything bonded to the other equipment.

I pulled apart the second pump they gave me (Pentair never picked it up). Looked at the shaft on that unit and it looks perfect without any corrosion. I'll try to take some pics of the seals etc to see if you guys pick up anything obvious.

 

[tommytuna]

Last night I had a closer look at the original pump that leaked (Pentair left it behind).

See pictures attached. Shaft looks perfect (no rust) but you can see the on the plastic flange(sp?) where the water was dribbling down on the motor side (little salt water crust trail on last pic). I don't see anything unusual with the seals but then again i'm not a pump expert.

 

[tommytuna]

more pics

 

[tommytuna]

Spoke to local Pentair rep. He is puzzled and thinks it may be a bad batch of seals. He is ordering another pump from a totally different batch. It looks like the pumps I got were all part of the same batch. He didn't really push back and was quite helpful so we'll see where this goes. The factory wants to see my pumps to analyze what went wrong.