pool pump smells "burnt". Saw smoke.

[noquacks]

People,

Once in a while, with a heavy downpour/storm, pool pump breaker trips in box. I simply trip it back, start pump, no problem. Did it for many years. Today, when starting pump, saw smoke, smelled burnt, while pump struggled to start- eventually ran after say, 2-3 seconds. backwashed, returned in 5 minutes, still smelled burnt- seemed like it could even be from impeller area, not so much the elec connection to the back of pump. I shut off pump, fearing damage. any idea what I could do to check things out?
Thaks

 

[pwrstrk]

Re: pool pump smells "burnt". Saw smoke.

Maybe something was caught in the impeller ?


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[duraleigh]

electrical burn usually has a distinct smell....was that it?

 

[noquacks]

yes, definitely- smelled like elec burning, not so much like rubber burn. Man, the smoke initially came from where the elec wires go into the back of motor, I think.

 

[noquacks]

Now, what gets me, why didnt the breaker- which I understand is sooo sensitive, didnt trip again>?

 

[noquacks]

OK, just came back from there- turned onthe pump and put mu nose right on impeller top, smell there, also smell is in back of pump, appears. Smell everywhere. Does smell like a kind of plastic, now that I reflect on it more, having JUST stuck my nose on the equip,ment.

 

[Smykowski]

Re: pool pump smells "burnt". Saw smoke.

Probably need to break the whole thing down and find out where the damage is. If it's a switch or a wire, replace it. If it's the windings,time to shop for a new motor. If the wet end is melted, well....

 

[noquacks]

Thanks, TFP- OK, pump now is completely dead. Sheesh.

 

[easttn]

This may not be the area where you smelled it but do you have an extension cord on the pump? We had a 3' heavy duty one and it melted the plugin on the extension cord where the pool pump plugged in. If you dont have an extension cord unplug the pump cord and examine the plugin and socket.

 

[Isaac-1]

The breaker is only super sensitive to ground faults (shorting to the frame / ground) If the short were between the windings or across a switch and did not draw enough amps to trip the breaker on overload (thermal or magnetic) then such a condition could last for a fairly long time (seconds, minutes, ...), but would eventually likely either melt through something, or burn itself out.