Messed up installing seals with new motor

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AEReeves

Silver Supporter
Apr 5, 2021
16
Minnesota
Pool Size
14000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
CircuPool RJ-45
My old 1 HP Hayward Super Pump motor was overheating and I couldn’t figure out what was causing it so (after posting here for recommendations) I bought a new Pureline 1.5 HP variable speed motor a bigger impeller and a new seal kit. I just finished installing everything and came in the house to clean up as I was throwing out the old seals and left over lubricant that was included with my seal kit I noticed in large print on the side of the little tube: SILICONE LUBRICANT. Crud… I just saw that lubricant was included and assumed it was for the shaft seals not just for O-Rings. Everything I’ve read says not to use silicone lubricant and only use a water based one or something like water with a little dish soap.

So I’m sitting on the couch at 10:30 at night now wondering:
  • What is going to happen to my new pump?
  • how urgently do I need to fix it?
  • Can I just take it apart and clean it with rubbing alcohol or do I need to buy a new shaft seal kit?
Hopefully the side effect isn’t akin to feeding a Mogwai after midnight and I now have gremlins eating away at all of my pool mechanicals. Thanks for any help.
 
AEReeves said:
I applied it to the shaft seals on the impeller and the other side it mates to.
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I'm assuming not on the face, but where the seal meets the pump housing. Yep, you want them to be water soluble. See the link @mknauss provided. You likely can clean them up and reinstall.
 
mknauss said:

Pump Seals - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
Click to expand...
I’d read this article before doing the seals which is why I knew I made a mistake once I saw that it was silicone lube.

The article just says it won’t be as secure and that it could have an adverse effect on the seals over time. Based on that it doesn’t seem like this is a pull it apart tonight type of issue and I can go to bed and deal with it tomorrow. However, I don’t know how to deal with it. Is it possible to clean these seals with something like rubbing alcohol or do they just need to be replaced now?
 
AEReeves said:
Based on that it doesn’t seem like this is a pull it apart tonight type of issue and I can go to bed and deal with it tomorrow. However, I don’t know how to deal with it. Is it possible to clean these seals with something like rubbing alcohol or do they just need to be replaced now?
Click to expand...
Go to bed. Clean them up tomorrow. Use mineral spirits or denatured alcohol tomorrow and re-install with water based lubricant.
 
PoolStored said:
I'm assuming not on the face, but where the seal meets the pump housing. Yep, you want them to be water soluble. See the link @mknauss provided. You likely can clean them up and reinstall.
Click to expand...
Yes, where the seal meets the pump housing and then on the impeller shaft as well. I’m sure some extra got on the face of the one in the housing as it was pressed in too. :cautious: Any suggestion on what to use to clean the seals?

Thanks for the info. Sounds like I’ll be taking this back apart tomorrow and have a chance to do it again.
 
Use alcohol on the face. Mineral spirits or denatured on the seal connection to pump housing to clean the silicone sealant. Denatured is cleaner and dries faster. Let them dry or dry them thouroughly.
 
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