Pump Noise and Low Pressure

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K

kchinger

Well-known member
Aug 20, 2017
325
Southeast PA
So I had low filter pressure the other day so I checked some stuff, the pump basket was a bit clogged with small stuff and the impeller was pretty clogged too.

So I cleaned that up and it back together but it didn't sound right, realized I had put the wear ring in backwards, fixed that. Pressure was better but still low.

Ordered a new wear ring and pump basket o ring. Installed those tonight and I think it might sound worse, seems to be ingesting air, and the pressure is pretty low again.

I can tell it's flowing better than the other ring was though because my water level is low so the old ring was fine but the new one made a vortex, so I'm running on just the main drain.

With the filter at the dirty level I'd expect 18 psi, I'm running about 12.

I ordered from this Link. Is this the right pump parts? Is my pump just shot?

Video to come so you can hear, pictures below.

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The noise sounds like a bearing to me. When you had it apart, did the motor spin freely? What it choppy or hard to spin? If the wear ring was bad, water may have found its way to the bearing.
Low pressure doesn't concern me as much since it could just be a clean filter and a high discharge pressure isn't needed from the pump. The centrifugal pumps will change pressure depending on the restrictions in the system.
 
You would need to pull the motor off the pump housing, so it isn't a simple fix. Then disassemble the motor a bit. You would also want to make sure you replace the correct bearing (or both of them).

Big question, is the pump a single speed or 2 speed? If a single speed, I'd replace the motor at a minimum. Replacing the whole pump would likely require some plumbing work also.
 
kchinger said:
Pump this age and condition do I keep putting money in it? How hard is the bearing to replace?
Click to expand...
Put what the motor/pump is in your signature.
If a single speed, replace it soon or you will have to upgrade to a VS motor. Federal regulation kicks in 2021. All pool pumps above 1.15 THP will have to be multi speed.
 
Added to signature.

It's a 1 HP, 1.65 SF (I'm an electrical engineer and even I think service factors are confusing and silly when applied to small centrifugal pool pumps where we have almost no control over the head and no visibility of the current or winding temperature). Single speed, 230V, 48Y frame, AO Smith.

Looks like a drop in replacement would be around $185 plus my time for a single speed, plus whatever new seals and stuff I should get for the pump to protect the new motor.

Two speed looks like it's around double the price, $360 or so plus seals and stuff, plus a new two speed timer switch, or $500 or so with the pump.

Variable speed, would 1.5 HP be enough or do I need the full 1.65, which means I need to go to 2 I guess? Variable speed there's lots of options, I'm guessing in the $400-500 range for the motor, or $600-700 for the whole pump and motor?

Electricity is relatively cheap and we probably won't be in the house for more than 3-5 years. I currently run the pump about 6 hours a day for filtering and chlorine generation. Filtering more would be nice though with a dual speed or variable.
 
If you do not mind the noise, get a straight replacement single speed. From a noise and electricity cost, get a Variable Speed.
Inyopools has a variety of motors that can fit with your wet end. Be sure to call them to get the appropriate one.
 

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Noise isn't really a concern since it's in a pool house, it's relatively quiet outside even with the older, loud motor, and once you get to the pool area and past the tree line it's pretty hard to hear.

I'll do the math on the two speed and variable speed I guess, I'll call INYO to get actual quotes.

Is the wet end okay though you think? Worth hooking a new motor to, just rebuild it with new seals and o-rings and stuff?

And how do I know how much HP I need? Should I try to figure out what HP size the impeller is? Or just stick with at least the 1.65 of my current motor? If it could do a 1.5 HP variable speed that would be much better than the 2 HP for initial investment.
 
The wet end should be fine. The impeller in it will dictate what hp motor you get. Inyopools should be able to tell you what hp will mate up with the impeller in that wet end. You will need a model number of the wet end.

Post up what you plan to do here before purchasing. We have pump experts that can advise you.
 
Thanks. Where would I find the model number? I've looked around on it and all I can find is that big UltraFlow sticker in the picture. Maybe if I know where I look, it might be covered in grime from the years and I can clean it off and find it.
 
Only part numbers I could find are on the seal plate and the basket lid. Neither are horsepower specific. I'll have to pull the pump apart one more time tomorrow I guess and get a picture of the diffuser and maybe a part number.

I hope the bearing makes it another week or so until I get a new motor and a chance to install it.
 
So I spoke to INYOPools this morning on chat, they were very helpful as usual. Since I don't know for sure my impeller size (impossible to verify without looking at the impeller part number itself, I hope it's visible without removing it from the shaft) I'm going to assume until I get home tonight to verify, that my current pump is sized properly at 1 HP and 1.65 SF, so I have a 2 HP impeller, and not the 1.5 HP impeller.

Assuming I do have the 2 HP impeller, I ran some calculations, and the variable speed and dual speed both pay back in about 18-19 months, but the variable speed costs less to run per day than the dual and will win going forward from that point, so I'm leaning towards variable, and my wife has blessed the variable if it saves us money long term and makes the pool better.

I'm looking at the ECM16SQU (V-Green 1.65 HP Square Flange 48Y Variable Speed Motor) Here On sale for $428.
I'd get the GOKIT20 pump seal kit Here to go with it.

Any issues? If I do in fact have a 2 HP impeller, should I get the ECM27SQU instead? Here
It's 2.7 HP, so it'll fall down and run at 2 HP at full speed with the 2 HP impeller, but that may not be necessary? It's considerably more expensive at $650, which changes my payback calcs considerably and makes it take over 5 years to pay off.

If I do have the 1.5 HP impeller, I assume the same 1.65 HP variable is still appropriate though? In which case, I don't really need to verify the impeller size I guess?

Edit: Just remembered to check, my power company gives us a $200 rebate for installing a variable speed pump, so that definitely makes the VSP win, at $228 versus the $176 of the single speed.
 
Alright, I know I'm making a mess of this thread now, but I'm confused on something I thought I knew. INYO in the chat said that the motor should have lower HP rating than the impeller.

However, on INYO's website (Here), they say the motor should be higher HP rating than the impeller. Which is it? If I have a 2 HP impeller and put in a 1.65 HP VSP, am I going to burn out the motor? If I've been running at 1.65 HP forever, should I put in a 1.5 HP impeller and still get the 1.65 HP motor? I only have 1.5" plumbing and 48 sq ft filter, so I'm not sure 2 HP is the right impeller. In which case it's likely it's 1.5 HP and the motor is 1.65 so it's slightly larger, which makes sense, so it can drive the 1.5 and not burn out.
 

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