Shaft seal brand? Lube teflon vs silicon?

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nikon5400

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Jul 20, 2013
299
Northeast
Hi there.

I'll be replacing shaft seal on my hayward northstar. It looks like the one I need is spx3200sa or ps-3890, but I want to reconfirm with Hayward since the one used before (I believe hayward spx3200sa) leaked the next or the following season. The other part mentioned on inyopools is PS-201, not sure what the difference is, but much cheaper. I don't know why the spx3200sa failed so soon, I suspect because it was lubricated...

Question #1 - does the shaft seal manufacturer matter? ebay prices start under $11 for "Liberty" brand - spx3200sa: Search Result | eBay. Ebay also has Hayward brand for $23.75 (I'd rather shop ebay, even if it's a few bucks more, as long as product is genuine)

Question #2 - do I need to lubricate rubber sides of the shaft seal?

Question #3 - which lubricant is better for o-rings, gaskets, (shaft seal?), etc - teflon or silicon based? Any particular brands?

Thanks!
 
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We can ask @mas985 to confirm, but I'm seeing the following:
- Shaft seal choices SPX3200SA (Mfr part No), PS 3890 (basic), PS-4280 (premier), and PS-1907 (SCS Series). I would go with the PS-4280 (premier) or perhaps the PS-1907. Never skimp on seal quality. Does the actual mfr matter? I'll defer to Mark. :)
- If the shaft seal needs a little help, a little soapy water may do the trick, but you don't want any residual grease or oils on the seals.
- For non-shaft seal related items like o-rings, seal plate gaskets, etc, a pool silicone lube should be fine.

Mark will be around to confirm if I missed the mark somewhere, Ha ha .... get it? Mark? Okay, it was a lame pun. :)
 
Do NOT use a 201 seal. If you are going to do this, you need to use the seal Hayward engineered for that pump or a US Seal PS-3890. I quit working on Northstar pumps because of this issue. I found, in my area, that once they started leaking at the seal they always would leak very shortly after a seal. replacement.
 
1poolman1 said:
Do NOT use a 201 seal. If you are going to do this, you need to use the seal Hayward engineered for that pump or a US Seal PS-3890. I quit working on Northstar pumps because of this issue. I found, in my area, that once they started leaking at the seal they always would leak very shortly after a seal. replacement.
Click to expand...
Thanks.
Hayward rep confrimed US Seal is the manufacturer of "Hayward" seals.
 
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nikon5400 said:
Hayward rep confrimed US Seal is the manufacturer of "Hayward" seals.
Click to expand...
The part numbers I listed above in post #2 are from the US Seal Mfg web catalog. You can (and should) however go to their website yourself and find the pool seals chart. Be sure you are matching-up the correct Hayward pump model then scroll across to see all the P/N's available. I would highly encourage you to get one of the better seals they list, but at least you'll be sure either way when you review their listing of available P/Ns.
 
Texas Splash said:
The part numbers I listed above in post #2 are from the US Seal Mfg web catalog. You can (and should) however go to their website yourself and find the pool seals chart. Be sure you are matching-up the correct Hayward pump model then scroll across to see all the P/N's available. I would highly encourage you to get one of the better seals they list, but at least you'll be sure either way when you review their listing of available P/Ns.
Click to expand...
do the better ones last longer? I'm still trying to find impeller for my pump and the new ones come with shaft seal

On inyopools PS-4280 is cheaper than PS-3890 seal - U.S. Seal Manufacturing Pump Seal, Extra Heavy Duty PS4280 (Saltwater Pools) - PS-4280 - INYOPools.com

This is an extra heavy-duty shaft seal. It's made with a carbon graphite, stainless steel, and viton rubber. This is the longest lasting seal available and is designed for use with ozonators and salt chlorine generators as well as regular pool and spa use.

Is it really better for regular (liquid chlorine) pools?
 
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That link above that JamesW provided gives a short description of the types/classes of seals. No doubt it's been mentioned many times by he and other motor experts that a better quality seal is always a good move. When it comes to the millions of revolutions a shaft seal makes, quality is everything. A few bucks is worth it.
 

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I have another question -
I'm replacing
this motor - USN1202
with - UST1202

the replacement was used for one season. I tested it, it works and very quiet. It is also listed as a substitute for my pump, although it's smaller in diameter so needs some rubber spacer
The replacement came with plate and impeller (not the ones I need), but I noticed different shaft seal - larger in diameter

I assume it's not an issue the the shaft seal that is made for my pump/impeller should be just fine. Correct?

thanks
 
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nikon5400 said:
I think hayward menual says not to touch ceramic.
Click to expand...
Correct. Some rubbing alcohol can be used if any oils get on the ceramic. While the discussion below may not be exactly the same as your scenario, perhaps you will find some valuable info. Some good tips on seal installation.

Sealant + lube: is either/both/neither needed for shaft seal replacement?

Hi - I have the parts to go deep into a bearing replacement on my Intelliflo. I have read that I should be replacing the shaft seal at same time, so I also bought a GoKIT32 and a new PS-1000 seal for that. 1) before I start - I can't find on TFP/amazon reviews / etc what to do about sealant...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Type of silicone sealant for use during shaft seal replacement.

Can I just use regular old silicone caulking I have laying around for the bead around the stationary shaft seal lip that is pressed into the seal plate housing?
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Superflo VS Shaft Seal

my Superflo VS EC 342001 started leaking so I purchased a kit with all new seals. Unfortunately, the kit came with a PS-200 shaft seal which was smaller than what I needed. I'm honestly very confused on which one I do need... I saw on another threat here earlier that PS-3867 would be the...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
Texas Splash said:
Correct. Some rubbing alcohol can be used if any oils get on the ceramic. While the discussion below may not be exactly the same as your scenario, perhaps you will find some valuable info. Some good tips on seal installation.

Sealant + lube: is either/both/neither needed for shaft seal replacement?

Hi - I have the parts to go deep into a bearing replacement on my Intelliflo. I have read that I should be replacing the shaft seal at same time, so I also bought a GoKIT32 and a new PS-1000 seal for that. 1) before I start - I can't find on TFP/amazon reviews / etc what to do about sealant...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Type of silicone sealant for use during shaft seal replacement.

Can I just use regular old silicone caulking I have laying around for the bead around the stationary shaft seal lip that is pressed into the seal plate housing?
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Superflo VS Shaft Seal

my Superflo VS EC 342001 started leaking so I purchased a kit with all new seals. Unfortunately, the kit came with a PS-200 shaft seal which was smaller than what I needed. I'm honestly very confused on which one I do need... I saw on another threat here earlier that PS-3867 would be the...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
Click to expand...
Just placed an order for U.S. Seal Ozone Service Northstar Pump Shaft Seal 5/8 PS-4280
I guess P-80 is the lubricant I want use when installing shaft seal into seal plate? Do I apply P-80 to the seal plate or the rubber part of the shaft seal?

Thanks.
 
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Yes, P-80 to help the rubber part of the seal "seat" into the plate. Just a light film on the rubber part of the seal should work. It's considered a transient lube and will dissolve without residue. Here are some good notes (post #4) to help you along. If you need to clean anything off of the face (ceramic) of the seals, rubbing alcohol will work.

Sealant + lube: is either/both/neither needed for shaft seal replacement?

Hi - I have the parts to go deep into a bearing replacement on my Intelliflo. I have read that I should be replacing the shaft seal at same time, so I also bought a GoKIT32 and a new PS-1000 seal for that. 1) before I start - I can't find on TFP/amazon reviews / etc what to do about sealant...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Also posts #7 here explains well:

Replacing Shaft Seal on Pentair Superflo

Hi all, I am having a bit of trouble replacing the shaft seal on my Superflo. I followed a guide on YouTube for a similar pump (WhisperFlo), but it seems the instructions are a little different and I became a little lost and my existing shalf seal fell out before I could note it's orientation...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
I spoke too soon - my order for the seal got canceled.
Maybe I had too many questions in the "Note:" section - I wanted to make sure their U.S. Seal PS-4280 is brand new sealed and never been out of original packaging. Also, I wanted to make sure is a Viton seal since they also mentioend SPX3200SA elsewhere. After receving cancelation email I replied with quesitons and today their web site is down :)

I have a few questions:
- I see there are quite a few 4280 for under $20 shipped, but am I taking chances getting it from one these online retailers vs leslies? Is there a chance some are counterfit junk?
- Is there a difference between brands, like Liberty, U.S. Seal, APC and others? I see at inyopools 4280 go from $24 to $64
- The impeller I ordered will come with the seal, it's new but no box, just a clear ziploc and most likely have been touched. According to seller "It is an extra that came in a box that we didnt need". Is there a way to tell if it's 3890 or 4280?

Thanks
 
I can say this, a good seal is something you might pay a bit for now but it's worth it. I can't speak for the specific brand names, maybe @JamesW or @mas985 can if they see this post, but I suspect ~$45 is a reasonable amount for a good brand, high quality seal. If a seal set comes with an impeller, I suspect it's a basic seal.
 

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