Hayward Tristar VS 950 Pump Really Loud

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coinmls

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Sep 21, 2021
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My pool contractor installed a Hayward Tristar VS950 pump and when running at 80-90% produces a high pitched whine, kind of like you get with a shop vac. It has done this since day 1. In the night, this whine permeates my house and the dead quiet neighborhood. I have not yet installed a pool equipment screen which I plan to do in a few months. The PB blames everything on not having any screening. The equipment is located about 30 ft from the house. I do not believe any plumbing obstructions are to blame or the PB would have identified that as the issue and flow appears to be fine.

BTW, this is the only pump in the system. It runs a cleaning system as well as general circulation.

At my old house, I had a whisperflo pump and it was on the backside of my bedroom wall and when things were working properly, the worst noise was a low hum which was not at all a problem. I understand it was a single speed pump and the new VS pumps are different, but still, I don't see why a pump has to be this loud.

How should I handle this? I want to tell the PB that a screen won't make that big of a difference, but I don't know that yet. I still haven't made final payment so I still have leverage to get this resolved if it is on him, or is noise the new normal for VSPs? I will probably be asked to pay before I can have a screen wall built.

Should I pay to have this evaluated by a third party? I have a video although I'm not sure the noise level will convey properly:
(pump is running at 90%).
 
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I have to say there's something very wrong. If your non vs pump was quiet enough then the vs has to beat it or be the same but it can't be noisier the a single speed. Vs pumps overall are barely noticeable. Whining can be a bearing issue but to me that's unacceptable period.
 
wireform said:
I have to say there's something very wrong. If your non vs pump was quiet enough then the vs has to beat it or be the same but it can't be noisier the a single speed. Vs pumps overall are barely noticeable. Whining can be a bearing issue but to me that's unacceptable period.
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When it runs at a low percentage then it is quiet. I forgot to mention and edited the original post to state that this pump runs the cleaning system as well and must run at high % in order to clean the pool properly.

If this is unacceptable, what is the best way to handle this with the builder who claims that this is normal. Part of his explanation is that this is a 2.7 HP pump and the other one I'm comparing to is 1.0 HP.
 
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wireform said:
Can we see pictures of the pad install maybe something off with the piping creating more noise then necessary.
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Sure. The installer did say something about neoprene washers but the pump does not appear to be attached to the slab, just sitting on it.
 

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JamesW said:
It's too loud.

I would file a warranty claim with Hayward and ask them to send a factory authorized technician to see what is wrong.
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I'm not sure it works like that. Their website say, "For direct, on-site product support, please contact your local seller or installer for assistance. If you need to schedule a service call or repair, you can use the servicer locator to find a local Hayward Authorized Service Center."

Should I pay one of the service providers to come out and evaluate the situation?
 
In this area of the country, that's the greater NY metro area Hayward has a guy they send to solve problems when the local dealer service dept cannot seem to resolve the issue. This guy works for Hayward not a dealer or secondary supply house, of course one has to scream a little louder. Call Hayward directly.
 
About a month ago when my pump was first started up I had the same reaction of OMG, this is so loud...I could hear the pump over the waterfall...granted, the pump is only about 25 feet away. This is my first pool so I have nothing to compare it to but the salesperson claimed I wouldn't be able to hear the pump inside...thankfully I didn't believe him and insisted they installed the equipment on the wall on the kitchen side of the house vs my master bedroom wall where they wanted to put it.

I just downloaded an app that measures decibels...it's a free app so not sure how accurate it is but I held my phone about 2 inches away from the noisiest part of the pump when it was running at 3100 rpm and got a decibel reading of 75...I have a pentair 2.7HP VSP. Curious to see what you get if you try that. (It is quieter at lower rpm but I didn't measure the decibels then).

My pumps are also just sitting on the slab and not attached but I don't see/hear any vibration.
 

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Just another point of reference; mine is the 900 (1.88 hp) and while I’m not sure it’s as loud as yours, it’s loud at full speed and can be heard inside the house on the other side of the wall from the pad. The tone is similar to yours and mine is also not sitting on isolators - it’s not even bolted to the pad, it’s just sitting there. Mine also has slightly noisy bearing sounds when the ambient temps are below 25 F.

Luckily, I run my pump at 900 rpm most of the time and it primes at 1800, and it’s nearly silent at 900.

Dan
 
TampaKathy said:
About a month ago when my pump was first started up I had the same reaction of OMG, this is so loud...I could hear the pump over the waterfall...granted, the pump is only about 25 feet away. This is my first pool so I have nothing to compare it to but the salesperson claimed I wouldn't be able to hear the pump inside...thankfully I didn't believe him and insisted they installed the equipment on the wall on the kitchen side of the house vs my master bedroom wall where they wanted to put it.

I just downloaded an app that measures decibels...it's a free app so not sure how accurate it is but I held my phone about 2 inches away from the noisiest part of the pump when it was running at 3100 rpm and got a decibel reading of 75...I have a pentair 2.7HP VSP. Curious to see what you get if you try that. (It is quieter at lower rpm but I didn't measure the decibels then).

My pumps are also just sitting on the slab and not attached but I don't see/hear any vibration.
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I don't know how to tell the RPM, maybe it says on the remote but I set it by %. Ambient noise level was 32dB, when I turn on the pump and hold the mic right above the pump it's just over 70dB. A few feet away it drops to about 60dB. It's a cheap app though, I'm not sure how they calibrate it.

I'm just not sure what to do now. Seems like it's normal for this pump to be that noisy. I think my PB just selected a noisy pump. Maybe I'm stuck with it?
 
Lol, JamesW knows a lot lot more than me so can't hurt to try filing a claim. But from googling, the db range of vs pumps is like 60-90 so I don't know how successful you'll be. How many hours are you running it at 80-90%? Until someone looks at it, try reducing the time you run it so high and see if it still cleans.
 
TampaKathy said:
Lol, JamesW knows a lot lot more than me so can't hurt to try filing a claim. But from googling, the db range of vs pumps is like 60-90 so I don't know how successful you'll be. How many hours are you running it at 80-90%? Until someone looks at it, try reducing the time you run it so high and see if it still cleans.
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I struggled to figure out how to "make a claim" but after more digging found the contact support form. The place I was stuck they were trying to refer me to a service center, so I'll see what they say. Then I struggled to locate the model and serial number. I still don't think I have the right one. All of the documentation says Hayward but the stickers say Century and I can't get any of the model or serial number info to match what it is supposed to be exactly. Hopefully they can figure it out.
 
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The tag should look like this.

It is somewhere on the pump (not on the motor).

PumpTag.jpg

Warranty

Our pool product warranty offers peace of mind for your investment. With comprehensive coverage and hassle-free claim process, we ensure that your pool equipment and supplies are protected against defects. Trust in our warranty to keep your pool running smoothly and worry-free.
www.hayward-pool.com www.hayward-pool.com

Register the product and then use your account to file a warranty claim.
 
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JamesW said:

The tag should look like this.

It is somewhere on the pump (not on the motor).

PumpTag.jpg

Warranty

Our pool product warranty offers peace of mind for your investment. With comprehensive coverage and hassle-free claim process, we ensure that your pool equipment and supplies are protected against defects. Trust in our warranty to keep your pool running smoothly and worry-free.
www.hayward-pool.com www.hayward-pool.com

Register the product and then use your account to file a warranty claim.
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Thanks, mine doesn't look like that. Aside from the one that says Tristar VS 950, the 2 labels are:
 

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