i have a 230v/115v 3/4 hp pool pump. it over heats on start up and takes about 3 tries to start up. i am thinking of getting a new motor to replace the older one (as u can see it does have discoloration on parts of it and no the gnome is not right behind it anymore). Whrn i change it out i want to make it 115v. to do this i need to change the cb to 10 amp cb correct? also do i need to change the wire sizes or nust reuse the previous wirez just in a different setup? Yes i will be removing the timer for something different.
115v vrs 230v pool pump
- Thread starter gringonaranjito
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,091
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
To change the voltage you would essentially be removing one "hot" leg at the power panel and making it a neutral so that you have one hot & one neutral = 115V (plus a ground of course). A 20 amp breaker and the same (12 GA) wiring should suffice, but I'm sure others will follow-up with more questions about your intentions and more specific technical issues. Stand-by for more replies. 
230v is slightly more efficient than 115v and given the duration of use on most pool pumps it makes sense to go efficient when you can. I found my pump was over-sized, so when it finally died I did the math and replaced it with a smaller one. That saved electricity.
What I don't see is GFCI protection on that panel. Please upgrade everything connected to your pool to be GFCI protected. Usually you can do this with a breaker or two. It's a big deal and as a home inspector I harp on my clients about it all the time. Electrical shorts in the pool can be deadly.
Beyond that, you need to look at the current draw and wire. Quick and dirty method is to use a voltmeter to measure voltage at the timer. If it's 120v to ground per leg and 240v leg to leg then you may not have issues. You might also consider checking it when the motor is running. If it's more than 10% off then you might have voltage drop issues and you should check for that. If checking for voltage drop and using a voltage meter on live wires is not in your wheelhouse then get an electrician involved. It isn't that much money in the grand scheme of things to be done right. Not doing it right may cause the motor to run hot and burn up motors.
What I don't see is GFCI protection on that panel. Please upgrade everything connected to your pool to be GFCI protected. Usually you can do this with a breaker or two. It's a big deal and as a home inspector I harp on my clients about it all the time. Electrical shorts in the pool can be deadly.
Beyond that, you need to look at the current draw and wire. Quick and dirty method is to use a voltmeter to measure voltage at the timer. If it's 120v to ground per leg and 240v leg to leg then you may not have issues. You might also consider checking it when the motor is running. If it's more than 10% off then you might have voltage drop issues and you should check for that. If checking for voltage drop and using a voltage meter on live wires is not in your wheelhouse then get an electrician involved. It isn't that much money in the grand scheme of things to be done right. Not doing it right may cause the motor to run hot and burn up motors.
Not sure why you want to go to 120v, there is no advantage. Need a minimum 15a breaker. There are very few variable-speed motors that run on 120v. Any colored wires used as the neutral should be replaced with white.
Thanks for this info.
1. How do i make it gfci complient? Is this just changing the cb to a gfci cb or what.
2. i do have a voltmeter and do not know how to use it perfecrly so i ask what setting do i out it on to check these voltages?
Side mote: the only reason i was thinking of changing it to 115v is that then i'll change out the timer with a GE cync smart light switch (which is only 115v) and change the cb from 2 pole to single pole (115v) and this way i can control my pump timer using the same app i already use for all the other stuff i have that is voice controlled. Rhis is the only reason. i really would like to keep everything under 1 app instead of multiple apps if possible. But thnks for the info.
Yes, changing the circuit breakers is a good way to make things GFCI Protected. You can either protect the whole sub-panel or protect individual items. Either way, anything electrical connected to, serving, or near the pool should be GFCI protected for safety reasons.
GE makes larger smart-timers. I have two of them on my pool to control the pumps. They worked with Wink and now I use Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi to run them. They are extremely reliable compared to the Intermatic units. The time never shifts or gets lost and adjusting them as easy as using a web browser on my phone or computer.
I would suggest watching some YouTube videos on measuring voltages and voltage drop with a voltmeter. If you aren't comfortable doing electrical work an electrician is a good investment. Electricity is not difficult, but it is unforgiving and not that expensive to have done right.