Too much pressure, ripping things apart

ps6000 · May 18, 2022

I have a 2hp whisperflo pump that has been having some problems with excess pressure. The pump is used for a spa. The pipes are all integrated with the vs pump.

The pressure is so high that it has bent pump strainer baskets. The original one, and now a new one. The pump has been leaking so I put in new seals with a go kit. The seals were shot so I thought this was the cause of some of the problems.

The pump worked fine for a day, then started to make a terrible noise. I noticed the new basket was bent, and the impeller gasket was visible. I removed the motor and the impeller And the impeller was destroyed by the pressure.

When the pump was working the pressure was fine, and everything was working ok. All the jets were working and blowing fine.

Can anyone help explain to me what is going on here. Why the dramatic pressure buildup. What steps should I go through to troubleshoot?

ajw22 · May 18, 2022

Show us pics of what is going on - the bent equipment, your equipment pad.

What does the filter PSI gauge read when all of this is happening?

What model and size cartridge filter?

ps6000 · May 18, 2022

ajw22 said:
Show us pics of what is going on - the bent equipment, your equipment pad.

What does the filter PSI gauge read when all of this is happening?

What model and size cartridge filter?

The picture of the diffuser you can see it compressed the fins on the diffuser. It is a brand new diffuser and basket.

Filter is a clean & clear plus 520

When I move over to spa mode, the filter pump shows about 22 psi with the jet pump.

ps6000 · May 18, 2022

I also had an issue in the past where the pressure expanded the pvc pipe.

ajw22 · May 18, 2022

Those are signs of water starvation and the pump running with no water coming in from the suction.

It is not from too much pressure or HP.

Is there more to this story about the pump, and your equipment and spa?

Show us pics of the spa and all the pipes and valves.

ajw22 · May 18, 2022

ps6000 said:
I also had an issue in the past where the pressure expanded the pvc pipe.

In which pipe?

Schedule 40 PVC can take over 300 PSI and a pump cannot generate that much pressure.

Unless the pipe has been heated on a heater output line.

@JamesW

ps6000 · May 18, 2022

ajw22 said:
Those are signs of water starvation and the pump running with no water coming in from the suction.

It is not from too much pressure or HP.

Is there more to this story about the pump, and your equipment and spa?

Show us pics of the spa and all the pipes and valves.

Thank you very much for helping!

I have added a couple of pictures. There is also a paramount in floor cleaner.

Let me know if any more pictures would help.

The secondary pump seems inline with the 1st as when I turn on the 1st I can see the water going through the secondary problem pump.

ps6000 · May 18, 2022

ajw22 said:
In which pipe?

Schedule 40 PVC can take over 300 PSI and a pump cannot generate that much pressure.

Unless the pipe has been heated on a heater output line.

@JamesW

It would only have been heated to a max 104 from the spa recirculating. Is that enough heat. The pvc is so warped that a normal sized coupling won’t fit on it.

ajw22 · May 18, 2022

Your pictures are not helpful for me to understand your plumbing if I cannot follow the complete flow from the ground into the pump and round the equipment to returns. Giving me random snapshots is no help.

I will try and help you but you need to take some thoughtful pictures that tell the entire story of how your equipment works.

ajw22 · May 18, 2022

ps6000 said:
It would only have been heated to a max 104 from the spa recirculating. Is that enough heat. The pvc is so warped that a normal sized coupling won’t fit on it.

Please answer my question - show me the line that warped.

If your heater ran with no water flow which could be caused by your pump problem then the temperature in your heater lines could have been a lot higher then 104F.

I think you have a few connected problems.

ps6000 · May 18, 2022

ajw22 said:
Your pictures are not helpful for me to understand your plumbing if I cannot follow the complete flow from the ground into the pump and round the equipment to returns. Giving me random snapshots is no help.

I will try and help you but you need to take some thoughtful pictures that tell the entire story of how your equipment works.

I will try to do my best. I am new at all of this and don’t completely understand how much of this works. I will take some better pictures and write out the labels that document the flow and equipment.

Thanks for your help and patience here. I do appreciate it.

ajw22 · May 18, 2022

Follow the pipes and valves. Somehow the water flows from the suction side of the equipment pad to the return side. We need to follow the flow.

When pipes in pictures go off the edge I can't follow it. It needs to be clear picture to picture where the pipes connect and how the water flows. Pipes that get lost under or behind other pipes also cannot be followed. So you as the photographer needs to piece together the pictures you take so that we can follow the pipes and flows.

ferretbone · May 18, 2022

Sounds like your pump is running dry and melting everything. Or your pump shuts off at the same time as the heater and the hot water is melting the pvc pipe. To me you have two problems, One your pump is over heating because its not getting water and running dry which means very hot. Check that valve in front of the pump. Or find out why its down priming. The ehater is not causing the pump basket to melt. That pump is from running dry.
2nd problem going off what you have shown is the heater not being turned off before the pump shuts off. That will melt pvc pipe to and from the heater. The heater needs to stop heating water for a few minutes before the pump shuts down or else that hot water will melt those pipes.

JamesW · May 18, 2022

ps6000 said:
The pressure is so high that it has bent pump strainer baskets.

The problem is not pressure but a lack of flow.

When water in the pump does not move, all of the energy of the spinning impeller churning the water causes the water to get super hot up to the boiling point of water.

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