I just opened the pool Sunday. I switched the sand filter over from recirculating to filter today. Everything seems to work fine, but I hear an intermittent noise every minute or so coming from the pump, like it’s laboring, it’s quick, then returns to normal. It’s a 1 hp challenger. Any thoughts?
Pumps makes intermittent noise
- Thread starter mlcallen
- Start date
Most likely it isn’t getting enough water. Likely culprits are low water level or a sticky skimmer weir. Watch your skimmer while the noise is happening.
Thank you so much! I hadn’t even thought of checking the skimmers! Because the noise was so quick, I hadn’t thought it was a water issue. The level is ok, we’re expecting a lot of rain tonight. I checked each skimmer, emptied, although they weren’t too bad, and rinsed. The pollen is so bad, it could have been clogging the skimmer. I haven’t heard the noise since, so I think that must have been it! So in addition to keeping an eye on the filter pressure while the water is clearing, I’ll be sure to rinse off the skimmers too! Thanks again, I love this forum.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,995
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
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It's not about rinsing the skimmer baskets but rather the water is barely at a good level where possibly it drains out the water from the skimmers and sucks some air...rinse and repeat kind of thing. So make sure the skimmer door known as the weir door/flap is moving freely and not getting hung up not letting the water pass it in a timely manner or simply pool level is a bit low causing what was explained earlier.
I’m back! It seems everything was working well, then yesterday morning, when the pump cut on, it wouldn’t prime. I cleaned all the baskets out, manually filled the pump pot, nothing. I lubed the o ring really well. It was replaced last season. The filter pressure is good. I had already backwashed it once. Tried blowing out the lines from the skimmers. Someone is coming Monday, but looking to see if there’s anything else I can check. I just read about checking the impeller. I’ll try that shortly. Thanks for your advice.
Turns out I could reach the impeller with a screwdriver. It turns, not stuck, but I don’t know if it’s supposed to turn freely, but it turns with me pushing with the screwdriver, and it primed this time! I don’t know if this will happen again, and if that means something is going wrong, but I also just noticed it’s making that intermittent noise again, like it’s laboring. It sounds impeller related.
The filter pressure is lower than normal too, so I’m thinking I’ll need a service call now.