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Good day all. My current pump isn't likely to last much longer, it's gotten a bit noisier and is reluctant to start at times. It's an old 2 HP Hayward Super II that AFAIK, is original to when the pool was built in 1993. With the age of the pump, I am hesitant to sink money into rebuilding the...

The 2 speed is more robust by way of its design, being electromechanical, and is easily controlled with a mechanical or digital timer. This design is more tolerant (but not invincible) of dirty power, spikes, and surges. And they get along well with GFCI breakers (2014 National Electric Code...

If you have PVC pipe above ground going into the pump, then you also have PVC underground. I've never heard of anyone building a pool with anything other than PVC in recent years (flex pipe to connect a pump not withstanding). Just want to re-emphasize to not use a pressure type un-clogger...

The cost savings depends heavily on your electric rate, and a VS really helps if you have a high rate. My rate here is 9¢ a kilowatt hour which for my pump, a 2 HP single speed, only uses $20 a month running for 6 hours a day. It would take me a loooooonnng time to recoup the cost of a VS pump...

Try to maintain the water level about halfway up the skimmer opening. Higher than that is OK, but you will lose the ability for the skimmer to actually skim the surface.

I have the same concerns as Richard. I have seen the pressure systems work on clogs, but that is on metallic piping, not PVC pipe. High pressure air and PVC pipe do not get along. Heck, OSHA prohibits its use in compressed air systems. A plumbers snake is much safer for this kind of pipe. I...

I run a single speed 2 HP pump for 6 hours a day in the summer. Based on voltage and current (amps) readings, I found out that the pump costs me about $20 a month to operate. My A/C on the other hand, sucks down far more electricity in the summer :( I would like to replace my pump with a...

VS pumps are really bad with nuisance GFCI tripping, just by nature of the way they work. In a nutshell, the heart of a VS pump is a variable frequency drive (VFD) which is used to make the speed of the pump variable. VFD's are known for the harmonic distortion they create, and if enough of that...

Doesn't take much. I poured a bucket of water into the skimmer about every 10-15 minutes to maintain the water seal after the diverter valve shut. Using a U shaped hose would work too, but could run into the same problem as the diverter, maintaining an effective seal to keep air out.

2014 NEC requires GFCI on all pumps. However the 2014 NEC has not been fully adopted by all juristictions having authority, and they can be working on an older version of the NEC. The NEC is updated every three years. Looks like Georgia is on the 2014 NEC with some local exceptions: National...

I drained 14-15k out of my pool last year using the main pump. My pump has a three way on the output to send water to the filter or the pool cleaner line. I rigged a hose to the pool cleaner line running to the sewer cleanout on the back of the house. My main drain is plumbed to the skimmer, so...

I have one too, and as mentioned, it's a handy way to drain if you don't have a lot to drain. Can use the water hose to run a sprinkler too.

I use knee high stockings and they work well. Definitely keeps a lot of crud out of the filter.

Capacitor sounds fine. 2 micro Farads difference is within 5% tolerance. If the centrifugal switch moves freely, and springs back to its default position, then it's likely fine too. I'm thinking the motor itself may have some sort of problem (shorted winding, etc). A standard fridge pulls...

Yes, secure the power before working on it, flipping the breaker is a wise thing to do. Buzzing and then the thermal cutout trips. I think your motor capacitor died. The start capacitor is critical to motor operation, and when it dies, it will usually prevent the motor from working, even if the...

You didn't have a recent thunderstorm did you?

The motor can either be hard wired to a motor controller or be wired with a twist lock style plug (if using a plug, this is safer than a normal outlet since it can't be accidentally pulled out). The impeller turns, which indicates that the rotor turns freely and is not jammed. 106 micro...

Either your filter housing is cracked, the V band not tightened properly, or the drain plug not screwing in correctly. Check those and see what may be affecting your filter. What model filter do you have?

Motors pulls the most power at startup, so I'm not surprised that it's overheating as it it trying to spin and it can't. A few things could have happened: - Impeller clogged and preventing motor from rotating. - Start capacitor burned out, this will prevent a motor from starting - Centrifugal...

You only have the motor grounded to the pool's earth ground? If so, that is not good. The motor should be grounded all the way back to the ground bus in your main panel. You will likely have to pull a new set of wires for your pump, which includes the ground wire. The conduit may not function...

If my guess is correct, the pressure may be high due to the small size of the filter and the amount of debris that may be trapped in it.

22,000 gallons and only one single filter? You may want to consider upgrading that filter to one that's bigger and holds more cartridges. Cartridge filters are nice, and very easy to maintain. But pools with smaller filters end up having to clean them more often. I have a large, 4 cartridge...

Congrats on your soon to be new home. :) That looks a like a tall, single cartridge type of filter. Do you know how big the pool is?

Yep, pool pump should be the on its own breaker, like other large appliances (dryer, range, A/C, etc). Only exception to this I believe are the smaller 120V pumps that plug into an outlet, which should be a GFCI outlet. A sub panel should be used to make your install correct. If your area is...

GFCI breakers were not required in 2006 when your first pump went in. The 2014 NEC now requires GFCI breakers for pool pumps (120 or 240 VAC). Pretty much all of the electrical manufacturers make GFCI breakers. They are more expensive though. For example, I have a Square D panel with QO...

I've read of that being done on DE filter grids, but not on cartridge type filters. If the cartridges have significant calcium scaling I could see this being useful, but would be much easier just replacing the cartridges than having to deal with a garbage can full of acidic water.

If the capacitor has only two terminals, it's a start capacitor. If it has four terminals, and two different Farad ratings on the side of it, then it's a start/run capacitor. But a motor can only use a start/run capacitor only if it was designed that way. The start capacitor boosts the motor's...

Nothing catastrophic with that. All you were doing was trying to open a sealed chamber. Pulling off the top makes the chamber larger, so in essence making the chamber larger, which creates negative pressure. Without releasing the pressure you would have needed superman strength to pop off the...