Replacement pump, now I"m leaking

[jeffbrig]

Replacement pump, now I"m leaking

Hi everyone. I've had an old 3/4hp single speed pump on its last legs that finally gave up the ghost this weekend. Had been running hot, finally siezed up. I already had a direct replacement motor on hand, so I did the swap out this weekend. Ran to the local pool store for help with seals/gaskets. In the end I replaced the motor, the shaft seal, the diffuser, and diffuser gasket. Reinstalled, and it runs, but once the pump primes and I have pressure, water is trickling out at the bottom between the motor frame and the seal plate.

I took it apart again this afternoon, looked everything over, put it back together. Still trickling.

My pump (unknown make) has the band-style clamp between the seal plate and the wet end of the pump. That gasket seems fine, not leaking there. I can't see where the diffuser gasket could cause a leak like what I'm seeing. That suggests maybe the new shaft seal itself is bad? Or is there anything between the seal plate and the motor? I don't remember a in gasket there offhand, but I'm not sure there should be any water there to seal.

I'll probably be pulling it apart again tomorrow. Just wonder what else I should be looking for. What are the odds I got a bad shaft seal? Or put it in incorrectly? Or should I suspect the seal plate itself?

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Ok, title is a bit misleading. Replacement pump MOTOR, now it's leaking...

 

[ewkearns]

It is the shaft seal. Make sure everything is assembled and seated properly. Check for proper sealing on the shaft and end bell. if you touched the faces of the seal, you need to get all of your body oil off of them.

 

[jeffbrig]

I'm not sure if I touched the face of the seal or not. Anything in particular you would recommend to clean off any oils?

 

[OldPoolMan]

But did you replace the seal plate gasket? You did not mention it in your post.

 

[jeffbrig]

No, I just cleaned, lubed, and re-used the seal plate gasket. It appears to be holding water just fine.

I took the pump back to the pool store today to verify the orientation of the shaft seal. They said the seal looked fine, and also suspected the seal plate gasket. I reinstalled, and just shot video with my cell phone verifying that no drips are coming off the band clamp/seal plate gasketed joint. Everything I'm seeing points to the shaft seal, IMO.

Guess it's back to the pool store tomorrow for another shaft seal. What are the odds I got a bad one out of the box? This will be the fourth time I've detatched the motor from the rest of the pump, and the 2nd time I've had to disconnect all the wiring. I'll be a pro before I know it.

Oh, and just a random comment. @#$*@#$&$ to whoever designed my equipment pad layout. The pump is neatly boxed in by the house on 2 sides, and the filter on another. Leaving the only approach as the input side, with all the valves and 3-way. Of course, the electrical terminals are facing the wall of the house, with only enough room for a shorty screwdriver. The only access I have is to crouch/kneel over the 3-way intake valve, and lean over the length of the pump body. Grrr...

Very frustrating day... 3 days and almost $200 into this DIY replacement and I still don't have a working pump. Almost wish I'd just bit the bullet and bought a new one.

 

[Agent99]

I hear you on equipment layout. I had to deal with that for 17 years until finally, this year, in Spring, we started a full pool and backyard landscape gut and I got to rearrange all the pool equipment!! Now things are nice and 'you're welcome' to the future homeowner of my house.

 

[jeffbrig]

Success! Put a 2nd shaft seal in there and we're bone dry now! Must've had a bad one or something...

I think I need a swim, and maybe a drink with a little umbrella in it.