Replacement motor or new pump?

[clmsntiger1]

I recently bought a house with a pool. The pump/motor is a 1.5 HP AO smith centurion single speed pump and it is really loud when running, and I've noticed that my neighbor has a pump and pool about the same size as mine with a super quiet pump/motor. There is no screeching or anything that sounds detrimental, just loud. The previous owner says the pump is original which makes it about 10 years old. I'm looking to buy a replacement to keep on hand when this one dies on me. I think I've narrowed my choice down to a 2 speed pump due to cheap electricity and the fact that I don't operate my pool all year.

My question is: do I replace the whole pump/motor assembly or just replace the motor itself? Would I need to get another centurion motor to connect to my current system with as few changes as possible? Any help or thoughts are greatly appreciated!

 

[borjis]

You should be able to replace just the motor.

Take off the rear cover (with the power / breaker off) and note the wiring...is it 115 or 230 volt?

Last I checked 2-speed pumps are all 230.

Mark (mas985) would be the one to ask which motor to get for your setup.

 

[RobbieH]

You'll probably get different opinions, but I'd see it as an excuse to upgrade to a whole new two speed pump.

Your noise could very well be in the wet end, do you know?

 

[borjis]

If you do go the whole new pump route, some new plumbing may be required if the height of the pipes differ.

 

[clmsntiger1]

I don't know if the noise is coming from the motor or the wet end so I guess the best route would be to replace the whole thing, plus given it's age maybe that's the best route anyway. I can check the motor when I get home from work today and see about the wiring.

 

[borjis]

Post the model of the wet end if you can...some folks here may be aware if those are prone to be noisy.

Also post if the flange (where the motor bolts to the wet hand) is round or square.

A photo of the motor label would explain a lot too.

 

[clmsntiger1]

I can post a pic and better info on the motor in a couple hours when I get home. I only know that the previous owner told me that the pump got that loud about 2 years ago, so apparently it was running quieter before that.

 

[Mike Hawk]

I wonder if simply replacing the motor bearings would fix the issue?

All in all it just depends on how handy you are. I was in a similar-ish dilemma as you are OP as my motor gave up the ghost. Should I replace just the motor, or upgrade the motor, or buy a new pump altogether???

I ended up replacing everything except the volute (the thing the basket sits in). lol.

Still saved me ~$160 making a Frankenstien DIY 2.2sfhp 2spd upgrade from a 1.65sfhp 1spd pump instead of buying a whole new pump.
Specs listed in this post:
1.65sfhp single speed is dead. Looking to upgrade. Can someone look over my stats? - Page 2

 

[clmsntiger1]

Here is a picture of my current pump. The pump housing is a Hayward model SP2610X15.

- - - Updated - - -

Here is a picture of the full setup.

 

[borjis]

That's a good pump. I had one at my last house/pool. It wasn't loud but made a vibration
noise until I put a rubber mat under it (the motor frame sat on concrete pad and caused the noise)

There's a connector at the top of your motor for the bond wire, but i don't see it connected.

I would recommend sweeping all the debris off the pad and see if you see a copper wire sticking
up out of the pad or nearby then connect that to the bond lug on whatever new pump or motor you get.

Having the bond wire connected is an important safety feature.

If I were in your situation I would just get a replacement motor.