Hey everyone. We just got out pool up and running for the summer about 2 weeks ago. Well...yesterday our pump decided it just wanted to hum and not pump. Anyone have any ideas on what it could be and how to fix it?
Humming
- Thread starter amandaf2011
- Start date
What kind of pump?
What's the voltage?
Can you spin the impeller?
What size breaker is it hooked to?
What's the voltage?
Can you spin the impeller?
What size breaker is it hooked to?
Probably a bad starting capicitor which is low cost and easy to fix. Post a pic of the pump and info on the motor data plate.
Looks to have an easily accessible exterior capacitor (the black bump that is just behind the red sticker). If the circuit breaker doesnt trip, you can probably just replace the capacitor and be good. The capicitor adds extra current at start-up to get the motor spinning. Often when they go bad motor just sits there and hums. You need to have system deenergized and discharge any residual voltage in the capacitor to avoid any shock. Once you have the info printed on the side of the capacitor, you can find replacements online for ~$8. If you aren't comfortable or knowledgable around electricity, find someone who is to do it for you.
I keep a spare on the shelf as Ive replaced a couple in mine over the years.
I keep a spare on the shelf as Ive replaced a couple in mine over the years.
Often the bump on the side is a run capacitor for efficiency and the start capacitor is behind the back cover.
Hummm. On mine there is just the start capacitor on the top like the one in the posters the pic but my a/c motor has both. Might be worth checking to see if yours has one in the back as well.
CJadamec
TFP Expert
A high efficiency motor will likely have 2 capacitors a start cap and a run cap. A cheaper low efficiency motor will likely only have a start cap or no cap at all. This is not gospel but its a general guideline to start. If the start capacitor has failed a single phase motor will just sit there and hum because it doesn't have enough starting torque to get moving without the capacitor in line to change the electrical timing in the motor. Capacitors are a cheap and fairly easy thing to change and will fix a motor that wont start 90% of the time so long as the motor shaft is spinning freely. If you have 2 caps change both of them. The important things is to get the voltage and uF rating on the capacitors to match the ones you are taking out. Also there is no polarity to capacitors in an A/C circuit so it doesn't matter which post gets which wire (although if there are two or more wires on one post keep those wires together).
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