No Pump, Now What

[TeanyV]

Hello,

This morning around 6am, my pump died. We just got a new liner so we didn't turn the pump on until Friday. On Friday, when we first flipped the switch, it was dead. The pool guy said it was seized up, so he took it apart and put it back together. It started running fine, quieter than I remembered and suction/pressure were good. I've had it running since Friday to keep the water circulating while my CYA levels get high enough (CYA is in a sock in front of a return).

The pump is a 1.5 hp Hayward Super Pump powered by a Hayward Century motor (pool is about 32,000 gallons). The pump is from 2002. As I try to keep from panicking, I have some questions:

First, since we finished filling it with water yesterday, my CYA is below 30. What can I do to keep the pool in good shape in the meantime? Is there a way to put bleach in and mix it around manually somehow, just to keep the FC up? I'm also planning on getting a pool vacuum that I can attach to my garden hose to keep debris off the floor. And I'll skim, but I'm not sure how long it will be before I can get a replacement pump installed. Should I also brush? Maybe before I vac?

Second, could 15 years could be the lifespan of a pump? I'm sort of looking forward to upgrading to a 2-speed, but I'd rather not have to shell out the $ now. This pool is at a new house, so we've had a lot of expenses this year. Having said that, a more energy-efficient pump is really appealing. I'm not even sure it's worth it to try to repair this one, especially if this is likely to keep happening.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

~Teany

 

[Jimrahbe]

Teany,

Welcome to TFP... A Great resource for all pool owners who's pumps have passed away...

From my experience, if you got 15 years out of the motor on a Super Pump, you did better than I ever did...

Until you can get the old pump running or buy a new pump, you can just use your brush to keep the water stirred up and distribute the chlorine.

It won't do much of anything for the CYA however...

I would also elevate the chlorine level by 2 or 3 ppm...

Do you have a submersible pump of any kind? You could use it to direct a flow over your CYA sock..

Thanks for posting and good luck with your pump situation,

Jim R.

 

[TeanyV]

Thanks so much for your speedy response! I have a submersible pump. That's a great idea.

I'll also keep an eye on FC and maybe bump it up a smidge. And lots of testing will ensure it doesn't drop too low.

Off to prepare the funeral for this little Hayward.

I'll be back, though.

Thanks again!
~Christina

 

[Swampwoman]

Teany, it sounds like you may need a new pump motor.

I'm just letting you know an option I just exercised Friday...I kept the wet end of my Hayward MaxFlo and bought a Century VGreen 1.65 HP variable speed motor...had the techs come out and swap the motor. So for $400 at Inyo Pool plus a 1.5 hrish service call, I can now dramatically reduce my energy cost. In my case, I filter 24/7 in winter because I'm using a dome and operating the pool in freezing conditions. In summer, have a lot of tree debris, so I prefer to filter constantly. So I will save $$ for sure.

The VGreen comes in two configurations to adapt to most Hayward pumps as an upgrade. If you give Inyo your specs, they'll tell you which one fits.

In your case, you might want to peruse cost-saving calculators to see if it makes sense for you I considered a two-speed but found this solution much more adaptable for running my heater and swg.

Since you also have water features to run, I feel you'll be better off with variable speed where you can set schedule anywhere from 600 rpm to full 3450 rpm.

 

[TeanyV]

Thanks, Swampwoman! Those cost-savings calculators were really helpful! Even so, I think we're now planning to replace the motor but stick with a single speed because it turns out to be considerably less expensive right now (future self be cursed!). Since we just got the liner replaced, the pool company is waiving the pump service/labor/installation charges (if we buy from them, which I think is fair), so it'll be about $230 total and they'll come out today. That's about 1/3 the cost of upgrading, whether we buy from Inyo and pay for installation or whether we buy from the pool folks and take them up on their free installation. I know there would be big long-term benefits to upgrading, but the immediate budget is the top priority. In terms of the energy bill, it would take about 5 years to realize the savings of the variable-speed motor.

If first-time homeownership has taught me anything it's that it's always something. I might regret cheaping out over this, but that's a risk I'm willing to take. At least now I fully understand the ramifications of this decision. Maybe I'll invest today's savings on lottery tickets to breakeven in the long term!

Thanks, everyone!