Pumps and cold winters outside

[jongig]

I'm a new pool owner and I have three pumps, one 2-speed 1-HP Hayward and two Speck 4-HP pumps (swim system). Our winters are very cold and below 0-F quite a bit. I'm thinking of removing the pumps and bringing them into the basement.

Good idea or doesn't it matter?

 

[zea3]

Personally I believe if you can avoid extremes in temperature the pumps will last longer. I think in your case it would be good for the pumps.

 

[bk406]

I live in New England where it gets below zero here and there and stays below freezing for 2 months sometimes. Never brought a pump in and never knew anybody who did either. It wouldnt hurt anything if you did, but IMO it's a waste of time. What exactly do you think cold will do to them? The motor doesnt care, neither does the rest of the pump. Remove the drain plugs so the water drains out and look at it in april.

 

[scooperhsd]

As said above - the big thing is to make sure the pumps are utterly dry so you don't risk any freeze damage.

That being said - for the first time in 15 years - I'm planning on removing my pump (unions and plug in wiring help here) , if for nothing else than to make sure my pad is cleaned off thoroughly (one of the contributory causes to the last pump's failure this summer).

 

[jongig]

I live in New England where it gets below zero here and there and stays below freezing for 2 months sometimes. Never brought a pump in and never knew anybody who did either. It wouldnt hurt anything if you did, but IMO it's a waste of time. What exactly do you think cold will do to them? The motor doesnt care, neither does the rest of the pump. Remove the drain plugs so the water drains out and look at it in april.

This is my first year with the pool and it was installed last fall. The pumps were left outside last winter and this summer the Hayward broke. The plastic fan inside the motor dislodged and the pump didn't pump for 5 days while we were away at the beach. Figures doesn't it. I have a closed loop solar system that in the summer through a exchanger heats the pool water. The exchanger not being cooled melted the PVC. Not that I didn't think of safety because at 180 degrees the system switched over to a heat dump but it did cause some pool PVC damage. I put a pressure gauge on the pool water side as an extra safety measure for the future.

Was it the cold or just a stray bad pump. The pump did pump for 3 months without a problem until we went away.

I really don't want to bring them in so will leave them outside and hope for the best. Those 4-HP pumps are just large and very heavy.