Waterco hydrostorm pump not priming?

[sbharty]

Hi there,

I'm a new member to the forum & looking for some guidance and advice please. We just moved into a new house with an IG tiled pool approx 35000 litres with a Waterco hydrostorm pump, chlorination and cartridge filter.

All has been eking really well over the last month, but in the last few days I have noticed that the pump hasn't been running when it should have been. When I checked the equipment I saw that there is power going to the pump and the timer is 'telling' the pump to run, however nothing happening. Interestingly when I touch the pump its very hot to touch, even though it isn't running...

Just as I called a mobile pool service to come for a site visit, the pump started working...! This was about 2 hours after its scheduled start time...same thing happened today as well, although this time it took about an hour and a half after the scheduled start time for it to start running...same thing, the pump wasn't running but was very hot to touch.

I have made sure that the hair and lint bowl was full, the fan on the pump spins freely and as far as I can tell there are no air leeks....does anyone have any possible suggestions? Is it something electrical that will need to be repaired? I'm getting the mobile pool people to come out later this week anyway so they can give me a 1:1 on how to use everything correctly, but would be good to have some possible ideas before they come out.

Many thanks,
Scott.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Is it humming when it tries to start? If so it's probably the start capacitor. Getting hot is normal when it tries to start and can't for whatever reason.

 

[sbharty]

Hi Bama Rambler,

Thanks for the reply, really appreciate it.

Yes actually, it does hum...but usually just the once and then even when I restart the timer to try to get it going, it often doesn't hum again but continues to heat up even though it isn't running.

Would it be the capacitor if for some reason it starts up later in the day...?

Many thanks,
Scott.

 

[Bama Rambler]

It could be or it could be the centrifugal switch contacts. It also could be something binding the impeller. Have you tried turning the shaft by hand?

 

[sbharty]

Hi Dave,

Yes I can turn the pump by hand by removing the fan cover and spinning the fan, it seems to turn pretty easily....the strange thing is that when the pump is schedule to turn on, it doesn't and makes that whirring sound and then nothing happens, however I have noticed say an hour or two later, the pump is running....it's as if it re-sets itself and starts up ok....sounds like something electrical perhaps?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Once it doesn't start, it gets hot and then the thermal cutout trips, then it cools down and the cutout resets and it keeps cycling until it starts or burns up.