After backwash motor won't come on?!

[Kevo5oh]

backwashed..now motor won't power back on.

A friend says prob the start/run capacitor..but doesn't the motor at least "hum" when it's a bad capacitor? It's dead silent..no sound at all.

I put a multi meter on it. Has power to the breaker and the leads going into the pump. 124v on each side (220v).

What am I missing? Bad motor coil or cap??

 

[ajw22]

What model pump and motor?

Post a pic of the motor data plate.

Start capacitor is an inexpensive fix to try first. Open it up and examine the condition of the capacitor. Often it is obvious it failed.

 

[Kevo5oh]

Here's some pics. Anytime I've heard or seen a capacitor fail the motor seems to always "hum" like it's trying to start but just can't. Is this not always the case?

 

[JamesW]

You can't measure L1 to ground and L2 to ground and add them together. You have to measure L1 to L2.

 

[ajw22]

You measure 240v between L1 and L2?

Not just voltage on each leg individually.

 

[JamesW]

If you want to check the legs individually, you have to disconnect them from the motor.

Most likely, a switch, timer or breaker has failed on one leg.

When both legs are connected to the motor, the voltage transfers through the motor from the good side to the bad side, which makes it look like both sides have power.

 

[Kevo5oh]

Guys thanks so much! So I need to disconnect the leads from the motor and put my multi meter probes one on each wire? And I should see 220v ish if the breaker is good..right? Prob 120v if bad?

 

[JamesW]

You can leave the leads on the motor, but you have to measure the voltage with one test lead on L1 and the other on L2.

If you get a strange voltage, remove one lead from the motor and check each wire to ground.

Did you turn the breaker off and then back on?

Is the breaker a single or double?

 

[Kevo5oh]

Seems I remember testing both leads at the same time..one lead on L1 the other on L2 at the same time and got 0...I think. I did turn breaker on/off but not while testing...nothing. It's a double 20a breaker.

 

[JamesW]

You have to follow the power back to the breaker to see where it fails. Check for power at the breaker, timer, switch etc.

 

[Kevo5oh]

Got it fixed! It was the breaker! Like yall said..once I tested the L1 & L2 together and got 0 and tested another double pole in the box that gave me 240 I knew it was for sure bad then. Replaced and back in business!

Thanks again guys for all the help!

 

[JamesW]

Glad we could help. Good job on getting it fixed.