Century V-Green 165 1.65hp VSP Bearing replacement

[swampthang]

@Greenhound386 - I know this thread is a bit aged, but I am facing the exact same bearing replacement as you. I was wondering if you can provide any more detail about how you disassembled the motor and got at the bearings. There is only 1 video on YouTube that shows this actual motor and the guy is an absolute butcher, cutting and snapping screws and Crud like that. If you can provide me with some more details as to your process and point me in the direction of any threads or videos you used to do the repair, I'd be eternally grateful. Also, curious to know if this repair is still holding and how the motor is currently performing.

Many thanks!

 

[PoolGate]

I've replaced motor bearings before and had them last a long time. It's just a case of taking the motor out of the housing. Bearings typically come off with a bearing puller and may need to be pressed back on. I've always just figured it out as I go. At that point you've really nothing to lose.

 

[swampthang]

My post was originally a reply to this thread:

Troubleshooting noisy Hayward pump

You probably won't. I believe that is one of the reasons why Inyo recommends a professional motor shop for VS motors. I know some members have used standard bearings in a VS pump and that is there choice and may work out fine for them for at least a little while. If operated on low speed most...

www.troublefreepool.com

Why the admins moved it to it's own thread is beyond me as it only adds muddiness. I specifically called out the user I was seeking info from and left it in that post in case anyone in the future needs the info so it would be in one place. I get that the thread was dormant since November of 2023, but breaking this out doesn't make good sense.

Anyhow, if you find this thread and have a Century VGreen 1.65 Variable speed pump and your bearings have gone bad from a failed shaft seal or something else, you should also be sure to check out the thread linked above because it contains useful information.

 

[Greenhound386]

@Greenhound386 - I know this thread is a bit aged, but I am facing the exact same bearing replacement as you. I was wondering if you can provide any more detail about how you disassembled the motor and got at the bearings. There is only 1 video on YouTube that shows this actual motor and the guy is an absolute butcher, cutting and snapping screws and Crud like that. If you can provide me with some more details as to your process and point me in the direction of any threads or videos you used to do the repair, I'd be eternally grateful. Also, curious to know if this repair is still holding and how the motor is currently performing.

Many thanks!

Hey, @swampthang !

Yea, the Admins do some weird stuff with old threads. I replied to an old thread about soldering in a new battery for a Hayward controller; I just added a post to confirm that the process worked great for me. I figured it would be confidence inspiring if anyone else had the same issue, but they deleted the post because the original thread was too old...? It's the only relevant fix that pops up in Google for that issue, but they won't let anyone comment on it due to the age of it. Odd.

Funny enough, I think I know what video you're referencing, because I largely used the same one:

This video helped with a lot of the initial disassembly to get the motor separated from the pump:

This one is also helpful. It's not 100% the same pump, but it's really close:

Another video that was very helpful, albeit not the same exact motor. For example, mine doesn't have the governor, so that info simply wasn't relevant for me:

@PoolGate gave some good advice. Just a matter of getting the motor out and kind of figuring it out as you go. Take lots of pictures, and label everything. I watched hours of YouTube videos beforehand because I was worried about screwing something up, but it turned out to be very straightforward. I definitely needed a bearing puller (cheap purchase on Amazon or Harbor Freight), and I used a pipe from Home Depot to press the new ones on.

Coming up on a year now (well, ~9 months), and the pump is still humming along quietly!

 

[swampthang]

Hey, @swampthang !

Yea, the Admins do some weird stuff with old threads. I replied to an old thread about soldering in a new battery for a Hayward controller; I just added a post to confirm that the process worked great for me. I figured it would be confidence inspiring if anyone else had the same issue, but they deleted the post because the original thread was too old...? It's the only relevant fix that pops up in Google for that issue, but they won't let anyone comment on it due to the age of it. Odd.

Funny enough, I think I know what video you're referencing, because I largely used the same one:

This video helped with a lot of the initial disassembly to get the motor separated from the pump:

This one is also helpful. It's not 100% the same pump, but it's really close:

Another video that was very helpful, albeit not the same exact motor. For example, mine doesn't have the governor, so that info simply wasn't relevant for me:

@PoolGate gave some good advice. Just a matter of getting the motor out and kind of figuring it out as you go. Take lots of pictures, and label everything. I watched hours of YouTube videos beforehand because I was worried about screwing something up, but it turned out to be very straightforward. I definitely needed a bearing puller (cheap purchase on Amazon or Harbor Freight), and I used a pipe from Home Depot to press the new ones on.

Coming up on a year now (well, ~9 months), and the pump is still humming along quietly!

Thank you for such a meaty response! I'm going to document my repair heavily and will share in this thread in the hopes of helping someone else in the future. And yes, that is the super kringy video. Guy doesn't actually show anything, snaps screws, uses the bearing puller to bend / break screws and internal pieces, and uses the front bell to press the new bearings on. Woof! But I give credit because he explains it pretty well

 

[Greenhound386]

Thank you for such a meaty response! I'm going to document my repair heavily and will share in this thread in the hopes of helping someone else in the future. And yes, that is the super kringy video. Guy doesn't actually show anything, snaps screws, uses the bearing puller to bend / break screws and internal pieces, and uses the front bell to press the new bearings on. Woof! But I give credit because he explains it pretty well

Good luck! I recommend doing the seal kit while you have it apart. I don't know if you have the same pump as me or just the same motor, but I used this one for a Hayward Ecostar SP3400VSP https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CG4GROG?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[Greenhound386]

@swampthang

Thought about this last night and meant to mention it: from 3:20 to 4:05 regarding the bearing retainer plate. Important step and good information about not completely unscrewing that screw! This is one of the few videos that addresses it. I accidentally took it off entirely, and I had to find this video to understand what the thing was and how to reassemble it.

I remember the fan being a pain. If I remember correctly, it just has the single nut holding it on and is otherwise pressed on with friction (you'll want to fact check this yourself). My unit wasn't in terrible condition, but that plastic fan piece was still really stuck on there, and I very gently and deliberately used something to leverage / pry it off. I may have even used the bearing puller on it just to evenly pull it off the shaft.

Getting the back plate for the motor back on with the 4 long screws also caused some headaches trying to get everything perfectly aligned. One of the videos suggests marking the plate's orientation before you remove it from the motor body, and I didn't do that. I think that would have made things easier. It wasn't a terribly challenging ordeal, just some trial and error getting everything lined up the right way on this step.

The motor magnet is strong. Use caution handling it around anything that can stick to it, or anything it can stick to.

Those were the only tricky parts that I can recall. I ordered them most tricky to least. Your experience may be different!

 

[swampthang]

@swampthang

Thought about this last night and meant to mention it: from 3:20 to 4:05 regarding the bearing retainer plate. Important step and good information about not completely unscrewing that screw! This is one of the few videos that addresses it. I accidentally took it off entirely, and I had to find this video to understand what the thing was and how to reassemble it.

I remember the fan being a pain. If I remember correctly, it just has the single nut holding it on and is otherwise pressed on with friction (you'll want to fact check this yourself). My unit wasn't in terrible condition, but that plastic fan piece was still really stuck on there, and I very gently and deliberately used something to leverage / pry it off. I may have even used the bearing puller on it just to evenly pull it off the shaft.

Getting the back plate for the motor back on with the 4 long screws also caused some headaches trying to get everything perfectly aligned. One of the videos suggests marking the plate's orientation before you remove it from the motor body, and I didn't do that. I think that would have made things easier. It wasn't a terribly challenging ordeal, just some trial and error getting everything lined up the right way on this step.

The motor magnet is strong. Use caution handling it around anything that can stick to it, or anything it can stick to.

Those were the only tricky parts that I can recall. I ordered them most tricky to least. Your experience may be different!

You seriously are the man! Thank you for sharing so much of your experience.

I have a Hayward Super pump, but I had already ordered a full new seal kit. Anyone attempting this repair should absolutely do the same because a failed seal is likely what caused the failed bearings in the first place.

I've got the seal kit and bearings and was hoping to attempt the project this weekend, but UPS screwed up deliver of the bearing puller so I have to wait for it to arrive next week. I've watched all the videos you linked and did make note of that tip you called out regarding not loosening those 2 front screws all the way.

I the meantime, I've pulled the motor and put in a spare single speed that I had so my pool can keep running and I don't do any additional damage to the V-green VSP motor.


One question I do have. Did you end up having to take off the top controller housing on the motor. As far as I can tell, it seems like an unnecessary step but I figured I ask.

Thanks again!!

 

[Greenhound386]

You seriously are the man! Thank you for sharing so much of your experience.

I have a Hayward Super pump, but I had already ordered a full new seal kit. Anyone attempting this repair should absolutely do the same because a failed seal is likely what caused the failed bearings in the first place.

I've got the seal kit and bearings and was hoping to attempt the project this weekend, but UPS screwed up deliver of the bearing puller so I have to wait for it to arrive next week. I've watched all the videos you linked and did make note of that tip you called out regarding not loosening those 2 front screws all the way.

I the meantime, I've pulled the motor and put in a spare single speed that I had so my pool can keep running and I don't do any additional damage to the V-green VSP motor.


One question I do have. Did you end up having to take off the top controller housing on the motor. As far as I can tell, it seems like an unnecessary step but I figured I ask.

Thanks again!!

Pretty sure I removed that entirely. I don't remember if I felt like that step was required or not.