Motor overheating

[JamesW]

The bottom line is that this motor is tripping at 9 amps, and flc is 9.3.

For that impeller, the power draw should be about 1,500 watts for most systems.

You are drawing about 2126 watts, which is about 1.42 times more power than it should be drawing.

 

[Airsick]

Well, per the impeller chart I've used the 2 impellers that should be on a 1.5 hp motor. Other than buy a 1.65 hp variable speed motor kit that includes another impeller, I don't know what to do.

 

[JamesW]

Maybe try running with just the motor to see how many amps it draws.

 

[wireform]

Are you somehow restricting flow after the pump causing the amperage to run high.

 

[JamesW]

Are you somehow restricting flow after the pump causing the amperage to run high.

Restricting the flow will only lower the amperage.

 

[Airsick]

Restricting the suction was how I got it to run under FLA. FLA is 9.3 and it tripped on 9.0.

 

[JamesW]

It might be a bad motor.

I still think that there is probably a problem with the pump.

If the same problem happens with different motors, that points to a pump problem or an electrical supply problem.

It might be time to replace the whole thing.

 

[Airsick]

I replaced the impeller, which is the pump. The diffuser shouldn't matter that much, should it?

 

[JamesW]

The impeller was damaged in a way that indicates that the impeller was rubbing on something.

To me, it seems like there is probably a problem with the pump somehow.

Did you ever figure out why the impeller got chewed up?

 

[JamesW]

Can you show the new impeller and if it has any rub marks?

 

[generessler]

Just casting around for ideas... Is there any deterioration of the motor mounting area? I had a Whisperflow where a tiny leak eventually eroded an aluminum mount enough so that the motor cocked and the impeller bound up completely. That's why I have a VSP . It was not obvious what was going on without calipers. The mount just looked fairly crusty. While I was waiting for the new pump, I got the broken one running again temporarily by shimming the eroded mount with a washer.

 

[wireform]

Almost looks like it was run dry and cooked the impeller a little perhaps warped too.

 

[Airsick]

Ugh, that's not my impeller.

 

[JamesW]

This is the impeller I took off and had Pinch a Penny match.

This is the impeller I took off and had Pinch a Penny match. I don't have a pic of the one I installed. Yes, I have a good meter and the voltage is 239.9 under load. There's no binding. I think you're right that for some reason this setup has a mismatched motor and impeller. If I change the impeller do I have to change other parts, too?

The reason I had to change the impeller was I put the shaft seal on backwards and had a meltdown.

 

[Airsick]

This is from a while back, not now.

 

[JamesW]

Show the current impeller.

 

[Airsick]

To get back to the present, the motor was only drawing 9.0 amps and its FLC rating was 9.3. I'm able to closely watch amps because I cut in an ammeter on the electric panel dead front. To get to 9 amps, I had to close off suction. If I opened the skimmer, bottom, and side (atlas) valves, the amps would go up over 10 amps. I replaced the xxxx15 impeller with a xxxx10, but motor still tripped. Yes I had the same issues a while ago and those posts have been inserted in this thread.

 

[Airsick]

Show the current impeller.

It's on the pump. Maybe I'll remove it again tomorrow and post a pic.

 

[JamesW]

That pump never had a SPX3015C impeller.

You had the exact same issue before.

What impeller ring do you have?

Is it installed correctly?

I replaced the xxxx15 impeller with a xxxx10, but motor still tripped.

The silver sticker reads: SP3010X15AZ

If I open all three suction valves (navigator plugged in the side port) the amps go to 10.1. Too much. FLC @ 240 is 9.3, if I remember correctly. When I start closing off some of the valves I can drop the amps down to acceptable, but it sounds like it's cavitating. Am I damaging the system in any way by choking down the suction side? How do I know what part number impeller to buy? This is the impeller I replaced: Hayward SP3010-C, 1 HP full rate / 1.5 HP up rate impeller.

 

[Airsick]

I'll buy your highlighted ring and try it. Cheap fix?