noisy pump motor

[Noorm]

I'm thinking I have a bearing about to fail. Otherwise filter and pump are in good shape. I'm trying to find a shop to repair the motor without any luck. There was a guy in the area, but he retired. Are we just in a disposable society now? Any suggestions will be appreciated. I'm in San Jose, CA.

 

[kimkats]

I will tell you I just had mine go out and we decided to just replace as no one would guarantee the repairs

 

[Jimrahbe]

N,

In my area, no motor shop will even touch a pool pump repair. I believe that it has more to do with the fact that it costs about the same to repair the old one as it does to buy a new one.

Years ago, I bought a couple of rent houses with loud single speed Hayward pumps. I initially tried to find a motor shop to look at them, but was unsuccessful. I tried to repair them myself and found that the insides were totally corroded.. So maybe they could be repaired, maybe not, but I can understand the motor shop's position.

I switched over to three IntelliFlo VS pumps that have been running 24/7 for an average of over 5 years now, without any issues.. Maybe they will all fail tomorrow, or maybe they will last another 10 years. It will be interesting to find out...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[bmoreswim]

I had pump bearings replaced two years ago. $270. Ugh. Not particularly cost effective honestly. Though now that I’m taking my pump inside for the winter (MD) it should get a few more years, maybe. He said he wouldn’t work on this one again.

 

[Brad_C]

I've done mine twice and a couple of bore pumps over the years. I generally find that if a bearing is on its way out there is a reason. On a pump it's usually a weeping mechanical seal, so if you do the bearings do the seal while you are in there, even if it looks fine. If the seal is leaking any more than an almost imperceptible weep then the pump will have fairly serious corrosion. I stripped and re-anodised a pump once rather than replace it, but I could have paid for 3 new pumps in the time it took me to do the work.

Yes we are a disposable society, but it's not just a lack of will to do the work. It's also because we've driven prices down so far it means that after you fix one weak link, the next one in the chain is only moments away from failing.

 

[wogster]

I'm thinking I have a bearing about to fail. Otherwise filter and pump are in good shape. I'm trying to find a shop to repair the motor without any luck. There was a guy in the area, but he retired. Are we just in a disposable society now? Any suggestions will be appreciated. I'm in San Jose, CA.

Yes, at one time, such motors were made in North America, they were expensive, but designed that you could easily repair them, the old bearings and windings went into a barrel that was collected by the scrap metal dealer, who separated out the different metals, and sold them to be melted down and reused. and was separated and recycled. There is no reason why, you couldn't rebuild the same motor every 15-20 years and have it last 100 years or more. Now the motor is made in China, and designed so that it can't be repaired, but must be replaced, and because this new motor uses .1% less power, it's consider more environmentally friendly, then the old one, even though you are lucky it lasts 5 years....

 

[Jimrahbe]

All,

This is not the place to discuss the pros and cons of where and who manufactures things, or other ills of the world... There are plenty of websites that are, this is just not one of them.

Please keep this thread on track..

Thanks,

Jim R.