Not sure if the pump suddenly died or there is an electrical problem

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xsmarc

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Jul 30, 2014
24
Liberty Corner / NJ
As I have been doing everyday this summer, yesterday afternoon I turned on the pump switch from the box. There was a slight sparking sound (like zzzzzzz ), pump ran for a second and then all quiet. I turned the switch on and off a few times to check but nothing happened. This Hayward self-priming super pump (model# C48K2N143B1, 1HP) is approximately 15 years old. We have been using it for last 3 years with out any problems, that's when we moved in to this house.

So far I have done the following:

1. Checked the breakers in the box at the pool. Turned them on and off, they appears to be working.
2. Checked the pool breaker on the house electrical panel. No tripping there and looks all right.
3. Have tested the power at the pool box with my tester. Power is coming to the box. This perhaps means something wrong from the pool box to pump?
4. Have visually inspected the pump. No burning smell or smoke signs.
5. No burning smell at the pool box.

I need help in determining where exactly the problem exist.

Many thanks is advance.
 
Thanks a lot AftonJeeper.

I will get that non contact tester and check for power at the pump. Please see attached photo of the pump, I think the best spot to check would be where that thick cable on the right side is going in to the pump.
 

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xsmarc said:
Thanks a lot AftonJeeper.

I will get that non contact tester and check for power at the pump. Please see attached photo of the pump, I think the best spot to check would be where that thick cable on the right side is going in to the pump.
Click to expand...

That is correct. You should be able to detect power all the way back up the conduit from the pump to the switch or junction box it comes from.
 
I bought the non contact voltage tester (Klein Tools NCVT-3) to check the power at the pump but it didn't help me. I am not getting any signal where the cable is going in to the pump or the entire length of the conduit to the switch in the electrical box. The cable is made of rubber type of material, my be too thick and tester is unable to detect the voltage? The tester is of good quality and working fine at other places.

So I am sort of stuck. I am thinking about dismounting the pump but not sure how to disconnect the cable going in to the pump.

Any help and advice is appreciated.
 
If it is like my Hayward pump motor there should be two bolts on the back cover of the motor holding it in place. You may want to cut the power to the pump motor before you attempt to take the cover off. The cover can be difficult to get off and put back on as it is a tight fit. Once the cover is off you can see where the power wires connect. If those connections look good you can carefully check for current, using your voltmeter, at the wire terminals. If no current is reaching the motor and you said that there is power to your on/off switch, then I would think the problem is either your switch or the cable from the switch to the motor and I would start by replacing the switch and then the cable if the switch does not fix it. If, on the other hand, there is power to the motor and the connections look good I would guess you have a bad motor.

To remove the motor first you would need to disconnect the wires from the terminals. MAKE A NOTE OF WHICH WIRE GOES TO WHICH TERMINAL AND MAKE SURE THE POWER IS OFF AT THE BREAKER BOX! Then disconnect the fitting that holds the cable to the side of the motor. The cable should then pull out of the motor. The wires are probably heavy gauge and can be difficult to bend and snake out of the motor. Be aware they can also be difficult to get back in and routed to the terminals. Then you would need to remove the four large bolts from the back of the motor mounting plate and the motor and back of the pump should come off. Be careful as there are several parts inside that will probably come out when you do this. They are critical to the pump operation and must be in the proper positions. You should be able to take the motor and have it tested. If the motor needs to be replaced there are some pump parts still attached to the old motor that will need to be transferred to the new motor. I would also suggest replacing any seals and o-rings while you are at it. I would recommend that you find and download a Hayward Superpump manual as this will show you an exploded view of the pump internals. I tried to upload my copy for you but the site says it is too big.

If this project sounds like it is too involved to you, you may want to have an expert fix this for you!

Good luck.
 
Hi Roger,

I was able to go through the steps and have completed the tests to check the power. It is now confirmed there is power at the motor. Since this is a 15+ years old pump & motor, it would be better for us to replace the entire thing instead of just replacing the motor.

Thanks again for your help.
 
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