Opened Pool Pump humming

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waterdamage

Member
Nov 10, 2021
13
Kansas
Hey everyone-

I went to open our pool, myself for the first time(likely a bad idea).
Removed all the pipe stands, water level high enough, installed all the drain plugs (filter and heater. Put water into the pump, went to kick on the breaker to start the pump and all it does is hummm. It hums for a little bit and then stops. About 3-5 minutes later it starts humming again.
This pump motor is not that old, previous owner had the motor replaced on it few years ago.

What could be causing this? Is it motor having issues? Is this a capacitor?
Guess i'm trying to understand what needs to be done to get this pump running.

Thanks for your help in advance everyone.
It's a Pentair 1hp, Whisperflow
 
During the opening of my pool this year the pump wouldn't. Just a loud humming.
I am going to replace capacitor tomorrow. However, if in fact the motor is bad. I'm struggling with trying to find a replacement online.
I've searched the model number nothing comes up.
Here is the motor tag, how would I go about finding the direct replacement? or if i had to step up to 1.5hp that is fine as well.
Just trying to make sure what I get will mount/match up to current pump.

Thanks everyone

motor.jpg
 
waterdamage said:
During the opening of my pool this year the pump wouldn't. Just a loud humming.
I am going to replace capacitor tomorrow. However, if in fact the motor is bad. I'm struggling with trying to find a replacement online.
I've searched the model number nothing comes up.
Here is the motor tag, how would I go about finding the direct replacement? or if i had to step up to 1.5hp that is fine as well.
Just trying to make sure what I get will mount/match up to current pump.

Thanks everyone

View attachment 573571
Click to expand...
That's an uprated 1hp (full-rated 3/4hp) square-flange pool motor. Both have the same 1.25 total horsepower rating (SF HP on the label)
Century B-853 or B-2853.
GO KIT 32 for the gaskets and seal.
 
1poolman1 said:
That's an uprated 1hp (full-rated 3/4hp) square-flange pool motor. Both have the same 1.25 total horsepower rating (SF HP on the label)
Century B-853 or B-2853.
GO KIT 32 for the gaskets a
Click to expand...



1poolman1 said:
That's an uprated 1hp (full-rated 3/4hp) square-flange pool motor. Both have the same 1.25 total horsepower rating (SF HP on the label)
Century B-853 or B-2853.
GO KIT 32 for the gaskets and seal.
Click to expand...
Thanks 1poolman1. Replaced capacitor still humming. I went to manually turn motor and it turns with some force, i'm not sure how 'freely' it should turn. I gave it some turns and then when fired up the power she kicked out. However, when I turned off the power and back on, same thing wouldn't fire up unless I manually gave it some turns. Almost as if there is too much resistance for it to 'kick on'. What are your thoughts? Bad motor? No way to know if the pump is struggling or having issues appears to be working ok. Previous home owner told us they replaced/rebuilt the motor about 3-4 years ago.

Thanks for all the help-
 
waterdamage said:
Additionally, do they make those motors in Almond to match? seems like those models above only come in black.
I'm trying to cross reference those with a Pentair model/number.
Click to expand...
Not any longer, no, though you might find one but why spend the excess. All Pentair does is purchase them from Century after some special handling, like a new label and color. If you really want almond, try this. Its 1hp but will work:
aquatechpoolsupply.net

Pentair 354821s. 1 HP Motor TEFC 208-230/115V. Replacement part for Su

Motor for SuperFlo and WhisperFlo Pump - 1HP High-performance SuperFlo Pump motor: Maximize water circulation and performance for your pool or spa with the high-powered motor of the Pentair 354823s. This TEFC 208-230 replacement part is designed for the SuperFlo Pump. The TEFC design of the...
aquatechpoolsupply.net
 
1poolman1 said:
Not any longer, no, though you might find one but why spend the excess. All Pentair does is purchase them from Century after some special handling, like a new label and color. If you really want almond, try this. Its 1hp but will work:
aquatechpoolsupply.net

Pentair 354821s. 1 HP Motor TEFC 208-230/115V. Replacement part for Su

Motor for SuperFlo and WhisperFlo Pump - 1HP High-performance SuperFlo Pump motor: Maximize water circulation and performance for your pool or spa with the high-powered motor of the Pentair 354823s. This TEFC 208-230 replacement part is designed for the SuperFlo Pump. The TEFC design of the...
aquatechpoolsupply.net
Click to expand...
You guys are a tremendous help. This has been a very big help.
My current status is as follows:
replaced capacitor, still didn't turn over. I manually turned the motor crank.. it turned but required a wrench. Definitely couldn't turn with fingers but wrench I could turn it. (unsure how free it should spin)
I gave it a couple turns and went to turn on the power and boom it fired up. Appeared to be running as it did the previous season.
Went about doing what I needed to do, came back turned off power. About 5 minutes went to turn power on, same thing motor wouldn't fire up- just humming. Powered off, cranked shaft a couple times with wrench. Powered on, motor fired up. So not sure what's going on.

Then I started questioning my pump while it was running... is it not operating as strong as it used to, suction, jets etc... not sure if it's my imagination and they are operating as intended or not.
It did seem like it took awhile for the system to prime. Longer than it typically would in the past.

If I suspect issue with pump and motor, then I need to figure out what VS pump/motor assembly to get.
Otherwise if I believe the pump is fine and this motor issue is a precursor to failure then I guess I need to replace motor.

Thanks again- any additional input from you guys would be greatly appreciated!!
 

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Your motor is binding and has too much friction to start. It is running on borrowed time.

Plan to replace the motor.
 
My old Whisperflo followed the same pattern. Locked up. Humming, not running. The problem was corrosion that ate away the motor mounting lugs and also caused the inserts in the seal plate to become loose. The motor tilted slightly, so the impeller bound in the housing. I got it running again with a new seal plate plus some carefully chosen washers to replace the aluminum that had eroded away. But I only ran it that way until a new VS pump arrived.

A tiny leak from the seal did all that damage. Moral of the story is to check your pump every week or two and service it immediately if you see or feel any water.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sherlock
waterdamage said:
You guys are a tremendous help. This has been a very big help.
My current status is as follows:
replaced capacitor, still didn't turn over. I manually turned the motor crank.. it turned but required a wrench. Definitely couldn't turn with fingers but wrench I could turn it. (unsure how free it should spin)
I gave it a couple turns and went to turn on the power and boom it fired up. Appeared to be running as it did the previous season.
Went about doing what I needed to do, came back turned off power. About 5 minutes went to turn power on, same thing motor wouldn't fire up- just humming. Powered off, cranked shaft a couple times with wrench. Powered on, motor fired up. So not sure what's going on.

Then I started questioning my pump while it was running... is it not operating as strong as it used to, suction, jets etc... not sure if it's my imagination and they are operating as intended or not.
It did seem like it took awhile for the system to prime. Longer than it typically would in the past.

If I suspect issue with pump and motor, then I need to figure out what VS pump/motor assembly to get.
Otherwise if I believe the pump is fine and this motor issue is a precursor to failure then I guess I need to replace motor.

Thanks again- any additional input from you guys would be greatly appreciated!!
Click to expand...

I'm an electronics engineer and I can tell right away that the motor is probably seized, jammed. The humming (I suspect its rather loud) is exactly what one would expect for a jammed AC motor (you might have sometimes heard the same sound using a power drill that jammed while drilling). When its humming bear in mind it will be drawing a large current, and could trip a breaker or eventually get so hot that the motor dies.

There is some mechanical reason for this, lack of grease, rust in the bearings or the impeller broke and is somehow jammed in its chamber. This is not - from what I can see - an electrical issue, it is a mechanical one and the armature is being impeded.

Now you say you replaced the start capacitor, do you have a picture of the old one? how did you get the replacement? are you certain that the replacement capacitor is new? If the cap is the cause then that too will generate a hum but I'd expect the motor shaft to be reasonably easy to turn, but not sure if there's a gearbox in there somewhere, if so that can make it feel stiff (naturally do not attempt to turn the shaft with a wrench while power is applied).

If you have a decent multimeter you can easily measure the capacitance (the can often contains two capacitors actually), this is a very good all round workshop meter by the way that can measure capacitance, the measured value should fall within the stated tolerance, once its outside that tolerance, it must be trashed as it will fail (to start the motor) in a pretty short time.

1716047161030.png

 
Last edited:
Sherlock said:
I'm an electronics engineer and I can tell right away that the motor is probably seized, jammed. The humming (I suspect its rather loud) is exactly what one would expect for a jammed AC motor (you might have sometimes heard the same sound using a power drill that jammed while drilling). When its humming bear in mind it will be drawing a large current, and could trip a breaker or eventually get so hot that the motor dies.

There is some mechanical reason for this, lack of grease, rust in the bearings or the impeller broke and is somehow jammed in its chamber. This is not - from what I can see - an electrical issue, it is a mechanical one and the armature is being impeded.

Now you say you replaced the start capacitor, do you have a picture of the old one? how did you get the replacement? are you certain that the replacement capacitor is new? If the cap is the cause then that too will generate a hum but I'd expect the motor shaft to be reasonably easy to turn, but not sure if there's a gearbox in there somewhere, if so that can make it feel stiff (naturally do not attempt to turn the shaft with a wrench while power is applied).

If you have a decent multimeter you can easily measure the capacitance (the can often contains two capacitors actually), this is a very good all round workshop meter by the way that can measure capacitance, the measured value should fall within the stated tolerance, once its outside that tolerance, it must be trashed as it will fail (to start the motor) in a pretty short time.

View attachment 574108

Click to expand...
Thank you very much for all that information. Yes, the capacitor was not the issue. I was able to get the motor to run with old and new capacitor. I believe the motor is the issue, turns out there is a very small leak underneath the motor. Likely got water into the shaft seal and that is what has caused the issue.

So all this information has been a tremendous help. I am about to order the replacement motor with the GO KIT seals.
However, I was thinking. How would I know if the pump itself isn't also having issues? Is there any sure-fire way to know if the pump is still running strong and will with a new motor?
I have no way to know if the pump is pumping the water as strong as it has in the past. Would hate to replace motor, only to find out the pump is not running at 100%

Thanks again everyone-
 
waterdamage said:
Thank you very much for all that information. Yes, the capacitor was not the issue. I was able to get the motor to run with old and new capacitor. I believe the motor is the issue, turns out there is a very small leak underneath the motor. Likely got water into the shaft seal and that is what has caused the issue.

So all this information has been a tremendous help. I am about to order the replacement motor with the GO KIT seals.
However, I was thinking. How would I know if the pump itself isn't also having issues? Is there any sure-fire way to know if the pump is still running strong and will with a new motor?
I have no way to know if the pump is pumping the water as strong as it has in the past. Would hate to replace motor, only to find out the pump is not running at 100%

Thanks again everyone-
Click to expand...
Leak was not underneath the motor, but from the shaft seal or sealplate.
Motors do not have water running through them but can have water leak into them and then drip out. If water is ever seen at the equipment area it is important to identify the source. A leaking pump, at the shaft seal, can be repaired quickly with no damage to the motor. Wait and you have the issue you are experiencing.
The pump only operates with a good motor.
Unless there are broken parts in the "wet end," a new motor will restore function.
Whisperflow pumps are fairly "bullet proof," hard to damage.
Motors on pool pumps are replaced "all the time" with good results.
The caveat I always give a customer is, "Nothing is as good as new except new."
 
waterdamage said:
You guys are a tremendous help. This has been a very big help.
My current status is as follows:
replaced capacitor, still didn't turn over. I manually turned the motor crank.. it turned but required a wrench. Definitely couldn't turn with fingers but wrench I could turn it. (unsure how free it should spin)
I gave it a couple turns and went to turn on the power and boom it fired up. Appeared to be running as it did the previous season.
Went about doing what I needed to do, came back turned off power. About 5 minutes went to turn power on, same thing motor wouldn't fire up- just humming. Powered off, cranked shaft a couple times with wrench. Powered on, motor fired up. So not sure what's going on.

Then I started questioning my pump while it was running... is it not operating as strong as it used to, suction, jets etc... not sure if it's my imagination and they are operating as intended or not.
It did seem like it took awhile for the system to prime. Longer than it typically would in the past.

If I suspect issue with pump and motor, then I need to figure out what VS pump/motor assembly to get.
Otherwise if I believe the pump is fine and this motor issue is a precursor to failure then I guess I need to replace motor.

Thanks again- any additional input from you guys would be greatly appreciated!!
Click to expand...
Without a teardown, this is a guess, but I would suspect that new bearings are needed. If you can remove the pump or motor, an electric motor repair shop in your area can get it running and perhaps save some money.
 
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