Pressure drops inexplicably

[IceShadow]

That should work. The CL600 model is a little bit less expensive and should be ok.

It might be easiest to access the wires for a voltage or current test at the switch.

Do you have a picture of the switch or timer that provides power to the pump?

Here’s our main panels, the pool sub-panels (all in a small room in the basement), a shot of our pump, and a shot of the switch it goes into.

Until the VS pump and its programmable timer built-in, we just used this switch to turn the VS pump on and off.

 

[markayash]

Don't get a cheap multimeter. You want one that says "True RMS".

Cheap multimeters use averaging and rely on the voltage being a clean sine wave.

Certain equipment, like a variable speed pump can distort the sine wave, which can cause a cheap multimeter to be inaccurate.

I didn't know that, learn things every day here

 

[JamesW]

That switch looks pretty sketchy. I would pull it out and check the voltage and current at the wires there.

I would replace the switch and install an outdoor switch cover that is waterproof.

 

[IceShadow]

That switch looks pretty sketchy. I would pull it out and check the voltage and current at the wires there.

I would replace the switch and install an outdoor switch cover that is waterproof.

Ok. In line at Home Depot now anyway.

 

[IceShadow]

Got this to replace it.

 

[JamesW]

You need a double pole switch for 240.

 

[IceShadow]

You need a double pole switch for 240.

Roger, going to Ace to get that. Got a cover only from HD.

 

[JamesW]

HD has the double pole switch.

 

[IceShadow]

Ok

 

[IceShadow]

HD has the double pole switch.

Couldn’t find it, just got one at Ace instead Thanks again for the help you’re giving!

 

[JamesW]

Does it say double pole?

 

[IceShadow]

Just realized they had the wrong switch in the spot. Got the right one now.

 

[markayash]

I am curious, was the old switch bad?

 

[IceShadow]

I am curious, was the old switch bad?

We had another project to deal with today. Four yews and a juniper to plant and moving some boxwoods up a tier.



I’ll get to the pool electric tomorrow

 

[IceShadow]

So for tomorrow - how do I test? I can try to find a YouTube video to show me how to use the multimeter to test what I need to. What am I checking?

 

[JamesW]

Insert RED test lead into VΩ jack , and BLACK test lead into COM jack , and rotate function selector switch to the AC voltage V setting.

Apply test leads to the circuit to be tested to measure voltage.

The meter will auto-range to display the measurement in the most appropriate range.

You can measure the voltage at the pump L1 and L2, but that's awkward.

You can pull out the switch and measure the voltage at the load terminals and then at the line terminals.

Note: For any device or switch, line terminals are where power wires come in and load terminals are where power goes out.

 

[IceShadow]

Ok, ready to start testing and replacing the switch.

 

[IceShadow]

Ok I have it apart. I took the old switch off (wasn’t connected to the ground wires, see photo) and turned the breaker back on to test it. But my small voltage detecter detected current at both wires coming from the house/breaker (red and blue, the two black wires go to the pump). What do I put the leads from the multimeter on to get a reading? I’m afraid of damaging the multimeter if I do it wrong.

 

[markayash]

Will let James reply, but you should see 220 if you touch the leads to red and blue..
I think they true test if if you connect the switch back up and check the voltage accross both black wires with the pump running so under load
I am not worried about the meter just don't get shocked!
Wear shoes, if you brush a wire you don't want to be the path to ground
Also never hurts to have somebody close by that can kick you lose

 

[JamesW]

Red and blue come from the breaker.

Put the meter on Volts (V with the wavy line).

Touch the leads to red and blue. You should measure between 225 and 250 volts.

Then, connect the switch so that you can power the pump and check the voltage at the two black wires with the pump on and running. Try several speeds to see if the voltage drops.

Then, remove the leads and switch the meter to Amps AC (A with a wavy line) and put the clamp around one of the black wires to measure the current.