Pump Barely Pumping

[jimarbuckle]

My son turned on the pump (Pentair Superflo dual speed 1HP) with the inlet valves closed and walked away. I think it probably ran dry for two or three hours. Now, it barely moves water, and can't clear air in the pump basket. The PSI reading on the filter is 2 vs. 15 before this incident. It doesn't lose prime overnight when it is off, so there doesn't seem to be any leaks, so what do you think is the problem? Does the motor need rebuilt? Any help/advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Texas Splash]

The heat generated while running dry may have warped a fitting or even part of the pump pot itself. Inside the wet end of the pump are parts like a diffuser, impeller, etc, that can be impacted by the excessive heat preventing proper movement of water. A careful inspection and perhaps disassembly of the pump may be in order to see what type of over-heating damage may have occurred.

 

[jimarbuckle]

Thanks Pat! Following your suggestion, I disassembled the pump this morning and discovered that the impeller was clogged with leaves. I pulled them all out, reassembled, and now it is working like new. I'm not sure what my son was doing when he vacuumed the pool, but it was certainly bolloxed up when he was done. I think I gave him a poor training program. Thanks for the help.