Pump motor compatibility

[ms2187]

Hey everyone... it's been a while since I've been on the TFP forums... sorry to come back with a question. I'll try to be better about sticking around to help others.

I bought my house in 2013. The motor that was on the pump when I bought the house failed last year, and I replaced it with the same exact motor. It appears that the replacement motor is already failing (I'm getting the same screechy "bearing" noise)... and of course, the noise started 13 months after I installed it and the motor has a 12-month warranty.

So here's my question. I really don't want to buy the same motor again... some of the reviews I am reading complain that these motors tend to fail far too quickly relative to their price, which matches my recent experience. I'm considering replacing the entire pump (presumably with a VS) -- there is a small leak around the outlet which is part of the reason I want to replace it -- but a new VS pump might not be in the budget right now.

If I were to decide to just replace the motor, what do I need in order to be compatible?

The current motor is a Century USQ1152:

• 1.5 HP, single speed
• 48Y frame
• 3450 RPM
• 1.1 service factor

I know that I need a 48Y frame, or can use a 56Y frame with a new stand or some adjustments to the current stand. I assume that the RPM also needs to be similar. What about the horsepower? I assume higher is okay, but lower is not? Anything else I need to look for?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[mas985]

I know that I need a 48Y frame, or can use a 56Y frame with a new stand or some adjustments to the current stand. I assume that the RPM also needs to be similar. What about the horsepower? I assume higher is okay, but lower is not?

Correct on all of these.

However. the issue may not be with the motor but with the seal. A poor shaft seal will leak water on to the bearings which will quickly fail on any motor.

 

[ms2187]

Thanks for your response!

I did find some info that says the HP * service factor for the new motor must be equal to or greater than the old motor... so I can do any combination that results in 1.65 total HP.

I replaced the seal when I replaced the motor, but perhaps the seal failed... or maybe I did not install it correctly. In any case, it looks like most of the compatible motor brands are all owned by the same parent company anyway, so I'll probably end up with a similar, if not identical motor.

Thanks again!

 

[mas985]

Yes, THP is what you need to use when sizing the motor. Also, some seals are better than others.

Pump Seals - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mknauss]

VGreen Motor
Instead of a full VS pump, you can just get the motor ------

 

[ms2187]

I ended up ordering the VGreen motor as well as a heavy-duty (salt/ozone) seal. The seal I used before was definitely of the low-quality plastic variety, as it was part of a rebuild kit -- I'm guessing that was the problem, but I guess I'll know for certain when I start tearing down the pump. If so, that's an expensive lesson for sure.

Thank you Mark and Marty for your responses.