Pump stopped working. Terrible noise.

Jump to latest Follow Reply
J

Jlandon11

Member
Jul 30, 2020
19
Phoenix, AZ
Woke up this morning to the pump not having any suction and a super loud noise I haven’t heard before. Pump basket was cleared yesterday and there was nothing in it this morning. It’s primed so that’s not the issue. Checked the impellers with finger/screwdriver and couldn’t find any blockage. That’s to the extent of what i know how to do. It sounds like something is rattling around as well?

Here’s the noise the pump is making. Warning: it’s loud!

i was planning on upgrading to a new VS pump here soon so maybe it’s time? Any thoughts on what’s wrong. Thanks
 
That could also be the governor on the centrifugal switch in the back of the motor. Assuming there is one for that motor.
 
You're switching from single speed, so a new VS pump will pay for itself eventually. Very quiet, too, when run at the lower speeds. Even your old pump agrees (it's telling you what to do)! ;) Look for rebates from city, county, power company, etc. that could also help you make your decision.
 
Jlandon11 said:
Kind of a lot for me to wrap my head around there. Is that expensive to replace, can be done DIY? I’m thinking just getting a new pump rather than fix a 10+ old one.
Click to expand...

Sometimes it is just the spring that pops off. If it is more than that, then I would consider a new pump. But check the impeller too by removing the wet end from the motor assembly. You can't tell much by the impeller inlet alone.
 
Dirk said:
You're switching from single speed, so a new VS pump will pay for itself eventually. Very quiet, too, when run at the lower speeds. Even your old pump agrees (it's telling you what to do)! ;) Look for rebates from city, county, power company, etc. that could also help you make your decision.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Was already leaning towards that too so maybe it’s a sign. My pool filter can only take up to 60GPM and I have 1.5 inch piping. Most VS pumps I can program myself so they never surpass correct?
 
Yes, but you have to be mindful of the priming mode. They'll start up at some factory-set high RPM (might be max, though I'm not sure), and then dial down after a half-minute or so to the speed you set. There will be a setting somewhere to control how high the priming speed is, which you'd want to find and adjust before you first let it loose on your plumbing and filter.
 
Someone here once questioned the need for my FlowVis flow meter (which measures GPM). I gave him my list. Your use case would have been another line item... There are variable pumps that you can set in terms of flow instead of RPM, but I'm not sure if they're measuring actual flow, or just doing some math against the RPMs or what. That's more than I know about pumps. Maybe something for you to look into. How does that work @mas985?
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
mas985 said:
Sometimes it is just the spring that pops off. If it is more than that, then I would consider a new pump. But check the impeller too by removing the wet end from the motor assembly. You can't tell much by the impeller inlet alone.
Click to expand...

Sweet. I think I’m almost there. I got the assembly off but I don’t know how to go any further. Can you direct me on what’s next to get into the impeller? If you watch the video you can hear something rumbling around when I manually spin it. And holy cow this thing looks old and nasty?! Or is this typical? I just bought the house. I ordered a VS but not going to be here til Wednesday and I have a pool party planned Monday so I would love to get this running again for the meantime so I don’t have to cancel.

Video of pool pump

69A6D481-68FF-491D-B70B-6E959197164F.jpegFDF6B9C8-1F9E-43C4-805A-44DAAD5E9E7C.jpeg
 
Wow, that is one ugly pump! If you can't get it going, you could rent a sump pump from Home Depot or the like, pump in deep end, outlet hose in other end, and keep your FC up. Goose the FC a bit high just before the party and take out the pump. Your guests will keep the water circulating during the party.

That'll keep the water sanitized. If it's already cloudy, I'm not sure what to suggest for that.
 
The impeller is the spiral at the end of the motor (right pic). Look into the vanes and see if there is anything stuck in there. Also spin it by hand and see if there is a wobble.

The governor and centrifugal switch is in the back of the motor.
 
Dirk said:
Wow, that is one ugly pump! If you can't get it going, you could rent a sump pump from Home Depot or the like, pump in deep end, outlet hose in other end, and keep your FC up. Goose the FC a bit high just before the party and take out the pump. Your guests will keep the water circulating during the party.

That'll keep the water sanitized. If it's already cloudy, I'm not sure what to suggest for that.
Click to expand...
Great idea. Buddy of mine has a sump pump so I’ll just grab it from him. Thanks.
 
JamesW said:
Sounds like the motor bearings are bad. Probably due to a seal leak. There are a bunch of videos showing how to replace a Hayward Superpump motor, impeller or seal.

Click to expand...
Thanks for the video. This helps. Unfortunately the back motor assembly’s screws are so rusted I can’t even get them to turn to open it up and check out what’s inside.

mas985 said:
The impeller is the spiral at the end of the motor (right pic). Look into the vanes and see if there is anything stuck in there. Also spin it by hand and see if there is a wobble.

The governor and centrifugal switch is in the back of the motor.
Click to expand...

When I spin I do here something off inside the back of the motor. Unfortunately I can’t open it up as the screws are completely rusted shut. I guess I’ll google how to unscrew them when they’re that bad.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply