Pump won't start, I'm at a loss

[Lumpyyyyy]

Did my main and booster pump just fail on me?

First post, be gentle. I was vacuuming the pool this morning and the pump started getting louder than it normally is. I assumed that I may have gotten something past the skimmer and into the impellers. So before sticking my hands in the impeller, I turned off the pumps (booster and main since the pressure side cleaner was running as well). I then cut power to the system so that I could clean in the impeller. After doing so, I fired back up the electrical and neither pump would work. I've check all my breakers, pre and post timer, using a multimeter and there is power all the way to both pumps but neither of them will start. They make zero noise, but just to be certain I checked the capacitor as well and that seemed to be fine. Am I missing something incredibly simple or did I do something wrong to make this happen? I'm so lost. This is an inground pool with a hayward 1 hp pump assembly and booster pump.

 

[danpik]

Re: Did my main and booster pump just fail on me?

Are these 120 volt or 240 volt pumps?

 

[Lumpyyyyy]

Re: Did my main and booster pump just fail on me?

Are these 120 volt or 240 volt pumps?

It is marked 115/230 and the switch is set to 230 and it is wired properly.

 

[Lumpyyyyy]

Last saturday, after turning off the breaker and cleaning my main pump, the pump won't turn back on. I verified the electrical all the way from the pump to the timer, to the breaker. Everything checks out. I used my multimeter and a line meter. I checked the capacitor and everything checks out fine. It makes zero noise and no humming. I figure that it must be the pump motor. Fast forward 4 days and I replace the pump motor and still no luck. Retrace all the electrical and still voltage is running all the way to the pump. I'm lost as to what it could be and I can't get a single pool technician to return a call to help me out (7 calls all around my area and nothing but voicemail after a week of calling these places). I suppose there's a chance I have two defective motors, but that strikes me as a slim chances of happening.

The problem is also showing up on my booster pump as well which will no longer turn on.

EDIT: the pump is a UST1102 1HP pump running on 230V and had been running fine for 4 years (minimum, that's when I bought the house) up to this point.

 

[proavia]

With the breaker off to remove electrical power, can you turn the motor shaft or impeller by hand?

 

[Lumpyyyyy]

Yes. It moves easily by hand. Both via the shaft under the back cover and impeller.

 

[proavia]

At the motor - L1 and L2 are both measuring around 110-120 volts?

What type of timers do you have?

Maybe a couple of pics of the items in question will help.

 

[gwegan]

Where are measuring current at the motor. Have you cycled all the breakers

.

 

[Lumpyyyyy]

At the motor - L1 and L2 are both measuring around 110-120 volts?

What type of timers do you have?

Maybe a couple of pics of the items in question will help.

Ill get get a couple pics in the morning but yes they both read 110-120 against ground

the timer is intermatic. I've bypassed the timer and still no luck. I tried resetting breakers too and they're fine.

 

[JamesW]

Are you getting 240 volts line to line?

If you're getting 120 volts line to ground on each leg but 0 volts line to line, it's probably a bad breaker.

 

[Lumpyyyyy]

Are you getting 240 volts line to line?

If you're getting 120 volts line to ground on each leg but 0 volts line to line, it's probably a bad breaker.

I'll have to check that. Measure from L1 to L2? I always checked with reference to ground. Also, I have a spa/sub panel. How would I go about shutting down the entire circuit so that I can swap out the breakers? I don't believe I have another breaker on the inside of the house apart from the main panel shutoff.

 

[JamesW]

Measure from L1 to L2. You should get 240 volts.

If you're not sure on replacing a breaker, probably best to get an electrician.

 

[Lumpyyyyy]

Measure from L1 to L2. You should get 240 volts.

If you're not sure on replacing a breaker, probably best to get an electrician.

The pump wiring is the part I'm unfamiliar with. I've wired my entire basement including a couple 240 drops and many 110/120. I'll double check the voltages and wiring and replace a breaker if necessary to see if that helps. I'll report back.

 

[danpik]

I'll have to check that. Measure from L1 to L2? I always checked with reference to ground. Also, I have a spa/sub panel. How would I go about shutting down the entire circuit so that I can swap out the breakers? I don't believe I have another breaker on the inside of the house apart from the main panel shutoff.

Should be a breaker in the main panel to control/disconnect that sub.

 

[VikingPoolMan]

I would assume the motor is bad (or breaker, or short), however, as you said, it's strange that both motors suddenly die at the same time (but I guess it could happen). By any chance do you have one of the electrical boxes that turns your pump off at peak energy times (installed by the electric company)? I've seen a similar problem with a customer that had one of those installed (pump was getting proper voltage, but would not turn on).... ultimately, the motor was fine - it was just something wrong with the electrical box. Hope you figure it out.

 

[JamesW]

In my opinion, having three bad motors is very unlikely. Especially three motors that don’t make any sound, or anything.

The easiest way to tell is to see if there is 240 volts line to line.

Sometimes breakers fail in a way that you get 120 volts from each line to ground but 0 volts from line to line. This would mean that both legs are getting the same 120 volts from the same side of the breaker box.

 

[Kdraque3]

In my opinion, having three bad motors is very unlikely. Especially three motors that don’t make any sound, or anything.

The easiest way to tell is to see if there is 240 volts line to line.

Sometimes breakers fail in a way that you get 120 volts from each line to ground but 0 volts from line to line. This would mean that both legs are getting the same 120 volts from the same side of the breaker box.

In this instance - you would replace the breakers to the motors and the pumps should work? I'm experiencing the same issue with reading 120 from each line to ground, but 0 from line to line. I've replaced capacitor and tested continuity on centrifugal switch/starter switch as well as the thermal overload switch.
Here's the thread I posted about it: Pool Pump Won't Make a Sound