Stuck on new pump

[Davidopolis]

Hello,

I'm having trouble with a spa pump and I'm stumped. I'm hoping someone can help.

I bought a house recently, and the pump for the hot tub doesn't work...it limped by in the beginning, just well enough to pass inspection, but quickly started overheating and shutting off. Once it cools it will run again but only for a short time. I hoped it was an issue with the pump and replaced it with a new (rebuilt) pump, but the new pump is showing the same symptoms. I wired it exactly the same as the previous pump.

The attached image shows the wiring. I have two red wires coming to the pump. Each wire shows 124v on a multimeter. Also one green wire, which I assume is ground and tests with no current on the multimeter. Wired as it is in the picture, the pump will not run AT ALL. I tested the motor by shorting the green ground to wire (#1), and the pump will run, but obviously I can't run it like that. Seems clear that the old one was wired wrong, and now I'm not sure what to do to fix it.

Any help is welcome.

Thanks

 

[JamesW]

Check voltage line to line.

Most likely, one of the wires has a broken path back to power. Probably a bad switch, timer, relay or breaker.

The reason that they both show voltage vs ground is because they are connected through the motor windings.

If you disconnect one line from its terminal, you will find that only one leg has power to ground.

 

[Davidopolis]

Wow, thanks for the fast reply, but I'm not sure what means. I checked the voltage on all three wires... each red has 124V, and the green has none.

 

[JamesW]

Put one test lead on one red wire and the other test lead on the other red wire.

If it's a 240 volt circuit, you should read 240 volts. If you read zero volts, one leg has failed.

 

[Davidopolis]

I will disconnect them now and test voltage to each. Standby

 

[Davidopolis]

Thanks so much for the help. I disconnected all the wires and tested them independent of the pump (pics attached)...results were as follows:

Top Red wire tests at 134v, bottom red wire tests at 125v.

Thoughts?

- - - Updated - - -

forgot pics...View attachment 72739View attachment 72740

 

[JamesW]

Change the meter to 600 volts and test line to line.

If it's from a 240 breaker, you should read 240 volts with one lead on one red wire and the other test lead on the other red wire at the same time.

I suspect that the top red wire path back to power has failed.

Is the breaker a 240 breaker?

What turns the pump on and off, a timer, relay, switch or what?

 

[Davidopolis]

Hmm now I'm really confused, I connected red test lead to the first red hot wire and black test lead to the other red hot wire, with multimeter set to 600 as instructed...it shows 16?

- - - Updated - - -

The pump is turned on and off by a switch and a timer. The timer doesn't work, but the switch on the timer does. When the timer switch is off, both "line" leads show power, 124v, and both "load" leads show no voltage. When the timer switch is "on", all four leads show power. I can send pics of that test if it will help.

 

[JamesW]

What turns the pump on and off?

Do you have a picture of the timer wiring?

Test both timer load and timer line terminals line to line for 240.

In other words, one test lead on one line terminal and the other test lead on the other line terminal.

 

[Davidopolis]

There are two switches for the pump...one is an on off switch, like a light switch. It appears to be a master..when off nothing happens at all with the pump. Above that is the timer, which doesn't work and appears to be left in the "on" position. When I want to turn on the pump for testing, I've just been turning the bottom switch to the "on" position. If I can get the pump working, I'll replace the timer.

 

[JamesW]

Ok, put the test leads on timer terminals 1 and 3 at the same time to see what the voltage shows, then on 2 and 4 at the same time to see what the voltage shows.

On the plastic cover, does it say 1 Line, 2 Load, 3 Line, 4 Load?

 

[Davidopolis]

OK, tested at the timer... one "line" reads 125 and the other "line" reads 134, just like the pump leads, and line to line they read 16v, just like the pump.

 

[JamesW]

So, from terminal 1 to 3 reads 16 volts?

Do you have a picture of the main breaker that goes to the pump timer?

 

[Davidopolis]

Yes. Just for giggles I went back to the breaker to see if it tested 240 and it does, FYI.

 

[JamesW]

It might be the pump switch, but that would mean that the wiring is incorrect. I have gone about as far as I am comfortable. I would refer it to an electrician for safety because there’s a wiring problem. I would recommend shutting off the breaker until it can get checked.

 

[Davidopolis]

I found the wiring issue and fixed it, it was the timer switch that was bad, and only one of the hot wires actually had power, but was leaking power through the switch to the other red lead. I've bypassed it and now both reds read 125v, and when tested wire to wire they read 250v.

Pool pump still does not turn on. Any thoughts?

 

[JamesW]

Check voltage at the pump terminals with the wires connected and the pump turned on.

If the voltage at the breaker is 240, it's odd that you're getting 250 downstream.

I suspect that when you measure with the pump on, the voltage will drop out.

I suspect that you have a broken line that's also picking up a stray voltage somehow.

 

[Davidopolis]

Reads 250 at the pump terminals with the wires connected and the pump turned on. Also, tested the voltage at the breaker...reads 254.

 

[JamesW]

Ok. That's high but the pump should work.

The only thing that I can see that might be something is that the voltage selector switch looks like it might not be fully clicked to 230.

Other than that, I'm not sure what else to check.

254 volts is really at the upper limit of acceptable. Maybe try another multimeter to confirm. If confirmed, you might want to call the power company.

 

[Davidopolis]

ok thanks. I'll doublecheck the selector switch. If that fails I'll use it for an anchor