above ground pool pump question

[Scott]

How long should aa above ground pool pump last? I think mine is going out again! This the the second one in only 2 yrs. THANKS!

Kim

[Dan Espen]

Longer than 2 years. I'm on my second one over about 15 years.

[Jim Elbrecht]

There are lots of variables-- but in NY, running it mid May to early Sept. ; 24' round with a sand filter. . . . . The pool is in a small clearing surrounded by trees so I keep the skimmer going 24/7 through the whole season.

My records only go back to 1997-

1997 paid $30 for parts to 'rebuild pump' 2001- $183 for pump from Namco 2003- $30 for bearings- then bought rebuilt pump for $125 2004- new pump motor from Winans $163 2006- pump off ebay for $65

I'll buy another one next spring off Ebay-- last years is making a bit of noise and probably won't survive the summer. For $65 I'll start with a new one and maybe take the other one apart to see if its worth rebuilding. [it could just be something in the impeller- it isn't real noisy yet]

I wish I knew why that one pump lasted so well. It was a few years old when I rebuilt it in '97-- then went 4 more. Since then I've spent nearly $100 a year on pumps.

Jim

[gfretwell]

Pool pumps, and just about any other equipment will last a whole lot longer if you can put it inside or in an enclosure that porotects it like it is inside. The pumps on my spa are 22 years old and still working fine. They are in the garage and feed the spa through the wall. I also got tired of screwing with my well equipmewnt and put it in an enclosure. I haven't had problems since. It used to be a regular occurance to be standing out there wrapped in a towel, trying to find out why the water stopped. I would expect a pool pump laying in the grass to go bad in a season or two.

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

Just for the record-- my pump rests on a slab & has a cover that keeps rain off. I bring it in the fall. Tell me more about your 22 yr old pumps-- what brand and size are they? How much do they run? [hours a day- days per year]

Mine runs 24/7 for almost 4 months. Even though it is a constant duty pump, I wonder if I ran it 6 hrs on/2 off [or some on/off cycle] if it would extend the life of the pump much. There is so much air born debris in my yard that I need to keep the skimmer going constantly. I've tried covers and just end up catching everything, then dumping it in the pool when I remove the cover.

-snip-

So would I-- Now I even expect a covered pump on a slab to go bad in a season or two.

Jim

[gfretwell]

The spa jet pump (2.5 hp StaRite) only runs when we are in the spa so that is probably only 100-150 hours a year. The circulation pump (3/4-1/8 HP 2 speed) is a Hayward PowerFlo II and it runs 12 hours a day 365 days a year in low speed and high speed whenever the heat or jets are running.

Keeping the rain off is only one issue. You also have the problem of condensation (dew) that permiates the interior of the motor and rusts it from the inside out and bugs getting into the motor.

I also built an above ground enclosure for my well equipment and that has made it last a lot longer. My neighbors are on their second set of stuff in the same time frame. Mine looks brand new.

[Mike Hartigan]

In Suburban Chicago, mine is on a timer - eight hours per day from about May 1 till about Oct 1. I bring it in during the off season. It's not protected from the weather during the swimming season. With zero maintenance, mine failed during it's seventh season, but only because a hose failed and it ran dry for a few hours. While I can't say how long it would have lasted, I think it's safe to say that two years is a bit premature.