What parts of a pool motor need replacement?

My pool motor is making noise.

Googling, I find the following parts "seem" to be in need of replacing:

- Shaft seal

- Bearings (two) for the motor

- O-ring (for the pump)

Anything else normally replaced when rebuilding a motor?

Reply to
Abol
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Whatever's broke pretty well covers it...

Reply to
dpb

Nothing is broken, per se.

Something is making noise (probably the bearings) but the point of the question is to ask what 'else' is normally replaced, prophylactically, while you're doing all the work.

It's something only someone familiar with these pump motors would know (and I'm not familiar enough with them to know what else goes bad that should be replaced prophylactically).

Thanks,

Reply to
Abol

Good idea. The impeller is the working element. Only it's not a 'moving' part per se. I mean, it moves, but, it doesn't have any bearings or other wearing parts (other than the plastic face itself). Right?

I googled the AO Smith QC1102 motors and I can get a brand new one for about double that ... so, if I could get it overhauled for $125 every few years, that might be a good money saving approach.

But, I'd rather do it myself and save even more.

How hard can it be?

Reply to
Abol

He's confusing two parts. A pool motor is just that, the electric motor. A complete pool pump includes the motor plus the pump itself. I've rebuilt the pump part, which is within the capability of reasoably skilled DIY, but never the motor part. For the pump, there are rebuild kits that include shaft seal, gaskets/o-rings, etc. If it needs a new impeller can be determined on inspection.

If it's the electric motor that is making the noise, I'd do a more thorough inspection and see what condition it's in. You can buy a new one or possibly take it to a local electric motor shop for rebuild. Have not done that in a very long time, not sure of the economics of it today, versus the cost of a new motor.

Also, if it comes time to replace, consider a dual speed pump. Essentially they run at low speed, circulate the water much longer to move the same amount of water, but still use like 40% less electricity. Can save significant $$ on electricity. You would also need a switch capable of doing 2 speed. I'd only go with the basic two speed pumps, not the full variable speed, electronic ones as they cost so much more, I don't think they are economically viable.

Reply to
trader4

No way of adding fresh grease to the existing bearings and see if that helps?

cheers

Jules

Reply to
Jules Richardson

What's the point? The rule of thumb I've always heard was that the water should be "changed" daily. Whether that's done in 8 hours or 24, what's the difference? I'd think the higher speed jet would mix the water in the pool better, too.

Reply to
krw

:

The difference is that the energy required to move the water goes up as something like the square of the speed. So, by doing it slower over a much longer period, you can save a considerable amount of money. Kind of like driving at 40mph versus 160mph.

Probably doesn't make much difference. The system relies on pulling water from several areas and returning it to several other areas. So, it's going to circulate mostly just from that.

Reply to
trader4

Then wouldn't a pump better sized to the pool be a better idea? What determines the pump speed?

But if you're pulling from several places, I'd think the skimmer would be less effective, too. It's been 20 years since I had a pool, so there are obviously things I've missed.

Reply to
krw

ote:

With dual speed you use the low speed for routine filtering most of the time. It can run most of the day. You use the higher speed if the pool is a mess and you're having a party tonight, it's too full from rain and you need to pump it out, backwashing, getting it filtered first time when opening it after winterization, etc.

Reply to
trader4

That is right. These are sealed bearings. I am not sure who would go to all the trouble of taking the pump apart, pulling the bearing and trying to grease it to save less than $10 anyway.

Reply to
gfretwell

A new 1.65 HP (1.0 x 1.65 SF) AO Smith 48Y square frame QC1102 motor is about $250 (give or take) on the net while a rebuild is about $150 at the local pool shop.

That's close enough to be not easy to say which way to go, economically.

BTW, Leslie's pool will put the seal in for free labor (about $25 for the seal for my high-horsepower pumps); but they don't touch motor bearings (they send them out).

I think that also entails a new controller (read very expensive ... like $1000 or so). Right?

Reply to
Abol

This variable-speed discussion is interesting to me because, in California, nobody is allowed to put a new single-speed pump in ever again!

That is, if I pay someone to 'fix' my pool system, it's my understanding (from what they tell me) that they are not allowed, by law, to replace my single-speed motor with a single-speed motor.

The 'loophole' (of sorts), is that I can still 'buy' a single-speed motor and replace it myself.

But I can't pay someone to do the same thing.

So, sometime in my future, when I have to pay someone to fix the system, I'll have to ditch the single-speed setup!

Reply to
Abol

I'm not sure what the $10 figure is applying to?

Here's what I roughly calculate:

- Buying a new motor, about $250

- Having someone overhaul my existing motor, about $150

- Doing it myself, about $75 (in parts)

That includes a new:

- pump o-ring

- inner & outer viton/buton & ceramic/carbon seal

- Inner & outer sealed motor bearings

Since I have four motors, and since I don't want to have a professional come out to my home to replace them (by law, they must replace the entire system, including the $1000 controller to convert to multi-speed), I think it's best for me to learn how to maintain them myself.

Reply to
Abol

A bearing is about $10 and more like $4-5 online

You probably need a bearing puller to get it off the shaft but they are not that expensive. Certainly cheaper than sending the motor out. Just be sure you don't break the centrifugal switch on the bell end of the motor and you get it adjusted right. That is not as tight as you can get the screw. The "U" shaped standoff is really the adjuster. You want the switch closed when the centrifugal plate is normal and open when it is in the "spinning position". The break point is about half way in between. Tightening the mounting screw changes that gap.

Reply to
gfretwell

The strange thing about all of this is you are allowed to run your 2 speed pump in high speed if you are using the vacuum. I always have the vacuum running and after one turnover the pump turns off. I can't see 2 speeds buying me anything. I do have a 2 speed motor on the shelf that I will swap this one out for if it breaks but I am in no hurry. The only reason I bought the 2 speed was for the solar heater but I don't get much more than 6 or 7 productive hours out of that either in the winter when I need it..

Reply to
gfretwell

I watched the guy rebuild one of my motors (for $150).

He used a torch to get the bolts off w/o breaking them ... then he whacked the motor far harder than I was comfortable with until he pried it apart ... he used a bearing puller and the bearings were off in seconds ... and then he put a post around the shaft and whacked the new bearings back in place.

It certainly didn't look sophisticated!

Reply to
Abol

I watched the guy working on my motor a while ago. He disassembled the spring'ed stuff at the far end of the motor before disassembling. I think that's the switch you're talking about.

I'll need to look at the motor to fully understand that!

BTW, you're about right on the price of bearings. The pool supply store here in California sold them to me for $25 each, but, at this web site, the prices are far far less:

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SMith QC1102 1.0 x 1.65 hp motor: Front bearing: RBL6303LL 20mm Double Sealed Pool Motor Bearing #303 $13.60 Rear bearing: RBL6304LL 20mm Double Sealed Pool Motor Bearing #304 $11.05

Get this! They have a sense of humor on their web site: "Replace your Bearings when the noise level exceeds your tolerance level"

They also sell the bearing puller tool for $20 and the bearing tamping tool for $7.50.

Reply to
SF Man

That's now how I read the charts at that nice web page.

I read that a 1.0 (nominal) HP AOSmith 48 frame motor would use two of the bearing #203 (OD 1 9/16") for both the rear end and the shaft end.

Reply to
Abol

If you go to a real bearing site they are a whole lot cheaper. This is the one for my Sta-Rite 1 hp pump.

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Reply to
gfretwell

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