My pool pump runs for 20 seconds then shuts off, what is wrong?
sounds like you have 2 bad motors that are overheating some motors have thermal cut off switches....unless you have an extremely long run of wire to pump like way over 100 feet.
Hot tub jets 1 button shuts off circ pump (balboa 55099 circuit board)?
The circuit baord does not work right powering the motor to pump the jets or it is defective. Without the water flow to take off the excess heat of the heater it gets to hot. And it has a thermal overload, like a fusable link that melts shutting off the electrical power to it. It takes time for the link to cool down for the electrical power to flow and heat again. Or the pump impeller is broken. The impeller is a plastic vane the spins and forces the water to flow. A electrical multimeter would be the best way to test the unit with power and with out. This will help to locate what the problem is.
What causes a pool pump to overheat?
There are a lot of things that could cause this and this is something that I have researched and written about extensively in this article on Pool Pump OverheatingAs discussed in that article, the most common relate to poorly designed plumbing systems that have excessive friction losses which cause the pump to work hard. Improperly balanced pump and filter combinations, physical debris in the pump or skimmer strainer baskets that are restricting suction, partially collapsed or leaking suction lines, failing filters that are partially plugged etc.All of these conditions result in the pump working hard and generating heat. Eventually this heat can lead to a breakdown of the isolating grease between the copper windings in the motor. When the isolating grease melts away, those copper wires that are touching will short out. This causes a marked increase in current demand of the motor from the decrease in electrical resistance in the shorted windings. More current then causes more heat as a byproduct and then more dielectric grease melts away. The problem will continue to get worse until the pump starts overheating and tripping the breaker. When the circuit cools you can reset it but eventually the breaker trips again. The breaker will eventually trip more and more often until the motor windings become a dead short circuit that trips the breaker as soon as you turn it on. There is much more detail in the article as well as some pictures that help to describe these situations, but that is the gist of it.
Extension Cord for Pool Pump has black / burnt prongs...Why?
Possibly a loose conection. If the blades going into the cord are not making a good connection it will cause the current to jump, this will cause over heating and eventualy black and melting cord ends.
What happens when a centrifugal pump runs dry?
Pumps should not be operated running dry.When a pump is run dry, there are two common results.1) The impeller will melt along the shaft, causing the impeller to seize onto the shaft.If the impeller seizes, it will stop and not rotate. To correct this, the pump should be taken apart and a drill bit should be used to clean out the bore of the impeller.2) The rear housing may melt. A hole may develop in the rear housing, allowing liquid to escape. Or, the boss of the rear housing, which secures the pump shaft, may become deformed, which will allow the shaft to move instead of remaining stationary.This will cause damage to the impeller and may cause the shaft to break from the impeller bouncing on it.If the pump is made from stainless steel, it is unlikely holes will develop in the rear housing or that the boss will deform. What is likely to happen is the impeller bushing will seize onto the shaft.The amount of time it takes for a pump to suffer damage from running dry depends on many variables.Pump size:Generally, the larger the pump with larger and heavier impellers, the faster it will be to suffer damage.Bore size:The bore size of the impeller can also be a factor. The more clearance between the bore of the impeller and the shaft, the more time you will have before suffering damage. Polypropylene will suffer damage quicker than Kynar on the same model, and stainless steel will take more time than plastic.Liquid used in the pump:Another factor is the liquid previously in the pump. If the liquid is ambient or cooler, it will take more time for the pump to suffer damage after it starts to run dry than if the liquid is warmer.Safe options for dry pumping:If you are using the pump for tank transfer and want to empty the tank, this may mean running the pump dry for a few seconds. If the pump is run dry for less than 45-60 seconds, the pump should not suffer damage.Dry running can be an expensive hazard on your equipment but with care and supervision, you can elongate the life of your machinery.
I stupidly blocked the return line (two water jets) to my pool. Came back an hour later and the pool pump was off. What’s the worst case scenario here?
Turn off the pump, open the returns, then go spend a few minutes considering your life choices.Every pool pump I’ve seen has a thermal limit switch in it. When the motor gets hot, it cuts off. While you are pondering the meaning of life it’s cooling down. After a half-hour or so it will probably turn back on normally.If the motor has failed, it isn’t terribly expensive to replace the motor and pump as an assembly (outside of California*). ~$250–300 for an above ground pool pump and ~$300–400 for in-ground pools. This does require some plumbing and electrical work, so that would be an extra cost if you can’t DIY it.* “Why not in California?” I haven’t the foggiest idea. My pump has a sticker that says it can’t be used in California. I assume it’s a safety or efficiency regulation. Seeing that sticker makes me assume that they are more expensive there.If the motor doesn’t come back on and you are the adventurous type you could disassemble it and look for a thermal fuse. I fixed my shop-vac motor by replacing one of these in its motor.Another alternative to replacing the entire pump is to replace just the motor. I’ve done it one and a half times on a 1.5 horsepower Hayward in-ground pump. It was not an enjoyable experience. The impeller is threaded on the motor shaft and removing it is a serious pain. There is no good way to hold it. I was able to do it by passing a rope through the impeller and looping it around the pump housing. With that done I was able to turn the other end of the motor shaft with a wrench.“How do you change it a half of a time?” I broke the impeller the second time I tried the stupid rope trick and had to buy a replacement.I respectfully disagree with the other answers on one subtle point. Letting the motor cool off or having to replace the pump is far from the worst case scenario. This sort of thing is a paper-cut compared to something like global thermonuclear war, planet killing asteroids, breaking a nail on date night, or a pandemic plague.