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There’s nothing better than diving into a cool, crystal clear pool on a hot summer day, and there’s nothing worse than sitting outside a mucky green swamp on a hot summer day. The pool pump motor is the heart of your pool’s circulatory system, cleaning and heating all the water in the pool, and it when it breaks your pool dies and becomes unusable. Most problems with a pool pump motor should be addressed by a pool maintenance professional, but some things can be handled by yourself. This pool pump motor troubleshooting guide will show you how.
Overview of Pool Pump Motor: The typical pool pump motor is a self-priming centrifugal pump. It must have a vacuum chamber (pump housing), which must be filled with water. The motor will rotate at a high speed, driving the pump impeller, which moves the water through the pump. The pump will also have a diffuser, which is how it self-primes. The diffuser also helps remove air from the pump house, which interferes with the vacuum action. Pool Pump Motor Won’t Run: Check the power, breakers and switches. If your system is on a timer, check to make sure the timer is operating properly. Pool Pump Motor is Running Too Hot and Turning Itself Off: If this is happening, your pool pump motor may be getting insufficient power. It could be because the power wires are undersized or because they are too long. Check the owners’ manual for the manufacturer’s specifications and a make sure your power wires conform to them. If this happens during the summer, it could be because your local power supply company is experiencing high demand, which means there is a dip in the power available. Restart your pump when the temperature drops (in the evening or late at night) to check. It could simply be that your pump motor has thermal overload. If so, it will turn itself off to cool down and then turn itself back on. If this is a constant problem, your pool pump motor may be too small for your pool and you should get a larger size. Pool Pump Motor Turns Off Every Couple of Minutes or Seconds: Your pool pump motor is probably wired to the wrong voltage. Turn off the motor and call an electrician.
Pool Pump Motor Runs but the Flow is Low: Sometimes this problem is described as having no pressure. It is usually caused by a dirty or clogged filter or return line. It may also be caused by a valve that is shut off or a clogged impeller. Pool Pump Motor Will Not Prime: First, in order to prime itself, a pump must be located between 10 and 20 feet from the pool, at or just slightly above the pool water level. If the pump will not prime, there may be a leak or there may be a clog. It could be that the strainer cover is loose or an O-ring under the strainer housing is worn. Check to see if the impeller is functioning properly. Pool Pump Motor is Flooded: If your pool pump motor is flooded, you will have to replace it. Pool pump motors damaged by flooding are generally not under warranty.
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Equipment for Upkeep 
