Hayward Pool Pump Troubleshooting

hayward pool pump troubleshooting

Known for being reliable and durable, Hayward pool pumps have always been our leading line of pumps. Hayward pumps come in a variety of horsepowers, voltages and speeds. But just like any sort of equipment, even the most well-made products sometimes need repairs. Typically, any dilemmas with your Hayward pool pump are likely related to either electrical or plumbing situations.

Don’t let pool pump problems drive you crazy! With the information explained in this comprehensive troubleshooting guide, you can diagnose and repair your Hayward single speed or variable speed pool pump with ease!

Hayward Pool Pump Electrical Problems

Pump Won’t Turn On

pool filter pumpA pump that simply won’t start is a frustrating problem. If you get no response from your Hayward pool pump when you flip the switch, first verify the terminal board connections match the wiring diagram on the motor data plate label. Likewise, check if the motor is wired correctly for the available field supply voltage. If that doesn’t solve the problem, then work through the steps below.

  1. Check all connections, circuit breakers, and fuses. Repair or replace any tripped breakers or blown fuses.
  2. Inspect the motor shaft for any obstructions. Remove the pump and basket, then look for and remove any debris in the shaft.

Humming Motor: If the pump motor makes a humming sound when starting up, you likely have a clogged impeller. To remedy this, simply open up your pump, and clean out any rubbish.

Pump Shuts Off

Damaged or inadequate wiring, resulting in a power drop, are likely to blame for your Hayward pool pump shutting off. Fixing this issue can be tricky, so we suggest you get the help of a certified professional.

Pump is Smoking or Sparking

Holy smokes! Improper voltage wiring is the usual culprit for smoking pump motors. Check the motor diagram for the voltage wiring diagram. Another reason for a smoking pump is an incorrectly installed shaft seal, or blown capacitor.

Loose wire connections or touching terminal connections cause sparking. Fix this problem simply by tightening or adjusting the wires and connections in the motor. Sparking can also come directly from a short in the windings of the motor. This usually means the motor needs to be replaced.

Tripped Breaker

A jammed impeller or blown capacitor can lead to a tripped breaker. Examine your pump’s impeller for any obstructions, and replace the capacitor if necessary. In some instances, it could just be a bad breaker. If you suspect your breaker has broken, call a certified electrician to further diagnose the problem.

Hayward Pool Pump Plumbing Problems

Water Leak

A bad shaft seal or loose pipe is likely the cause of your leaky pump. Leaks can also come from loose drain plugs, or loose bolts on the seal plate, connecting the motor to the pump.

If the water is running down between the pump and motor, determine if it’s dripping out of the plumbing fitting on top or the shaft seal on the bottom.

Priming Problems

There can be multiple reasons for a pool pump not priming correctly. Initially, look into the pump/strainer housing. Flush out the housing to clear debris, then refill with water. Additionally, ensure all o-rings, valves, and gaskets are lubricated and situated in the right positions.

Air leaks are another source of priming issues. Inspect the pipe/union connections on the suction side for loose connections or damaged pipes. Double check that connections are snug and fitted properly. If the problem continues after fixing the problems above, you may have a clog in the suction side of your pump. Contact a professional for further assistance.

Pump is Not Pumping Waterno water present

If your pool pump is not pumping water, check that all suction and return valves are open, and the pump lid is on tight, with the lid o-ring in place. Lubricating the lid o-ring regularly will help improve the seal. Check that the drain plugs are tightly inserted with Teflon tape, and that the pump basket is inserted in the proper way, and is sitting all the way down.

Low Water Flow

Before you purchase a new Hayward pool pump, it’s important to verify that the pump is the right size for your pool piping. Incorrect sizing can cause multiple problems, including low water flow.

Additional causes for low water flow in your pump are debris build-up or dirty equipment. Inspect the following areas:

  • Blocked strainer or suction line: If you suspect your strainer or suction line is blocked, contact a professional for assistance,
  • Clogged impeller: Remove any debris from your impeller. If the impeller is damaged, replace it, and install a new seal assembly.
  • Dirty pool filters: Clean out your pool filter if needed, and check that the valves are open all the way. If you have a sand or Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) filter, backwash according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Clogged baskets and canisters: Clean out your skimmer basket, pump basket and in-line leaf canister if they are clogged.

If you see air bubbles coming from the return fittings on the pump, there may be an air leak on the suction side. Inspect and tighten the suction and discharge connections using Teflon tape.

Noisy Pump Motor

It’s concerning to suddenly hear strange sounds coming from your Hayward pool pump. To determine the cause of your noisy pump, investigate the following reasons:

  1. Foreign object: If you hear a rattling coming from your pump, it’s likely due to a foreign object. Open your pump and remove any rocks or debris.
  2. Incorrect positioning: An incorrectly stationed pool pump will rattle and vibrate when in use. Make sure the area underneath your pump is level, and secure the pump to the equipment pad.
  3. Years of use: Chemical build-up over time can cause seal damage, letting chlorinated water seep into the bearings and erode the lubrication. Replace all bearings together and check seal integrity.

There’s no need to feel overwhelmed if your Hayward pool pump isn’t functioning correctly. This troubleshooting guide should give you all the tools and understanding you need to tackle any issue with your Hayward pool pump with confidence!

585 thoughts on “Hayward Pool Pump Troubleshooting

  1. Anessa York

    I’ve been told my Hayward Vsp has been shutting itself off for low power issues, even though no power issues are present. This he says is because the drive is intermittently failing and the pump will need to be replaced.
    I have a six year old Hayward sp3400vsp and they’re recommending I replace it with the pen take intelliflo. I don’t really know if my pump can be repaired or if the only solution is buying a new pump so soon. My prior one was over 12 years old so I’m feeling uncertain. Do you have any advice?

    • Hi Anessa, Hayward VS pumps are known to have Drive Errors, whereas Pentair, I don’t hear so many problems about the Intelliflo. It’s likely good advice you are getting. If your pool is fairly small, without spa and water features, you can also consider using a Pentair SuperFlo VS pump, which has fewer features than the Intelliflo, but also costs much less.

  2. Arthur R Davis

    9-17-2020
    14 x 28 inground, water clear.
    Hayward Super Pump, 1 Hp running on 240V, 3 yrs old
    I have been getting GFI breaker trips intermittently. (GFI 240V 20amp)
    Intermittently meaning it could run for days then trip, I could reset the breaker and have it trip again within a few hours, or it could run for days.
    I first thought it might be the motor capacitor, new cap, problem still the same.
    I changed the GFI Breaker in the main panel, problem still the same.
    The main panel feeds a Tork timer, which I don’t use the timer, I disconnected the timer motor. {Thinking it could be the timer motor) Problem still the same.
    I put a new 1 hp motor on the pump, and new mechanical seal in the pump, problem still the same.
    I put a new power cord socket in the water proof box, which feeds power to the pump, I shined up the power cord plug pins), (power cord is about 2.5 ft of 12 Ga, not wet, not laying on the ground)
    I set up to measure motor current, using 100amp, 100mv shunt, the current draw is 6.5 amps @241V (Pump pressure about 17-18 psi)
    It’s that time of season to close the pool, I am probably going to close the pool and worry about the tripping breaker next year.

    I would be interested in your thoughts.

    Thanks A. Ray Davis
    Ray1davis@comcast .net

    • Hi Ray, the GFI breaker you replaced, is that the pump breaker? Most pump breakers are not GFI, it might not trip if it is a regular non-GFI. The outlet the pump is plugged into, I suppose that is a 240V outlet. Maybe you could just wire the pump directly to the breaker? Or to a light switch and then to a breaker, that would be more of a standard installation.

  3. douglas carbone

    Pump shutoff during 24 hours of pouring rain. The breaker on the panel tripped. Upon resetting an electrical short sound came from the pump motor tripping the breaker a second time.

    • Hi Douglas, it could be the capacitor, if you’re lucky. That is the black cylinder in the rear of the motor, located at 9 o’clock. Replace with exact duplicated MFD numbers. When they fail, they often crack, bulge, leak or smell bad, but not always. It could also be just too much moisture on the motor terminals. Drying off the terminal board may help, by removing the rear cover. Make sure there is no water in the conduit from the timer to the pump, and breaker to timer. Old broken wires inside of the conduit could be the problem. If the motor was submerged, it may not recover. If so, you can replace just the motor, or the entire pump.

  4. Hi, I have a hayword C48L2N134B3 1.5 HP pool pump. It makes humming sound 1-2 times before starting. It does this everyday and then starts working like normaly for the rest of the day. Please tell me if this is normal or do I need to change anything?

    • That is usually the capacitor, a black cylinder in the back of the motor. Replace with exact MFD number, printed on side.

  5. Jake Carter

    Just replaced the upper lid on my Vari-flow and spider gasket, also changed out 300 lbs filter sand. Problem is now the pool will not clean up (algae) and the pump is slow to prime.

    • Jake, sounds like you got the filter up to speed. For the priming problem, you may have an air leak on the pump lid or around the pipe coming into the pump. For the green water, drop the pH to 7.2 and add enough shock until the water turns blue-ish, and run the filter 24/7. If the next day the chlorine level is nearly zero, shock again.

  6. Hi Davy,
    I just purchased a brand new Hayward Super Pump 1.5HP for my pool that is being renovated. Also installed a brand new circuit box to allow for the bigger pump – it’s a 20A GFCI breaker with 12 gauge wire going to the pump. The pump said it came prewired for 230V, but we are running 115V. Upon reading alot of articles and watching videos, it seems the pump came with the clamp on the 115V setting? Regardless, after wiring it up (we did the hot on the bottom and neutral on the top), I put water in the basket and turned on the pump. Since the pool is still being finished, the lines going to and from the pool are not installed yet so wanted to put water in there to test. Flipped the timer on, water shot up about 10 feet and went all over me and the timer and the breaker blew. Let everything dry and put the pump on again and it just hums. Do you think it’s the capacitor and I can get another one from Hayward, or possibly mis-wiring? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide, the pool should be done in the next few days and need to figure out this pump situation.

    • Nick, it could be the capacitor, I guess water got on the terminal board, to trip the breaker. If you need a new one in a few days, I would not consider getting one from Hayward, that could take a month. I would look on the capacitor and order a new one online, with the same MFD number, or call some local electric motor repair shop and see if they have one available.

  7. When I turn the pump on, the Thicker hose Between the pump and sand filter pops out of the end that is connected to the filter. I’ve had the pool for about a month and all has been fine but while I am ordering a new hose is there a replacement hose I can use in the meantime? Or maybe a clamp? Or maybe the glue that I’m assuming is no longer working? It looks like no one has them in Stock and if I can’t filter the pool, then it won’t be usable.

    • Sandy, some hoses are clamped onto hose adapters, using a ‘worm clamp‘ or ‘radiator clamp’ that tightens the hose to the hose adapter. If your hose has union connections that are tightened to connect to the filter, you may try some Teflon tape on the valve threads, or may need a new hose assembly, if the union threads are damaged. Hoses popping off could also indicate a high pressure problem after the filter, such as obstructed return lines, such as plugged or blocked wall returns, or closed valves.

  8. Inherited an old Hayward super pump that hums but doesn’t turn over, checked the shaft which moves smoothly and replaced the starter capacitor to no avail. Anything else to fiddle with or bad motor?

    • Hi, make sure that the switches are not loose, the centrifugal switch on the end of the shaft and the Stationary switch at 6 o’clock. Also make sure that the stationary switch copper tabs are not fused together, and that it is centered on the centrifugal switch. Also check all the wires, from the back of the terminal board, to the stat. switch and to the capacitor, to be sure nothing is loose or no crimped wires. And check that incoming power matches the voltage for the motor, as the motor can be switched to accept 110V or 220V, see wiring diagram on motor label.

  9. Sam Osborne

    Just wired and installed a brand new Century 1 hp pump motor on a Hayward Super pump filter, getting power to the terminals of the motor but motor does not start, shaft spins freely. The motor has all of the same specifications of the Hayward motor that is being replaced, what could possibly cause the motor not ot work?

    • Hi Sam, I suppose a dead battery (capacitor), but there would be some noise or hum, as the motor tried to start, then would trip the breaker. Is the wire the correct size wire? 12 ga or 14 ga? Is there a disconnected wire in the back of the motor? Not the power leads, but other connecting wires from the terminal board to the switch, to the cap…? Is the motor set to accept 220V, and matching what you measure at the motor terminals? There’s a few ideas to check, good luck!

  10. Jim Lewis

    I think I have some air leakage on my supply side of my Hayward Super Pump. I have chalked all the connections and lubricated the basket seal. I was wondering if the Hayward Cyclac Ball Value could be leaking? Do they sometimes have to be replaced?

    • Hi Jim, yes it could be leaking, around the stem that sticks up thru the valve body and attaches to the handle. If you can remove the handle, you can apply shaving cream and run the pump to see if it gets sucked in – put cream around the stem and on both joints in/out of the valve. If it is a union valve, cream also on the union nut. There is an o-ring on the union, and also on the valve stem, and they can start leaking over time. Also check the threaded pipe that comes into the pump, #1 most common air leak.

  11. Hayward North Star replaces capacitors Twice in a span of 3 month now pool pump not making any noise wondering if I can replace capacitor a third time. Not sure power goes to the pump.

    • Hi Tony, there could be a short in the motor, or loose wires connecting to the capacitor, or if the capacitor you are replacing with is not the correct capacitor, or if the centrifugal or stationary switches are not releasing the capacitor, due to loose or misaligned switches, or loose wires, or wires shorting out by touching other wires or the motor casing, or crimped wires… give a good look around the back of the motor, and try another capacitor, maybe call Hayward and ask for the correct capacitor MFD number for your horsepower of Northstar.

  12. My pump seems to trip the GFCI breaker each time it is plugged in. It was off this morning and I reset the breaker. The Aquatrol kind of jumped and the breaker tripped. I disconnected it and plugged the Aquatrol in alone; that worked fine. I then plugged the pump into the outlet and it tripped again. Any ideas on troubleshooting this issue? Thanks!

    • Hi Ron, I assume you have had the system for some time, an it’s just now giving trouble? My first thought is that the breaker may be too small for the amount of amps needed to start each piece of equipment. If it is a 15amp breaker, but the pump wants 9amps and the aquatrol wants 7 amps, (for example, made-up numbers) that’s a total of 16amps, too much. Second thing could be loose wire connections, on the breaker, on the outlet, or on the cords connecting to the pump/trol, or damaged plug ends. Third, is that breakers sometimes don’t last forever, and can be go bad, usually after 20-30 yrs tho. Fourth, bad capacitor on the motor? Capacitor is a battery in the back of the motor, at 9 oclock that assists in starting the motor, if the capacitor was weak, that may draw more amps from the breaker.

  13. My pump keeps overheating and shutting off. I have 2 extension cords running to plug it in. They are higher voltage or whatever…but could that be the problem? Or could it be a dirty motor or ground wire that isnt connected well enough?

    • Hi Ryan, it possibly could be a problem with running two extension cords, also could be voltage fluctuation, or loose terminal connections, or just a pump going bad. In my experience, a motor overheating is usually on its last legs… what you could do is take it to an electric motor shop in town, and have them run it thru some diagnostics, should not be too expensive, but call first to check.

  14. We have a Hayward ultra pro lx series pump for our above ground pool. This is our second season for this pump. We recently noticed the plug and cord are getting hot and the rubber is beginning to melt. The pump is working great but concerned about the hot cord. It is plugged into a gfi outlet. The outlet has been replaced and the issue is still happening. Any idea what could be causing this issue.

    • While it is normal for an appliance plug to become warm, it is abnormal for such a plug to get hot. Internal electrical faults in the pump, such as a short circuit or improper ground, also can cause the device to draw more power than necessary and excess heating. Check all the wire connections inside the motor on the terminal board, the 2 wires and the ground wire. Also check other wires in the back of the motor. Then check the GFCI for loose wires. It could also be that the power cord is not rated for 15 amps, which is the likely size of the breaker for the outlet (but check the breaker amp size). Excessive voltage or amps can cause the problem. Check it out, it could start a fire!

  15. Matt Wagenfer

    I have a Hayward Super Pump Model:C48L2N134B1 that I replaced 3 or 4 seasons ago and until now I have had no trouble out of it. In the last couple weeks it started getting louder at various times throughout the day. Basically it ran normal and then would get loud, and then go back to normal. Today it completely shutdown at some point and tripped the breaker in the house. I reset everything when I noticed the problem. When I turned the pump on it is very loud and the pump is not moving water. Like it is locked up. I shut it down again before the problem got worse.

    • Hi Matt, sound like the bearings have gone bad, and now they are so bad that the shaft has locked up or is binding, and that trips the breaker. You will have a choice of replacing the bearings or having a local electric motor shop do it, or replace the entire motor, or the entire pump. Sorry for the bad news. Normally they last longer…

  16. Hi, my Hayward pump is about 5 years old. It worked fine for the first 2-3 years and then every time it needs to restart, it trips the breaker. Sometimes I am able to get it going by switching the breaker on/off several times, but most times I can hear the motor trying to start for a couple of seconds before it trips the breaker again and again. Once I get it going, it works fine for as long as I leave it on.

    Is this a pump problem, priming problem (filter, pipes losing water somewhere)? I do not think it’s the breaker…it’s relatively new. I do not see any water leaks around the pump or the filter other than a few drops under the chlorinator.

    Thank you for your help

    • HI Sang, check the capacitor, or just replace it, they are cheap, it is the large black cylinder at 9 o’clock in the rear of the motor. Replace with the exact same MFD number, printed on the capacitor.

      • Hello Davy, you just saved me a few hundred bucks. Indeed, it was the capacitor and as soon as I replaced it ($6) the pump is working like a champ. Thanks a lot! I owe you a beer if you are ever around my neck of the woods. Cheers!

  17. Jennifer Rochet

    Hi,

    My Hayward xstream filter pump is not turning on at all. When I turn on my clock and put my ear close to the clock I hear the clock sound like it’s on but my Hayward filter does not turn on and makes no noise. Any idea how to fix this?

    • Hi Jennifer, many Matrix pumps have an on/off switch on the rear bottom of the motor cap end. Maybe that’s off. Also, if there is a GFCI outlet connected, perhaps it is tripped? Is there any other switch? IF not, you may remove the motor end cap (with power off) and see that the wires are connected firmly. If you have a power meter you can turn clock on and see if power is getting to the motor – 110-120V

  18. Joe Johnson

    I just replaced my pump/motor at the start of this swimming season. I went out Toto shut it off so I could backwash and add chlorine. When I try to turn the pump back on, it only hums.

    • Hi Joe, make sure that the pump shaft is spinning freely. Check electrical connections and wiring for loose or broken. Check the switches in the back of the motor, the centrifugal on the end of the shaft, and the stationary, mounted at 6 o’clock, to look for any loose screws or insects, or mis-alignment. If all good, check the capacitor, at 9 o’clock, looking for bulging or cracking or burned marks. Replace with the exact same MFD number capacitor if defective (they can be tested) – the capacitor is the battery that starts the motor…

  19. Hi Davy,
    I think I have a different problem with the pump now. There is water, not a lot, but water at the base of the pump. How do I seal it? There must be a leak.

    Thanks,
    Toula

    • Water at the base of the pump: 1. could be from a loose pump lid, dripping when the pump is off, 2. could be a leaking outlet pipe fitting, oozing from where water leaves the pump, and running down the sides of the volute, and dripping off the bottom, or 3. could be the shaft seal failing, behind the impeller. Search our blog for “shaft seal replacement”, if so.

  20. Hi Davy,
    The pump was working well since opening the pool in May, but the last few days it was quite weak. The box is reading no water flow and psi is just above 0. I turned it off overnight but still the same thing. I took out the filter cartridge and hosed it down replaced, emptied all the baskets but still no change, only one of the jets is pushing out water, but barely. It bubbles and their are very few ripples in the water.
    Do you have any idea what I need to do to remedy the problem.
    Thank you!

    • Hi Toula, consider that the impeller may be clogged, or you may have an air leak, in front of the impeller. You may be able to remove the basket and reach thru the volute to the eye of the impeller, and may be able to feel debris. Sometimes this can be cleared or removed, without pulling the pump apart, which is def. easier. Air leaks are from a loose pump lid or dry pump lid o-ring, or from a loose pipe coming into the pump, or from leaky suction-side valves (SK/MD). The pump need not be completely air tight, but has to pull more water than air!

  21. Gail Gibbs

    Thank you for the quick response. After resetting the switch 3 times yesterday,the pump is finally staying on. It ran all night and still going. Just to let you know, the pump is in a well ventilated she’d with nothing else around it. The ampage to the pump has been the same since we got the pump 7 years ago and never had this issue before. I am thinking it must be the age of the pump. We only use the pump in the summer months, since we live in Canada. I presume I’ll be looking at buying a new pump next year.

    • Gail, good luck! fingers crossed, as we say. Next year, June 21, 2021, is the date that VS (Variable Speed) pumps will be required, over 1-hp in size.

  22. Gail Gibbs

    I had my hayward pump serviced because it was making a sweeping sounda overheatng and kept shutting of after an hour . The print and bearings were replaced. Now it runs nice and quiet but still overheats and shuts off. I have a thermal switch on it,thank goodness or the motor would probably be fried. I let the pump cool down, then reset the thermal switch and it runs for another hour and shuts off again.The wiring is the same and it doesn’t trip the breaker switch.

    • Hi Gail, overheating can be caused by the wrong wire size from breaker to motor, or loose wire connections, or over-voltage coming into motor, or lack of ventilation around the motor (mulch piled up, or big bushes close by, or placed in a box cover), but it’s can also be a fatal fault inside the motor.

  23. I have a dual flow 2 speed pump. After cleaning the pool the pool pump would just hum and not start. I opened the back and was spinning the rod and it eventually started. However after shutting it manually, the pump wouldn’t start again. This pump is not even a year old. Please help! thanks

    • Hi Dave, check that the centrifugal switch is screwed on tightly to the end of the motor shaft. And check that the stationary switch, located at 6 o’clock, is also screwed in tightly, and that the tab is centered on the tab of the centrifugal switch. Then, take a look at the capacitor, located at 9 o’clock. Remove the bracket and inspect for bulging, cracking, or burnt marks on the end. Even if it looks good, it could be bad. You can remove the wires and call your local “Electric Motor Repair Shop”, and see if they have this capacitor in stock, just read them the MFD number range printed on the side of the black cylinder. You can also order capacitors online. They function as the starting battery for the motor, to help it get up to speed quickly. Yours may have become weak, or damaged somehow. If that does not fix the issue, the problem goes deeper, and it may be a fatal error in the motor.

  24. Hi there,

    We were cleaning our pool filter one day and went to restart the pump and it didnt. Checked breakers etc tried again and it came on…but very loud. Almost like it was revving. Went to clean the pool filter a few days later and now when turning on the pump it made a loud grinding noise. Turned it off and now it makes the grinding noise and turns off itself. We cannot get it going again

    Any ideas? Thanks so much!

    • I would say you are likely needing a new motor, and pump. The loud noise could be the bearings, or it could be the impeller having come off the shaft and contacting the volute – if you have an older bronze or brass pump, with an impeller that uses a stub shaft. If your pump is made of plastic, it must be the bearings, failing so hard that it is causing the motor to overheat. You can either take the motor to an electric motor repair shop for rebuilding (new seals/bearings), or buy a new motor, or buy a new pump.

  25. Shane Dillard

    I’m not sure what happened. I get home from work and the pump is running. Go to the grocery store and come back and it’s dead. Checked to make sure nothing was blocking it. All cords are fine. Nothing tripped. All breakers are good. Its a ecoclear 1.5hp.

    • Hi, could be a lot of things, first I would use a test meter or outlet checker to be sure the outlet has power. If so, put the meter on the terminals where to cord connects inside the motor and see if there is power there. If so, shut off power and see if the motor shaft will spin. Inspect the capacitor, at 9 oclock in the rear, for bulges, cracks or brown liquid. Test the capacitor for voltage, or just replace with exact MFD no. replacement.

  26. I’m losing my mind. We replaced all the seals in the pump and ran a completely new line even from the pump directly into the pool and it will not hold prime. I even tried running the new line downhill and then back up some to hold water in the piping. The pump works and will pump out whatever water is in the line, but won’t prime and suck the water from the pool. When I take the lid off the pump hopper I can hear the air releasing, and there can’t be any air leaks anywhere as it’s a new line right from the pump directly into the pool. I even removed the outflow from the filter and ran that directly in case the filter was clogged. Still no luck. Please help!

    • Tim, all I can think of is maybe the pump is not self-priming pump? Most above ground pool pumps are not self-priming, and mot inground pumps are self-priming. Sounds like maybe you’ve tried it both ways, at water level and below water level? I like to use a Drain King on pumps that have priming problems, to get them started, get the 2″ model at any hardware store. Put it in the line at the pool, and as the pump begins to catch prime, crimp the hose and slowly pull out of the pipe.

      • Thanks for the reply! It’s a Hayward self-priming Super Pump. I’ll look up the Drain King, is that something like a check valve? I was going to try one of those next, as it seems impossible to keep water in the line without it draining into the pool.

        • A check valve could also be a solution, but a Drain King is different, they are used to pressure lines, for blowing out clogged drains usually, but also useful to pressurize the suction manifold to look for air leaks, or for priming a pump that has issues catching prime.

  27. Robert Froehlich

    I had an old hayward 1.5 hp power flo matrix 2 speed pump. It would run fine. I would turn it off and it would hum and eventually start. It was only 3 years old. I bought a new pump thinking was something wrong with pump on off switch. I bought same pump and electrician put on old twist lock cord from previous pump. Third time turned off pump same thing happened with humming and eventually kicking in. Could it be a bad cord?

    • It could possibly be a bad cord, or a bad outlet, or loose wires on pump or outlet. It could also be a bad capacitor, which is like a battery, to start the motor. Two going bad? that would be rare, very rare. Might be some voltage issues? A spike below 100V or above 140V, could blow a capacitor. The cap is located at 9 oclock in the rear of the motor, when they go bad, they sometimes bulge or crack, or turn brown or smell strongly of burnt wires… They are cheap to replace, worth a shot, replace with identical MFD number. You can get locally at an “electric motor repair shop”.

  28. Rajesh Joshi

    Hi
    I have opened a pool and I have kept pump running 24 hrs due to Alge but few hours later there is no water moving in pool. I checked pool water supply and don’t feel any water coming but my pump is still running but nothing is moving in pool. Is it problem of filter ? Do I need to clean filter? When pump start it work fine but after few hours water stop moving

    • Yes, that sounds like a filter problem, clogged up with algae or oily substance. Also check the pump basket, and possibly the pump impeller may be clogged, but I’d first clean the filter. If you have a filter pressure gauge, the practice is to clean the filter when the pressure gauge rises 7-9 psi above the clean, starting pressure.

  29. David Baver

    Getting air in basket, changed gasket with lube still have the same issue. Cap is fine, so I lost. Any suggestions?

    • The most common areas for an air leak are the pump lid (is it as tight as possible?), and the pipe that threads into the pump (is it loose, shrunken?), or the valves that are before the pump. One of those areas can be sealed up to stop the leak. If you are running the pump at full steam, and then shut it off, while looking very closely at these areas, you may see a quick spurt of water, which is where the air leak is originating from.

  30. Hi – We just bought a new Hayward Powerflo Matrix pump and filter. Occasionally, while running, it trips the breaker. We had this issue with our older Hayward pump near the end of its life, but it would throw the breaker every time we tried to start the pump near the end of the summer last year. Before purchasing the new pump, I replaced the breaker just to be safe, but it is still throwing the new one. Any advice??

    • Ryan, is the breaker a 15-amp? That is usually suitable, but 20 amp could also be used. There could also be a short in the wiring to the pump, or from the breaker to the switch. Loose wiring, or broken wires, or wires nearly touching each other, and arcing.

      • Hi thanks for speedy reply — the breaker is 20 amp with a GFCI. The pump has its own breaker as well. I will re-check all the wiring. The new pump runs great and only once every day or so do we notice that the pump is off and that the breaker is tripped. If the pump is not grounded correctly, might that have something to do with it tripping? Thanks

        • Yes, if not grounded correctly, the GFCI will trip. GFCI’s are sensitive, but for a reason. There may be some stray voltage running around the system, on the bonding wire. Your pump should be connected to a bare copper wire, test it to see if there is any voltage detected in the bonding wire. Pump motors are not normally on a GFCI breaker, unless your pump plugs in to an outlet. GFCI breakers can go bad, but then again, they can be good, and this symptom could be warning you of a potentially unsafe situation. If you have trouble getting past this, an electrician may be a good call to make.

  31. Maurice Carlier

    Hi Davy,

    Please ignore my previous question – I put a slight bend in the end of the wrench and was able to get a grip on the shaft 🙂

  32. Maurice Carlier

    When I opened my pool the pump hummed and did not start. I have removed and tested the capacitor – it appears OK – I then removed the thermostat to try to access the shaft and turn it with a 7/17 wrench, but the protrusions on the casting and other spring mounted stuff appear to make it impossible to get a grip on the shaft. What am I doing wrong?? 🙁

  33. Mark Kasner

    So I installed a brand new Hayward W3SP2610X15 Super Pump Pool Pump, 1.5 HP last season Summer 2019 and used the electric cord from the old one which was showing it’s age. It worked great for the season. As I started to prep for this season, I did notice that the positive and negative electrical terminals on the 3 prong cord were corroded and loose. It appeared that I could’ve pulled them right off if I tried. Anyway I decided to run it and it appears that the pump runs full power with the returns pushing out with lots of force for about 5 minutes and then it weakens. If I shut the pump off for a little while and put it back on it repeats the same thing over and over, strong at first for about 5 minutes then weak. The filter is clean. I have a D.E. filter. I believe I checked everything and hoping it’s just the electric cord and the fact that it is corroded and loose and likely loosing electric current after it gets heated up a bit. The cord does feel warm to the touch. I will be replacing it tomorrow along with the electric socket. I was just wondering if you thought that could be the issue unless it could be something else. I would appreciate any kind of trouble shooting and support. regardless, i am replacing the electrical cord.

    • Mark, if you can hear the motor winding up and down, then it could be the cord. If it’s not the cord, I would suggest the filter, cleaning the fingers with a good soak to de-scale and de-grease. It is a common problem with Hayward Perflex, the symptoms you describe, and is usually clogged ‘fingers’.

  34. Abhijit Law

    Hi,

    I opened my pool this weekend and started the pump and let it run for few hours before stopping it. I tried starting again one morning but the pump won’t start. I opened the back cover and made sure the shaft is rotating and also made sure the electric connections are good. What should i do now? Is my pool pump dead?

    Thanks for your help.

    • It could be dead. If it makes no noise at all, check that the GFCI test button is not tripped, and flip the circuit breaker off and back on. Check that the timer clock motor is working. If it does make a hum or buzz sound, it could be a bad capacitor, the black cylinder at 9 o’clock, in the rear of the motor.

  35. Bobby Berryhill

    my hayward pump will only work when the nob is turned to 110
    v when it is turned to 230v and re wired for 220-230 v it makes no noise at all. The wiring is all new, new breakers and new sub box professionaly installed. it runs
    runs normal on 110 but does not make any sound when set on 230 and wired accordingly. voltage reachs the stationary switch

  36. Hi there. We have a Hayward 1.5 hp Superpump. It is only in its 3rd season. At the end of last season we noticed a leak. We have just replaced the seal assembly as suggested by a Hayward rep already. Now when we try to turn everything on the pump won’t start at all and keeps tripping the breaker. What do you suggest?

    • Check the shaft, to see that it is spinning freely, then check the wiring to be sure no bare wires are touching bare metal, or each other, or is corroded, and that all wiring is tight and clean. IF that all looks good, consider replacing the capacitor. this is the black cylinder in the rear, at 9 o’clock.

  37. Mr.Jamie Electrical STL

    My client just had his pool guy open his pool for the summer yesterday and they discovered voltage in the pool. When I (electrician) arrived I was able to measure 38volts to ground in the water when the main pump (Hayward Tristar) is running. They have never had this issue in the pass, a salt water chlorinator was added to the system last year with no problems. The pump was about 13 years old. It actually burned up shortly after my arrival and troubleshooting it. I don’t want to assume but I am guessing the pump was just going bad, thus leaking voltage in the pool. I was able to isolate all the other electrical circuits at the Aqua Logic power panel. I was only able to read and yes feel voltage in the pool when the main pump was running only. The pool seems to be bonded,I did find that the Aqua Logic Panel is fed from the main electrical panel has no equipment ground, when I established a ground, the motor shortly after burnt up, heard a little crakling and a pop in the motor housing, and little smoke (the breaker did not trip, until the pump smoked out it seemed to be running fine, with a normal amp load. Yes this pool was install without GFCI protection, (of course we will installing an equipment ground and GFCI Breakers.) Just hoping for some feed back and the name plate is missing from the Tristar Motor, to actually know the exact motor we have? My client thinks the motor was 1hp, but he really not sure. Good thing is our power company is offer rebates for new energy efficient pumps. Is there a resource I can look at to help understand the enter system, that is control by the Aqua Logic Power Panel. The Pool is a Roman 23 in ground. First, I want to ensure the pool is voltage free, thus grounded and all components are bonded, I know many pumps have a zinc plate that actually bonds the water. I believe there a water volume calculator, that can help us size the motor, the originally company who installed is not in business.

    • Hello there, if he customer wants to install a VS pump (required in 2021 for all new pumps), they could do that now. The Tristar VS would be a good choice and easy to plumb, since it’s the same pump. The regular tristar is only $100 cheaper now, so I’d go for the Tristar VS.

  38. gen reardon

    I just replaced my pool pump motor because it was really loud and i figured it was the bearings. There is also a leak somewhere in the system because there is water on the pad. The new pump was very quiet yesterday when I installed it, but this morning, I notice there is a slight medium pitch hum in the system. And water around the base. what do you think the hum could be?

    • Could be a change in vibration, press down on the pump, to see if the tone changes. It could also be due to the air intake, or the filter pressure, Water around the base, check the motor bolts or seal plate clamp for tightness on the seal plate o-ring, and check drain plugs for tightness, but most likely its coming from around the outlet pipe, and dripping down to the base, or from the shaft seal, which leaks directly mid bottom, where motor connects. Or if pump was off for some time, it can leak water, where it leaks air, when on.

  39. Kelly McNutt

    Hi Dave..your honest opinion please..new 14000gal gunite pool with hayward sp3400vsp pump September 2014,ran a month winterized and ran fine for 3 years, when company came to open up the pool in 2017,pump stuck,installed new 3400@ $1200. Today two years later, same company opened pool,pump stuck and want to install another 3400vsp for $1330. In my area, the pool gets opened mid May and closed mid September, and runs around 8 hours a day. So in actuality the pump is only being used 4 months a year for 8 hours a day. Does this seem odd or excessive? Another oddity is both failure are upon Spring re-opening,and the pumps ran flawlessly throughout each summer? thank you Kelly

    • Hi Kelly, the first thing that comes to mind when you say ‘pump stuck’, is the common occurrence of rust building up between the rotor and stator, inside the motor. Happens all the time to pool pumps, and the way to un-stick it is to do some disassembly in the rear of the motor, to get a wrench on the slotted rear of the motor shaft, and work the shaft back and forth for a minute, to break the rust seal, and get the shaft to turn again. I would guess this is what is happening, and if so – your service company is either uneducated or dishonest. If the impeller won’t spin, this is likely the problem. If they won’t or can’t fix it, call a electric motor repair shop to visit, or pull the pump and take it to them for service, or attempt the (easy) repair yourself. Thanks, good question.

  40. Capt.Mike

    Hi Davy!
    I have an Ecostar That has developed a pinhole spray leak at the top of where the pump housing oring sits between the pump and motor. I tried replacing that oring and the leak got worse somehow and it just doesn’t feel like there is any pressure when tightening the 6 bolts that hold the pump and motor together. Could vibration over time wear the pump housing? Is there a thicker housing oring that could be installed to fix the leak?

    • Hello Capt., there is not a thicker o-ring available, but you could possibly seal it up with Blue RTV Silicone, i.e. Gasket Maker. If the bolts do not tighten fully, it could be that the housing threaded receivers are loose and spinning as you try to tighten the bolts. If so, you may try to glue them in place with JB Weld or similar, and if that doesn’t work, a new housing would be in order.

  41. Jason Flock

    Hello. We had a pool built in FL in Aug 2018 with variable speed Hayward TriStar pump. I noticed the pump wasn’t running this week and saw the LED display was off and had moisture in it. I wonder if I should spend the $200 for replacement control board, or if there is a better fix. Calling the pool builder for warranty info, too. Thanks.

    • Hi Jason, I would wait to spend the money, until certain that would be the fix. You can also call Hayward directly for tech support. To keep the water clear, hand feed liquid or granular chlorine daily, and brush/skim the pool daily.

  42. David A Audette

    I have my pump to run each evening from 10:30pm to 9:30am. Timer 1 comes on at 10:30 at 1450rpms and runs to 3:30. Then timer 2 comes on at 3:30 at 2250 rpms, but recently (last 3 mornings) when the second timer at the higher rpms comes on it does not prime and just runs without circulation water through the system.

    • HI David, did anyone empty the pump basket recently? Could be a loose lid, or the basket not re-placed properly, and a clogged pump impeller. Can you manually get it to rev-up on a higher speed? Is the water level ok in the pool, and the skimmer weir is not stuck?

    • David A Audette

      I made sure the basket was seated properly and put grease on the o-ring on the cover and made sure it was tight. I then tried the pump at various speeds and it did not prime and circulate the water through the pool. When I turned off the pump I saw that it spit a little bit of water out of a Jandy Valve. Is this enough to cause it not to prime or is there an issue with the impeller?

      • Hi David, yes! When you see a quick spurt or spray of water when the pump shuts off, this is an area where air is entering the system, and causing priming problems. This spray is not usually noticed, unless the pump has been running nearly full-head or full-speed. It’s a good piece of troubleshooting. Look closely at the suction-side (incoming pipes/valves, up to the strainer pot), and shut off pump, watching closely for water spray, or sometimes just a fast dribble. Commonly appears on drain plugs, pump lids, pipe that screws into pump, or on incoming valves, like your Jandy. On Jandy valves, the spurt may be from the lid, or from the center of the lid around the stem, from a broken or missing grease cap (grey valves), or from a crack/damage. If from the top, try tightening the lid with a #3 Philips, or replace the lid o-ring. If from the center of the lid around the stem, you can replace the two small stem o-rings, but sometimes the stem is worn down and needs replacement. IF it’s a broken off grease cap, tap in a sharp screwdriver into where it threads in, to get some bite, and then slowly and firmly back out the broken off threaded connector, turning CCW, then replace with a new Grease Cap, or a 1/8″ threaded plug. We have all these parts here: https://www.intheswim.com/c/valve-parts

  43. Mark Copley

    I Installed a new Hayward VCSB216V solar pump. Since that time the mechanical seal has failed four times each time within 2 months of operation. The seal was replaced once on one pump and the entire pump has been replaced the other three times. The pump is connected after the filter and before the salt chlorinator. Why does this keep happening? Thanks
    Mark

    • Hi Mark, there are salt and ozone resistant shaft seals that can be used, the salt could be the problem, or it could be caused by a water-hammer effect, where flowing water is shut-ff suddenly by a closed valve on the return side, or turning a filter valve while the pump is running. You say the pump is connected AFTER the filter? Not normal, but can’t see a reason why that would cause the seal to fail.

  44. David moppert

    Hi, my Hayward super pump is thermo protected. Recently when power came on it hums and shuts down after 6 seconds. When it cools it automatically try’s to start again and motor turns on after 3 seconds of humming. Do you feel my capacitor is going bad or my motor? Thanks

    • Hi David, that would be my first guess, assuming that the power leads are tight, and connections or switches aren’t loose in the back. Capacitors are cheap to replace, or you can test the capacitor
      Before you test your capacitor, take note of it’s appearance. If it’s bulged, cracked or otherwise looks damaged, you can assume that it has failed. You should also check for loose, crimped or broken wires or rusty terminals on the capacitor.

      1. Remove the cover plate, and use an insulated screwdriver to discharge the capacitor. If you want, you can remove the capacitor and wrap it in a heavy cloth, or rubber sheet – just in case. It is quite rare that while testing a capacitor, it explodes (small explosion), but it can happen. More commonly, you may experience sparks, or a small popping sound as you drain the capacitor, if there is a lot of power stored. Point the capacitor away from you and others, while discharging. You only need to touch both terminals briefly with the tip of an insulated screwdriver, to discharge the capacitor.
      2. Remove the two wires connected to the capacitor, with a small flathead, or needle nose pliers. If the capacitor is bulged or cracked, or looks like it is burned or charred, you can assume that it is D.O.A.
      3. Use any type of multi-meter, digital or analog. It need not be a fancy $100 meter, it can be a $10 meter from Radio Shack. Set the test meter to Ohms, of 1K or higher. Touch both leads of your meter to the capacitor terminals, does not matter which lead touches which terminal.
      4. If the meter reads zero, and stays at zero – the capacitor is bad. If it slowly rises – your capacitor is capable of holding a charge.

  45. Jeff Burns

    I just had a pool built for me. We have a variable speed pump for filter and a single stage pump for cleaner. We have a circuit board that controls these two motors as well as an LED light. While the filter pump runs, you can here a drop for a millisecond every roughly 5 mins. Then sometimes with no rhyme or reason the pump shuts down and will not come back on until after I turn off and on all breakers. Please note the breaker is not tripped. Is this a ground issue or something else?

    • Hi Jeff, can’t be sure but it sounds like a relay issue, a relay on the controller. Should be under warranty – I would call the PB back out to troubleshoot it, or if not possible, contact the manufacturer of the control system.

  46. freddy elie

    i just installed a vspnp hayward pump and when i flip the breaker on it only makes a clicking noise. it does not turn on even though i get 240 volts.My blower is on a different circuit and works properly with 240 volts.

    • Hi Freddy, usually a clicking noise may be a relay, which are used in control systems for pools. It could also be a loose switch in the back of the motor. If you can determine where the sound is coming from (motor or controller), that will help narrow it down. Relays are usually small cubes, about 1″ square, sometimes black, sometimes clear, mounted on a circuit board.

  47. Frank Nagy-Kapinkin

    Hello,
    I have a new fiberglass pool and ever since I operate it the pump trips the breaker in most cases overnight hours between 2 timing sessions (pump not running). It did never tripped during program. Motor was replaced then gfci breaker replaced to Hayward recommended breaker (same breaker I had first time) still tripping on every 4-5 days , 10 days inconstant times but again 99% of the time overnight. Electrician was here at least 4 times and did not find anything. Strange things that when I have a storm it doesn’t break but I does a day after when day is perfect. We are out of ideas and no one can solve this. Any idea?

    • Hi Frank, two possible reasons might be nighttime moisture (dew), or small insects, both contacting the circuit, on the timer or connected electrical outlet, and causing a brief short, which can trip the breaker.

  48. Hello. We have a c48l2n134b3 pump. I believe we have the drawing in air issue at filter, I cannot locate to purchase the o ring seal and valve cover for this model. Any part # you can recommend ?

  49. Hi Dave, we are replacing a Hayward superpump 1.5 horsepower with the same pump. We are trying to switch the jumper or selector plug (not sure what it’s called) from 230 to 115 but the jumper doesn’t seem to fit smoothly on the 115 setting – the prongs it has to slide over seem too far apart and I’m afraid of breaking it. Is there a trick to moving it to 115? What’s that part called in case I do break it? Thanks!

    • Hi Jeanna, most of those slide from 230 to 115, but some do have to be unplugged and replugged. Look at the diagram on the top center of the motor, which may provide some help, if not, call Hayward (908) 355-7995 (U.S.). Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM. Not sure what to call it… ‘voltage selector’ perhaps?

  50. Mike Baulch

    I have a Hayward North Star that I rebuilt with new motor, shaft seal, all new rubber seals, impeller, and diffuser. Plate appeared to be good. Shaft seal went out twice and I have a groove in the motor shaft now. This is actually the second motor in 6 months. The same thing happened to the first one. Any ideas on what may be going on?

    • HI Mike, the seal and the motor may be separate issues or they may be related. Shaft seals may blow out if a valve after the pump is turned or briefly closed while the pump is running. They can also fail if used on a salt pool (there are salt seals that can be used), or if the motor and shaft heats up to high temps. Check the incoming motor voltage to be sure it is correct, too low or too high can cause problems. If the pump is too large and powerful for the system and pipe size (and Northstars are BIG pumps), the cavitation can cause the motor to overwork.

  51. Liane Bergmann

    I turned off my pool at the control box for 24 hours as I needed a union replaced at the salt cell. Flipped the breakers back on this morning after problem fixed. Tonight, I tried to manually start the filter and all I hear is a click in the mother board. Tried again and again to start, but just keep hearing a click sound and nothing happens.

    • Hi Liane, a click coming from a control panel, could be a relay, clicking to send the signal to start the pump, but the signal is lost along the way. If you don’t have a control system, and just a breaker box subpanel and maybe a time clock, the click could be coming from a switch inside the motor, which could be loose wires, low power, bad capacitor, loose switch, or something jamming up the motor shaft or internal fan…

  52. Heyward 1.5 hp… runs for a while and then top of pump pops off … when I reset it works for a while and then pops again … could It be pressure building up due to dirty filter?

    • Hi John, do you mean the filter top pops off? The pump top is under suction, not pressure (like the filter). Could be dangerous! Something is very loose, or missing, or clamp band threads may be damaged, please be careful – people have been fatally injured by pool filter tops popping off under pressure!

  53. Hi we have a Hayward DE filter for a 20×40 in ground. Filter runs fine at first, but then eventually loses its umph and then the return becomes minimal. I can see the water trickling in to the filter after a while, and the output becomes very limited.
    When I switch to waste or backwash, the suction is restored to full power and the flow is at full strength. After that, putting it to filter (following the backwash) ramps the flow to full strength until the gradual decline cycle starts again. Any thoughts?

    • Hi Mike, after backwashing a DE filter, you need to add DE filter powder again. Also, DE filters need to be opened up and hosed down completely clean every 6-9 months, and then started up again with a full charge of DE powder. Backwash your filter when pressure gauge rises 7-9 psi above the clean, starting pressure. Backwash several times to remove as much DE powder as possible, and then add 4 cups of DE powder for every 10 sq ft of filter surface area (see filter label if unsure).

  54. I came back after going out and my older Hayward pump was off. I checked the breaker and plug connection and they were fine. I did notice the on/off switch was ‘mushy’ moving from the on and off positions. Any ideas or what else to check?

    • Hi John, if the outlet is GFCI, check the TEST button, it may have tripped. Just push the red button back in. Also you can test the outlet with another small plugin item, like a hair dryer or lamp.

  55. Doug Stepien

    I have an older Haywood super pump 3/4 hp, i replaced it with a new 3/4 hp motor.

    After installing the new pump, priming it, it started running as normal, after a short time the new pump shut down and was very hot.
    I removed it and put the old pump back (20 years old), it works and does not shut down. What is the problem.

    • Hi Doug, my first guess would be that the motor was set to accept 230V but was given 115V, or vice versa. New motors are always set to accept 230V when shipped, but can fall out of adjustment, or if you are using 115V, then the motor (if ‘reversible voltage’ motor), the motor can be switched to accept 115V. look for a hi-voltage/low-voltage diagram on the motor label. If that’s not the problem, then it could be that you replaced the motor with a full rated motor, but the impeller (and old motor) was an uprated motor, or vice-versa. Third guess would be that the connections were not tight on the new motor. Motors are hot normally, 140 degrees or so, but if it shuts off and then resets and turns on again after 15-20 mins, it could be overheating, from voltage problems, loose connections, motor board, switch or capacitor wiring problems, or internal winding shorts.

  56. Minglin Zhou

    Dear Davy, my pump was working two days ago then I switched it off. then I tried to switch it on again but the pump won’t start. the motor makes humming sound but nothing happened, then the motor became burning hot. Didn’t I switched it off properly? has it broken? Please help.
    Minglin

    • Hi Minglin, open up the pump lid, and remove the basket and check if anything is obstructing the impeller, like grass, gravel, seeds, etc. Try to spin the impeller by hand, to be sure that the motor shaft spins freely and is not bound-up. If not, but the shaft and impeller spin freely – remove the start capacitor, normally located in the motor rear, at 9 oclock, and write down the MFD number, and then order one online, or at a local electric motor repair shop.

  57. I purchased a hayward powerflo matrix 1.5 pump and Proseries 21 Filter a week and a half ago. Long story short, bought a house that had an above ground pool that would not get the pool clear. After trying every chemical under the sun and replacing the sand, I pulled the trigger and started from scratch. Pool is ALMOST perfectly clear, BUT, for the life of me, I cannot get pressure to stay strong when vacuuming. I’ve tried everything. Everything is Primed and ready to go, soon as I put the vacuumin on the skimmer, the pressure stays for about 30 secs then the pressure and water level drop to next to nothing. I’ve tried setting up the vacuum with power on and power off and it’s no different. What am I doing wrong???

    • Hi Chris, is the vacuum hose fully primed with water before you attach it to the skimmer, you say ‘primed and ready to go’, so I assume so. So, that leads me to the hose having splits, and drawing air in from a few small slits or holes in the hose, or else the hose is crimping due to the strong suction of the pump. In either case, a new vacuum hose of good quality should fix the issue.

  58. Keri Fillmore

    I have water coming out the side of the sand filter where u would back wash? We replaced the handle assembly and valve per Hayward tech support that hasn’t fixed the problem. No matter where we move dial we have water coming out the back wash pipe.

    • Hi Keri, I understand, with Hayward Valves, incl the most common top mounted sand filter valve SP0714T, have the Spider Gasket molded to the underside of the rotor. So, if you replaced the handle assembly and valve, aka the “Key Assy”, item SPX0714BA, and water is still coming out of the backwash line…? That’s unusual, should’ve fixed it. Only thing I can think of, is the Key assy aligned properly when it was screwed back onto the valve body? I think it only screws on in one direction, but unscrew it to check… When in Filter Position, water should route in only one direction. Second thought is… are the pipes plumbed into the valve correct? (PUMP and RETURN pipes). Third, is there a valve closed after the filter, or some other obstruction?

  59. Hello, we have a 2 speed Hayward Tgistar pump it just stopped running, I have east the breakers both at the controller and on the main panel, the pump is hot to the touch and will restart after about two minutes then shutdown again. There is also a faint burnt odor,

    • Hi Vic, pool pump motors have a thermal overload switch that will shut down the motor if temps get too hot. Usually it takes about 15 mins, and the switch will reset and the motor will start again on its own. If that is what is happening to you – I’m sorry, but your motor is probably gasping it’s last breaths. Overheating can be a short across the windings, or it can be other major faults within the motor. It can also happen when voltage is incorrect (too high or too low), or when wires are shorting out, or in some cases, very hot weather and direct sunshine and other nearby sources of heat. Blocked air vents and no air flow is also a possibility. Worn bearings can also create enough heat to trip the switch. The burnt odor is not a good sign… a new motor may be needed soon!

  60. Frank Picca

    Hello,

    Today, I came home to find my pump off after leaving it on this morning. I have a hayward sp2610x15 1.5hp pump that I got in May 2017. It was wired for 230 but only had 115 going into it (we realized this after we had a pool guy come and see it) for a long time. A pool guy who has since stopped operating put it in. It overheated very badly, even burning the hayward sticker off the pump itself maybe a month ago. When the pool guy switched it, it worked very well for about a month with no issues at all. Running very smoothly and pumping very hard. But now I’m trying to plug it in and it doesn’t make any noise at all. Please help! Do you have any tips? Can I replace a specific part or do I have to buy a new one?

  61. My pool pump was running fine until I turned it off. Then it wouldn’t turn back on. So I messed with the wires a little and I got it to turn back on. Ran fine as long as I didn’t turn it off. When I finally turned it off again it would not come back on. Let it sit overnight . Came out tonight and flipped the switch and pump started. It’s running now but when I turn it off it won’t restart.

    • Hi Susan, hmm that’s quite a conundrum! that sounds like loose wires, or broken wires. If your pump plugs-in to an outlet, it could also be a bad outlet, or bad wire or connection from breaker to outlet. The problem lies, where the power dies as they say. If you are comfortable using a power meter, you can measure power at all these points, breaker, timer or switch, and motor.

  62. My hayward powerflo matrix 1.5hp pump doesn’t turn on after working fine the whole month of June. I noticed the on/off switch seemed loose and when I took of the end case, the male disconnect to the switch was burned out. Where can I get a new yellow wire to connect the motor to the switch and see if this solves my issue? Its a 16-14 250 amp connection.

    • Hi William, the on/off switch is sold as an entire end-cap piece, including the rear cover, the yellow wire would not be a part that is sold, I suppose you could make it yourself …?

  63. A brand new Hayward pump is humming New

    • Hi LInda, humming or buzzing, and not starting could be a few things – first check that the shaft is spinning, either by spinning on the impeller end, or at the rear of the motor (power Off in both cases), to be sure the shaft is not bound up or seized. If not, then it will usually be a bad capacitor, or start capacitor, located at 9 oclock, in the rear, a black cylinder. Replace with identical MFD number, printed on capacitor. Or third, it could be low voltage or a bad power cord, or loose power wire connections, or broken wires.

  64. HEYWARD MATTOX

    I have a 2 year old Hayward Pump 1 HP wired for 110 with 20 Amp breaker.
    The pump has been fine since installed, we started up he pool about 30 days ago no issues. Yesterday the breaker tripped. I checked the wiring, replaced the breaker, cleaned the pump impeller, motor vents are clean. Amp draw is 15 amps. it runs about 30 minutes and trips the breaker. The pump is pretty hot. I connected the pump to a nearby receptacle with a heavy duty drop cord and it works fine. The only thing I can think of now is a bad breaker box which is outside adjacent to the pump, it is 20 years old. There is a small sump pump also connected to another breaker inside the breaker box that has no issues, of course it only runs a few minutes when it rains heavy to move water out of the basement.

    • Hi, Heyward (cool name!), it could be a bad breaker, they can fail or become too sensitive with age. It could also be the wiring from breaker to timer, or timer to pump, or just breaker to pump, if there is no timer or other switch (and if there is no other switch, the breaker is likely just worn out from overuse). Could be a short in the wiring that could be tested with an Ohm meter, for resistance. The fact that it runs all day fine with a HD power cord attached and plugged in, makes me think its not a motor issue. 🙂

  65. Michael Angelico

    Hey John
    We opened the pool a few weeks back with no pump motor problems. This past week the motor sometimes starts sometimes does not sometimes starts and turns itself off. We have tried switching outlets and that sometimes works. There is water under the motor not sure from where. Could be loose fitting on hoses.

    • Hi Michael, that could be a bad or weak capacitor, or a loose wire to the pump motor or to the outlet, or a bad power cord. The problem lies where the power dies! The water is probably not related, but yeah, may be a loose hose or if not, then likely a bad shaft seal.

  66. Hello Davy,

    I have an older Hayward Pool pump for an above ground pool. It has the switch at the bottom to turn on along with the built in timer. The pump itself works great. However, the timer does not work anymore. It worked great last year, and when i went to program it this year, it didn’t work unless I switch it on and off manually. Any ideas on how to fix this issue?? Thanks!

    • Hi Carlos, I’m not familiar with working on those timers, a built-in to the back cover for Power-Flo pumps. I would inspect it for corrosion, wire tightness, water damage or insect damage.

  67. Hi, We had a pool installed last fall and we are still figuring things out. Hope you can help! Our variable speed Hayward pump, when not running on highest speed, keeps resulting in FLO errors. Seems to take away the point of getting a variable speed pump if we have to run it on high all the time. Any thoughts? Not sure if this is somehow related to the water being heated or maybe air in the pump just guesses. Thanks!

    • Hi Julie, is the FLO error code on the heater? Yes, pool heaters do have a minimum flow requirement. You can experiment with pump RPM settings, to exceed the threshold. Also will need to have clean pump basket and a clean pool filter, to ensure adequate flow rates. You could also adjust the pressure switch (on most heaters), to allow it to come on with slightly less pressure, (1 psi instead of 2 psi). Yes, kind of does defeat the purpose, but you may not need to heat the pool all the time, so can still run on low-speed for many hours per day.

  68. My pump motor does not start until I spin the shaft then it runs for about 15 min and shuts off and I can hear the motor humming and it feels very hot to the touch. Then after it cools I’m able to spin the shaft and it starts again. Capacitor or needs new motor??

    • New motor – sounds like the thermal overload switch (located at 12 o’clock in the rear of the motor) is shutting off the motor, which is usually not a good sign, and mostly means the pump is on it’s way out. Be sure though, that the motor has plenty of air flow, and the air flow vents are not blocked, and that incoming voltage is not too high or too low.

  69. Doug Moyer

    My pump was tripping the breaker after about three minutes (consistently – when I reset the breaker and turned on the pump, same thing). The water flow coming out of the returns looks normal. I replaced the entire pump motor and the same thing happened. Any idea why I would be drawing more current? It has been in operation since mid May without and incident before yesterday. All the electrical connections seem tight. (This pump is on a regular 20 amp circuit breaker, not a GFCI.)

    I took apart the impeller and didn’t see anything that could cause a problem. Since the flow seems correct, could it be blockage elsewhere? Or do I have a friction issue in the impeller?

    The pump is a Hayward Superpump SP1600X with a UST1102 motor.

    • Hi Doug, could be a bad breaker, or bad wiring between the pump and breaker. Maybe the breaker is loose on the bar, or perhaps insects shorting it. Maybe not a pump issue, but supply issue

  70. Marshall

    I have a Hayward pump making more of a rattling sound inconsistent in nature. Has more of an impeller type sound. I reached into the impeller and grabbed it but it seemed still tight. I replaced the motor a couple of years ago. Looks like I’ll take it apart tomorrow to see if the impeller is going out or the ceramic bearing may be loose. Pump is 29 years old so wouldn’t surprise me if impeller is failing.

    • Thanks for the comment, impellers don’t normally wear out, they either work or they are flat busted and don’t work. They don’t typically make noise for long either, because at 3400 RPM, if the impeller is hitting something, it will quickly wear it down. Old bronze pool pumps, like Sta-Rite and Anthony, that use Key Shaft motors with stub shafts – need to be shimmed properly. If the set screws loosen, the impeller can slide forward and contact the pump housing, and grind both the bronze housing and bronze impeller down rapidly.

  71. rodney edwards

    bought a SP2610x152s super pool pump 1.5 hp. 220v. dual-speed pool pump.
    i have a 4 wire set up, ground, line , low speed,high , just want to make sure i wire correctly, 1- line 1, 2- high speed, 3or4 to low speed?

  72. Vandee DeVore

    Just installed a replacement Super Pump and realized a point that may help others as they install. The Super Pump comes with all these labels that say it is set up and wired for 230. The trick is the little plug on the electrical panel MUST be moved to either 230 (up one) or to 115 (down). Originally it appears that the arrows are just off a little, but not the case. The stickers and labels mean it is WIRED to allow for 230. It doesn’t mean it is ready to go at 230. The selector plug MUST be moved or the breaker will trip every time you try to start it up. Too bad Hayward doesn’t make this more clear on their installation instructions and labeling.

    • Hi Vandee, By default the selector plug is in the 230V position, but in rare cases like yours, it may come mis-aligned or mis-attached from the factory, and need to be shifted. Thanks for the comment!

  73. John Furr

    Per your article, it sounds like I need a new capacitor. Mine hums and then trips the breaker. However, I haven’t tried to spin the shaft. I will try that tonight. In the meantime, could you send me a link for the capacitor that I need? It is a Hayward Super Pump 1.5 HP (model #SP2610X15). The motor model # is C48L2N134B1.

    Thanks

    • Hi John, the cap for that motor is START CAPACITOR, 161-193 MFD (BC-161) – we don’t carry it, but easily found online…

      • John Furr

        Thanks Davy. The shaft turned with zero resistance. Does it sound like the capacitor or could something else be the culprit?

        • IF the shaft spins freely, and your motor hums and trips the breaker, first check the wiring connections on the incoming wires, nice and tight, and no bare wire touching anything except the terminal connector. Also inspect other wires in the back, look for any pinched wires, or wires touching each other. Inspect the centrifugal switch on the end of the shaft and the stationary switch mounted at 6 oclock and contacting the central centrifugal switch… make sure all are intact and tightly secured, and not bent, broken or affected by mud or insects. If all is well – then 99% sure it would be the capacitor, weak and needs replacement. Look on the cap for the MFD number and replace with exact duplicate. If you have an electric motor repair shop in town, they may have it in stock, or order it online.

          • I believe I have a bad capacitor. If the impeller spins freely, does that mean the shaft is spinning freely or do I need to try to turn it from the back of the motor?

          • Hi Tony, yes if the impeller spins freely then the shaft does too (unless you are unthreading the impeller from a stationary shaft) normally.

  74. Ellie Leung

    Davy:
    Our pump won’t start at all after opening the pool. It is a generic Hayward pump with 1 HP. When we turn on power, the pump does not make noise but the timer box and the circuit box make a light humming noise and then the circuit tripped. It happens every time. It is only a 2-3 year old pump. I would like to repair it if possible. I assume from your post that there are 2 possibilities – 1) bad capacitor (I assume I can spot it visually) or 2) frozen shaft or propeller (how do I spot it and fix it? Please advise ). Are I on the right track? I will try to open it up tonight and report back.

    • that is correct, those are the usual suspects. SOme pumps have an open bracket where you can see the shaft, but not Hayward. To spin the shaft, to find out of it spins freely, open up the rear of the pump motor, with power off, and use your fingers to spin the shaft. If stuck from rust build-up, move the capacitor (located at 9 oclock) and/or the thermal regulator (located at 12 oclock), out of the way, so that you can fit a 7/16″ open end wrench on the slotted part of the shaft, behind the centrifugal switch that is screwed onto the end of the shaft.

  75. John Morgan

    Pump making loud grinding noise, any solutions. Thanks

    • Hi John, that is going to be either a cavitation noise, where the pump is starved for water, or if this noise is new, it would likely be the front and/or rear motor shaft bearings wearing out. Your options are to 1). have the pump motor rebuilt by replacing the bearings and shaft seal, or having an electric motor repair shop do it for you, or 2) replace the motor with an exact replacement motor + new shaft seal, or 3). replace the entire pump with exact replacement.

  76. I have a 2 HP Hayward two speed pump that is on its second season. Last year it worked great. This year, I noticed at times that the flow rate on low speed is less than it was last year. On high it seems fine. I have it set on a timer and when the pump comes on the flow rate is good but as the day goes on it becomes less and less. Any thoughts?

    • Hmmm, thats interestng, but I don’t think you have a pump problem. It sounds more like a filter problem, one that might be fixed by using a good pool filter cleaner, or you may need new filter media.

  77. Rachel Pisano

    Hi! My pool pump just doesn’t turn on. There’s no sound, when we hit the power switch no power. What’s the best and safest way to troubleshoot?

    • Hi Rachel, when there is no sound at all – i would check the circuit breaker to be sure it is on. Turn it off fully, then back on again. If the pump plugs into an outlet, I would check the GFCI button to be sure the outlet has not ‘popped’ or tripped. See if the pump motor shaft spins freely, to rule out a motion issue. If still stumped, use a power meter to find “the problem lies where the power dies”, and trace power from the breaker to the timer or outlet, to the motor.

  78. Hi,
    I was hoping that you can give me some advice. I replaced my old hayward maxflow pump with the new variable speed sp2670020vsp. Now I’m getting small air bubbles when the speed is on low. They disappear when the pump is at a high speed. Do I have a problem? What happens if too much air gets in before the high speed kicks in? Should I worry? I don’t think I have any air or water leaks.
    Thanks,
    Sean

    • Hi Sean, no worries. The air may be there on high speed too, it’s just not noticeable. Too much air usually just gets pushed through the filter and back to the pool, or the pump will lose prime if there really is too much air. Check the usual spots for air coming into the pump, 1) the threaded pipe coming into the pump (did you use thread sealant?), 2) the pump lid o-ring (is it lubed?), 3) the pump drain plugs (tight and Teflon tape used?), or 4) loose suction side valves

  79. Roderick Webber

    I have a hayward 1081 century with 3/4 hp motor with top mounted capacitor.
    The pipe connection became disconnected and flooded the pool house overnight after initial opening and start up
    The motor had stopped when I checked in morning. I replaced the breaker and electrical plug which showed some damage but motor does not start and breaker still tripping
    Could the water have damaged the motor ?
    Many thanks

    • Hi Rod, if the pump motor was submerged, then it is D.O.A. – well, possibly it just needs to dry out. You can assist by removing the back cover and placing a fan behind the motor and try again after a day. If it still trips the breaker, it may have shorted out the motor windings, and is not repairable.

  80. Donna fisher

    Have a brand new Hayward power flo LX. I needed to rotate the housing pump but for some reason the screws don’t seem to b lined up. I only rotated the one piece how can the screws not go right back in? 😩

    • Hi Donna, the screws that are removed to rotate are the long ‘thru-bolts’ that run thru the motor, and are turned at the rear of the motor (spray with WD-40 first). The volute screws (around the impeller housing) do not need to be removed.

  81. I have a max-flo vs pump and it can’t seem to stay at a high rpm for any long stretch of time when it’s sunny. Had it running today at high rpm and totally turned off after about 20 minutes. Sun was beating on it. Wouldn’t turn back on for a while even after manually flipping the switch. Could it have shut it self off from overheating? Running at low rpm seems to be fine. It is usually set to run at high rpm early morning and that is before sun hits it.

    • Hi Rob, normally sunshine will not cause a motor to overheat, but if it is having other internal issues generating heat, it could push it over the limit. The high temp limit that is – the pump motor as a thermal overload switch (located at 12 o’clock in rear of motor), that will shut the motor down and prevent restart until the overload senses lower temps and resets itself, at which point the pump should turn on again, by itself. You could provide a kind of tabletop shade to the motor, but don’t enclose it and restrict air flow. Improving air flow can also help, by trimming bushes or killing weeds, anything to let more breezes into the motor area. Oh, and prepare yourself, a new motor or pump may be needed soon…

  82. George W

    Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! Have zero skills with pool pump filter motors or basically anything associated. Motor was only humming. Found this blog, followed the instructions by removing the capacitor and thermal overload, turnied the shaft with a 7/16’s. presto, all working good!

    • That’s good – such ‘frozen motors’ are common in the spring. A very thin layer of rust develops between the stator and the rotor inside the motor, and getting a 7/16″ open end wrench on the end of the shaft, and working it back and forth, breaks the rust and frees up the shaft to spin. 🙂

  83. Matthew Martin

    I have a 1 hp Hayward 2 speed motor. The low speed works fine. When I try to turn on high speed it sounds like it’s jamming and then the breaker trips. I opened the back and everything looks fine

    • Hi Matthew, the pump capacitor is the first suspect, it may be weak and needs replacement. That is the black cylinder located in the rear of the motor, at 9 oclock. Otherwise I would say the switch that changes from low to high may be stuck, from corrosion, insects or breakage. Could also be a loose high speed wire from the switch…

  84. Mark Whiting

    I have a Hayward super pump 1.5 hp. I was attempting to replace shaft seals when something went wrong. While holding the shaft and trying to remove the impeller there was a part that broke off the shaft on the electrical end and I don’t know what the part is and can’t find it to order it. Does anyone know what I’m talking about and/or know how to repair?

    • Hi Mark, if the part is screwed onto the end of the shaft, that is called a centrifugal switch. There is another switch located at 6 oclock called the stationary switch. The capacitor is at 9 oclock and the thermal regulator at 12 oclock

  85. I have a Heyward VS 500 that suddenly started making a sound like a poker card stuck in your spokes of your bike at all speeds. Pumps normal pressure and pulls enough volume to keep bakery full. Thoughts?

    • Hi Damon, I would suspect the chattering sound to be a loose stationary switch and/or centrifugal switch on the motor, in the rear of the motor, remove the cover and look for something amiss. likely not a fan or impeller problem, because at 3500 RPM (or less), it would wear down anything broken in just a few minutes. Could also be a vibration noise, or rocks/pebbles in the pump basket…

  86. I have a Hayward Super Pump VS… 2 hrs old. Tool pump out of storage and hooked up as normal. No lights are coming on as if no power. Checked circuit breakers inside and out and checked to make sure power is getting to pump. All check ok. Replaced battery on top of pump cover and still nothing???

    • Hi – you are getting power inside the motor, on the terminal board? You can also check that the ‘phone cord wire’ is plugged into the interface, on underside. I suspect a loose wire, or mis-wiring or other simple fix.

  87. Bernard McQuarrie

    I have a brand new Hayward super pump, replaced the one that just died. Old pump ran on 120v and ran just fine till we broke it. The new pump is exact same model and when not connected to system it spins and runs fine. As soon as I hook it up and it starts pumping water the pump slows down and struggles, the sound is very noticeable. The new pump then starts to overheat and it shuts off. If I leave it plugged in then it stays hot, but if I unplug it then it cools off and it’ll work till it overheats again. I don’t know if I’m convinced the new pump is bad or not, or if I need higher voltage to the pump. The pump is currently configured for 115v. Any suggestions welcome

    • HI Bernard, sounds like it could have cavitation, or a pipe diameter that is too small – but pipe is the same. Is it rigid PVC or flexible pipe? I wonder if the lines are clogged or a pipe is partially collapsed. That could explain the pumping problems. Hard pumping can also cause a pump to overheat, but not usually. Check the incoming voltage to be sure that you are within the range of 110V-125V. Also be sure the vent holes for the motor are not blocked. Be sure that bare wires are not touching other bare wires or terminals, or other metals. It could also be something wrong with the motor, something internal with the windings, or shaft, or bearings, causing excess heat.

  88. Andy Lawrence

    I have a 2 speed motor and the high will not start at start up. It hums. I can turn the switch to low and it will start and run then switch to high. High will run fine but next day I have to do the same, start with low and switch to high. What do you think is the problem? Pump is 4yrs old.

    • Hi Andy, good question thanks – Motor will start on low, but not on high. Remove the back of the motor and look for anything loose – wires, switches, tabs. Look for insect infestation. Look closely at the centrifugal switch in the middle/center/end of shaft, make sure it’s tight and intact. Make sure the stationary switch, triangular shaped, screwed in at 6 o’clock, is tight and intact. Inspect the capacitor, or have it tested, or just replace with same MFD rating shown. Essentially, it’s probably something loose/broken, or a bad capacitor, which is like the battery to help it get up to high speed. If not those, it could also be a short in the motor windings, which would be a major failure, requiring a new motor.

  89. Jodi Gonzales

    I have a Hayward C900 Filter. I replaced the rod, and now my lid will not go down, the rod is the exact same as the other. What could be wring?

    • Hi Jodi, perhaps the rod is not threaded all the way into the base, or there may be debris under the rod, preventing it from going down fully.

  90. I have a Hayward Super II pump. It leaks where the seal plate connects to the pump/strainer housing.
    Do you have any suggestions?

    I don’t want to over tighten it. Do you know what the suggested torque is for the housing cap screws?

    Thanks for your help.

  91. i have a hayward 240 super pump, which have had for about 10 years. i cleaned the filter put the cover back on turned the pump but it doesn’t seem to be priming .
    i put the hose down the skimmer outlet back to the pool to fill the pipes, still nothing. the pump is working but not priming

    • Hi Dave, the square gasket for the lid, can sometimes come out of the groove on a Superpump, I’d check that first, and make sure the lid is very tight. Second most common air leak on a Super Pump would be the incoming pipe fitting. Grab it and see if it looks/feels loose. Or spray with shaving cream (yes!), to see if air is drawing in around the fitting. If so – pack a bead of Pool Putty around the fitting, or better yet, cut it out and replace it, using lots of Teflon tape or other thread sealant. Another possible cause is that the impeller is clogged with very small debris.

  92. Jacob Unger

    My pump just quit working, figured it was old so I replaced the motor. Just put he new motor on and it’s still not working, sounds like power is being sent to the motor, but nothing. The breaker is still left on the on position any idea what it might be?

    • Hi Jacob, I would check the connections of the wires first. Second be sure that you are delivering 230V (+/- 10%) and that the motor is set to accept 230V (some are reversible to accept 115V too). Third, check the back of the motor, the centrifugal switch on the end of the shaft and the stationary switch at 6 o’clock – to be sure they are tight and aligned tab to tab, and not loose or misaligned. Fourth, check the motor shaft to be sure that it spins easily by hand, fifth, you can check the capacitor (for capacitance), if the motor still isn’t starting. Good luck!

  93. I have a Hayward SP2607x10 pump with a Hayward C48k2n143B1 self priming super pump. I am getting air bubbles coming from my return jets in my pool. The pool is only 15 months old and I have not had any problems since getting it installed May 2017, other than a small water leak coming from the non suction side of the pump. Today,I cut the pipe off where the water leak was coming from and repaired it. I took the lid of the pump basket and cleaned the seal and placed it back on tightly, but there are small bubbles still coming out of the pool jets. About two weeks ago, my pool water level was very low and I believe this is were the air bubbles first presented. I filled the pool to the level line, but the air bubbles stayed. What more can I do or will the bubbles resolve on its own?

    • Hi David, an air leak will always come from a point BEFORE the impeller. Most Common areas include the pump lid (must be very tight, with lubed lid o-ring), and the threaded pipe that comes into the FRONT of the pump (must be very tight and sealed – if loose, use Pool Putty to fix, or replace the fitting) – the effluent or exit pipe fitting leaking will not draw air, that is on the ‘pressure side’ not the suction side. Air can also enter the system from low water level or a stuck skimmer weir, bringing air in from the skimmer, or from loose and leaky suction side (skimmer/main drain) valves. Seal up the air leak in the front of the pump, then bleed off all the air in the filter tank, and the bubbling should cease.

      • John Forrest Bloodsworth

        Air can enter pressure side if the water is not making it all the way to the top of the filter or chlorinator.

  94. Jeanette Wipfler

    Every time I vacuum my pool and then back wash and rinse. By morning all the dead algae filters back into the pool and it take about 4 days to clear. I changed the sand and it is still occurring. Please help. The filter is 3 – 4 years old.

    • Hi Jeanette, somewhat normal with sand filters I would say first. You can, if possible, vacuum to waste – by setting the multiport on the Drain to Waste setting, and then vacuuming fast – you will discharge silty debris out of the pool. Or backwash extra long, 4-5 minutes. Using a Filter Cleaner can help, there may be some goop and gunk in there, even after just months of operation.

      Glad that you replaced the sand, normally lasts 5-7 years on larger sand filters, but filters below 21″ diameter need it more often, and very small filters 12-14″, need it almost every season. Using a Slime Bag, attached to the pool return, to act as a secondary filter, would be a solution. Or using a Clarifier after vacuuming can also be a solution.

  95. Hi there, I have a 2-speed (hi and low) Hayward pump. The pump is working fine, however only the low speed is working. When I flip a switch to manually turn on to high speed, it does not work – it is still working at low speed. Any insight? Do I need to prime it?

    • Hi – if a 2-speed motor only works on low speed, that is usually a loose wire or hi/lo switch. Check the wiring on the hi/lo switch, and follow it closely (trace it) to be sure all ends are connected, not corroded, or covered in insects or debris. Check the mechanics of the switching mechanism. Many two speed split capacitor motors use the capacitor to boost it to high speed, check the capacitor for bulging, splits, leaking or loose wires, or test for capacitance, or test with new one. If there is an external 2-speed timeclock, check the wiring, esp. the 4th wire, the high speed wire.

  96. Patrick Pounds

    I have a maxi-flo 2 and it just stopped working. Using a circuit tester, I determined that the timer and the inline switch has power. Tested the switch on and off and it works as expected. So we have power to the pump. Is there a reset switch on the pump?
    It looks like I need to change out the pump. What do you think?
    Thanks.

    • Hi Patrick, so you have power from the breaker to the timer and to the switch. Next step would be to remove the cover and put your leads on the terminal board, right where each wire connects. If you have power there, and the motor is making no sound then I would inspect closely for a loose wire on the terminal board, or a loose switch in the back, or loose capacitor wire. If all looks tight you may need a new Max-Flo II motor or a new Max-Flo XL pump. If you have an electric shop nearby, they could test it, but if it’s around 10 yrs old, you may assume it’s dead.

  97. I have a Hayward Power-Flo LX pump that went out and I bought the identical one thinking it would be an easy replacement. It looks simple to replace, but I can’t even get the old one off the ground! The 2 bolts connecting it to the platform just turn and turn and go nowhere. I spent 1 hour one one bolt alone. Is there a trick to this? I’ve never owned a pool before and didn’t have any problems all summer until the last 2 weeks. Everything just went downhill. I can’t imagine paying someone to take 2 bolts off.

    • Hi Shannon, the bolts are spinning. If you can grab the bolt head underneath the pad with pliers, that could help, otherwise you can cut the bolts off using a reciprocating saw with a metal blade.

  98. CAROLYN KLINE

    The waste tube on my filter is filler while my pump is running. Why is this happening?

    • Hi Carolyn, if water is filling the waste water line (backwash line) when the pump is running, that means that the filter valve (multiport or push-pull valve) is leaking. For multiport valves, the Spider Gasket inside can become worn, torn or twisted. Replacement of the gasket inside the valve is the fix. For slide valves (aka push-pull valves), an o-ring on the bottom plunger disk has gone missing or is worn, torn or badly deteriorated. In some cases, a small bit of debris (stick or sand) can become lodged between the gasket and the rotor (aka diverter or footpad) and can cause leakage. Pushing down on the handle briefly (pump off) can often dislodge the debris, and no gasket replacement is necessary – if you are lucky.

  99. Just replaced our pool pump, Hayward 1 hp self priming, super pump. Seemed to be operating fine and I was vacuuming pool and lost suction. Checked pump, and appeared that pump had to keep priming . I backflushed the filter and pump would loose almost all water in basket. So I filled pump basket with water and it happened again. Went on to fill with water again & put on normal cycle and still was not getting a full prime. What can we check

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Cindy, most likely an air leak. The usual spot is the pipe that threads into the pump – did you use Teflon tape and/or silicone sealant on the threads? If not, you should cut out the fitting and replace, smearing on some Blue RTV sealant, and then wrapping the threads completely in 3-4 layers of Teflon tape before screwing it into the pump. If that’s not the air leak, check the pump lid o-ring, Superpump square lid rings sometimes get twisted easily. If that’s not it, check the valves on the suction side (skimmer/main drain) to be sure they are not leaking air. A visual tip-off is something that is dripping water when the pump is OFF, or that sprays water for half-a-second at the instant the pump shuts off, is drawing air in, when the pump is runnning. Could also be that your vacuum hose has a big split in it – if this only happens during vacuuming.

  100. I have a Hayward sp 2603 vsp pump which is a year old has been working fine but 2 days ago I turned it on it ran about 1 minute, it cut off and on the display it says error code 11 and it will not run. Can you help me with this problem Robert

  101. Jamelle Edward Travis

    Do you have to find the pump up with water before turning it on?

    • Yes, very important to fill the pump up with water before running, or ‘prime the pump’ from a bucket or garden hose. Then tighten the pump lid very tight. If the pump runs without water for very long it will burn up the shaft seal, and if run for hours and days, can literally melt the pump, sometimes even catch fire (rarely), even with a small amount of water in it.

  102. My Hayward mother is a 1.5 hp. I purchased it June of 2018. I turned it on and it ran fine for about one hour. Now there is no water running from the pool to the motor basket. It only blows air but when I take the lid off water comes out and the basket over flows. What am I not doing?

    • Hi Jim, sounds like an air leak, or low water in the pool, or a stuck skimmer weir blocking water flow into the skimmer. Check the pump lid o-ring or gasket, and be sure the lid is very tight. IF that’s good, check the pipe coming into the pump, does it drip when the pump is off? IF so, replace the fitting, or pack pool putty or silicone around the fitting, and leave it running for 24 hours, until the sealant sets up hard. Air can also be drawn into the pump from leaky suction side valves (skimmer or main drain).

  103. H. Murati

    Hello my Hayward pump before it starts it buzzes for a few seconds and stops for a few seconds then repeats and after a couple of trays it starts running normal

    • HI, that is usually a weak motor capacitor, which is a battery used to help the motor get up to 3450 RPM quickly. This is the round cylinder in the back of the motor, at 9 o’clock. Replace with the exact same MFD number printed on the capacitor. They are cheap and easy to replace.

  104. Hi Davy,
    I have a Hayward E40, After I vacuum the pool I see that I have D.E on the bottom again after two days or so. It’s never happened before. What should I do?

    • Hi Joe, the Perflex DE filter has a few dozen flex tubes covered in a mesh fabric. the tubes are sealed at the end by the two seal plates. What you have to do is drain the filter and remove all those tiny bolts, and pull out the entire ‘nest assembly’. Hose it off well, and inspect the tubes for any holes, and if found, replace them with new. Also check that the clips and o-rings on the SS bump shaft are all in place. if one of the clips or orings is missing, that is another cause of passing DE into the pool. While you have the nest assy out of the tank, after hosing it off, soak it in a DE filter cleaner, to remove any scale and oils. After reinstalling, give it the full charge of DE powder, plus a little extra. We have Hayward Perflex filter parts here: https://www.intheswim.com/c/filter-parts?pcode=208&scode=SOCIBLOG

  105. Hello, I have a 2 yo, dual speed Hayward Super Pump (same as the one you have pictured above). Pump had been working fine, but this week started making a kind of rhythmic buzzing sound while running. Pump does not overheat or shut off or anything and continues to circulate the water normally, just making a lot of noise, so I have not been running it. I replaced the start capacitor as that sounded like that was the most likely culprit based on everything I read, but noise still persisted. I checked impeller and seems to be spInning freely with no debris. I checked that the switches and other electrical components properly tightened down and everything appears normal. Any idea what the next most likely culprit could be?

    • Hi Paul, could it be vibration noise? Or a loose base part rattling? Put your foot on the motor and apply a little weight, to see if the noise stops. If so, put a damper under the pump, a piece of heavy rubber or a shim to stabilize the pump. If that’s not it – check the rear of the motor for anything loose (capacitor, centrifugal switch (in the center, on the shaft) or the stationary switch, at 6 o’clock, triangular shape. If that’s not it – pull the motor out of the pump, and test the motor briefly to see if the sound continues, if so – I would expect bad bearings, or perhaps a loose shim washer, inside the motor, under the front or rear end bell.

  106. I have a hayward pump installed as a new this March, 1.5 hp motor with a 23 inch filter to support a 12,000 gallons pool, it was working properly the first 3 months occasionally motor shut off and it wasn’t by the breaker, since a week motor keep running only by 20 ,ins and suit off, touching the motor it is hot, I review filter pressure it is 15 psi, it is the same since installation. Motor is connected to 220 volts and each phase consume 3.8 amps. Motor rate state 4 as a max amps, I don’t notice a strange noise and water is flowing normal when running, I don’t have a check valve in front of pump so it takes 1 minute to get prime, could you help me with a potential root cause.? Thanks

    • HI Alberto, if a motor is overheating, it normally takes about 15-20 minutes, and then the thermal overload switch, located in the rear of the motor, will trip, shutting off the pump for about 15-20 minutes, until it is cool enough to start again, on its own. If that’s what is happening, then the cause of the overheating could be incorrect voltage or fluctuating voltage, incorrect wire size (from breaker or timer to motor), faulty wiring between some of the switches in the rear of the motor, or bad shaft bearings, or poor airflow or blocked air vents, or in some cases, very poor water flow. If none of those, it likely is an internal short across the wirings, or a bent shaft, which is the end of that motor’s life.

  107. John bello

    Heater wont ignite when water temp is above 80 degrees

    • Hi John, sounds like a thermostat issue (or potentiometer for electronic heaters), although it could be another issue that just by coincidence happens when water is warm, like low flow rates.

  108. Akeash crabtree

    I have a pump that wants to stop pumping water after a few minutes the flow gets very low. It did not do this until we pressure washer the deck and some wood chips got into the pool. Any suggestions what it could be

    • Hi – it could be small wood chips stuck in the pump impeller. Pull out the pump basket and reach back thru the volute to feel the impeller with your fingertips (pump off, lol), if you feel any debris, reach in with needlenose pliers, or pull apart the pump and ream the impeller vanes with a length of wire or a small screwdriver. OR actually, since you say that it starts good and then loses flow – that would be different – probably an air leak in front of the pump (pump lid, or the pipe coming into the pump, or leaky suction side valve), or a stuck skimmer weir blocking water flow, or low water level causing a vortex in the skimmer.

  109. Edith stewart

    I have a Hayward pro max 1.5hp with sand filter but the suction into basket is not good. Water into return is ok.

    • Edith, low flow into the pump could be an air leak – in front of the pump, usually a loose pump lid, missing pump lid o-ring, or a loose pipe coming into the pump. It could also be a clogged impeller or clogged filter, or clogged skimmer line. Could also be low water level in the pool, or a stuck skimmer weir, blocking water flow.

  110. Deb Spence

    I have a Hayward super pump every once in awhile when I go to unplug to backwash it sparks and trips the breaker.

    • Hi Deb, probably a bad outlet or a bad cord, or a loose connection on one or both of those. If the breaker is GFI, those are very sensitive, could be a bad breaker too. You could use a small plug-in pump timer that would allow you to not unplug, just flip the switch to off.

  111. Morning , everything was working fine with my Hayward pump. My pressure is normal , no water being sucked in from basket and a MINOR trickle coming back out into the pool.
    Seems like filter is dirty , so I bumped it several times (once with motor on to really force water through) that usually does it. Still same though nothing being sucked through basket and minor trickle back out into pool. Suggestions ?

    • Hi Craig, could be a clogged filter, needing a flush out and perhaps a filter soak in DE Filter Cleaner. Or you may have an Air Leak in front of the pump, on the pump lid or the pipe coming into the pump usually. Could also be a clogged pump impeller, or a clog in the skimmer line. I also suspect a bad pressure gauge, if flow is nearly non-existant, pressure should be very low.

  112. 1.5 hayward pool pump motor clicks on and off rapidy. new pump started up fine after primed strated to click on and off

    • Hi Wade, check the switches in the rear of the motor, the stationary switch, located at 6 o’clock, and the centrifugal switch, located dead center. The centrifugal switch may be loose, or the stationary switch may be bent and not releasing. When the centrifugal switch is pushed ‘flat’ by the spinning shaft (or with your finger [power off!]), it should cleanly separate the two copper tabs of the stationary switch. If not that, it could be a loose wire connection.

  113. My EC40 bump handle doesn’t feel right. It feels like it’s not doing what it’s supposed to do. Don’t feel that resistance when bumping. I don’t see any leaks n pressure seems little bit higher than normal. What should I check? Bump shaft or diaphragm gasket?

    • Hi James, I would think that could be one of the E-clips used on the bump shaft may have broken off, or an o-ring has slipped off. If needed, get yourself ECX1014A, bump shaft kit, for a little rebuild.

  114. Curt Conrad

    I have a Hayward pool pump/filter, model SP3220EE. It just started leaking at the top plumbing connection. It is not just the connection that is leaking, the pump body itself has sprung at least one leak near the neck of the top fitting. Why would this suddenly happen? Approx. 7 yrs old and used year round. The main filters and baskets are well maintained. Can I replace this pump housing or do I need a new pump?

    • Hi Curt, not especially uncommon, small stress cracks on the outlet port of the pump, about 1/4″ long? One thing you can attempt is a superglue repair, which I have done successfully on many multiport valves, but not on a pump body. The idea is to cut the pipe above the pump, and crank the fitting 1/2 turn tighter, to open the crack, pump it full of superglue and then quickly unthread the pipe out of the pump, at which point the crack will close up, and hopefully seal up. Replace the plumbing with a new fitting, using a silicone thread sealant and 3-4 wraps of teflon tape clockwise. Tighten the fitting hand tight, plus 1/2 turn or so, until really snug, but not super-tight. Reconnect the pipes and test it out! If it blows again then I guess you’ll have to replace the pump body, which is usually about $100-200 cheaper than the cost of the whole pump. BTW, this can be caused from a water hammer effect, running the pump and then shutting off flow suddenly, or the fitting could have been overtightened to begin with, 7 years ago, and age caused it to give way.

  115. Stumped in Saugus

    Hi Davy!
    We have a Hayward Super Pump 2607×10 that is 1 hp.The pool was working fine when we opened it 1 week ago except after it would run for 15-20 mins the motor would trip the circuit breaker so we had an electrician replace the motor and check the electrical and that was fine; however, we cant get the pump primed. We replaced fhe shaft seal but the pump doesnt pull any water in there is no suction. Backwash works but not filter.. we took it apart and replaced the housing gasket, diffuser gasket and seal shaft. After we run the pump for a few minutes and then take the pump apart there is water in the impeller- but the water is where the seat housing is. Like it is getting through the shaft seal but the seal is brand new.. any thoughts? I inspected the impeller and it looks fine except where the threads are there are tiny hairline fractions.
    When I tighten the impeller onto to the motor how tight should it be? Thank you

    • Hi – check that the pump is not drawing air in, most common areas are around the pump lid, drain plugs and most common, the threaded pipe coming into the pump, which should be sealed with thread sealant like Teflon Tape and/or RTV silicone. Interesting however that you say the pump works on backwash, but not on filter? Possibly an obstruction on the return line, after the filter? A closed valve, or plugs in the pool wall? A sticky skimmer weir door can cause water blockage to the skimmer, and give priming problems too. The impeller does not need to be spun on too tight, the spin direction of the shaft will keep it snug, so just hand tight.

  116. Hello, Just bought a house with a pool in January. Pool pump already went out a few months ago. Diffuser broke. Not it says drivererror pump stalled. It’s a Hayward pump. Read up on it and seems it happens a lot and the motor drive needs to be replaced. I just dont know when it was purchased or how to even find out from the previous owners. Some advice?

  117. I have to reprime my hayward pump everytime I turn it on. I open the plastic door, fill with water and sometimes need to do this several times in order for it to keep going. Sometimes I need to backwash and rinse before the water seems to get going enough to actually circulate, then Im able to switch to filter and it works. But the process seems to take way too long. Is this normal? Do I need to do something else to get it to prime faster? (I just bought the house and am new to pool upkeep.)

    • Hi Bryan, not normal but not uncommon. The situation is either an air leak in FRONT of the pump, around the pump lid, the pipe coming into the pump, or leaky suction side valves. The pump will draw air in if it can – it is easier than pumping water, or the path of least resistance. Secondly, it could be an air leak after the pump, around the filter, causing air to leak in when the pump shuts off (would be a water leak when the pump is on), which causes the water to drain out of the pump and back to the pool. The higher the pump is elevated above the water level, the more struggles this can cause. Third, could be clogging in the filter, or bad filter sand, if you have a sand filter. But most likely an air leak, either before or after the pump, pool systems are supposed to be mostly air tight, though most are not completely.

  118. Marshall Barlow

    Have a Hayward pump for above ground pool.when I start the pump it works properly and then it’ll stop pumping water

    • Hi Marshall, check that the water level is good, and skimmer weirs are not stuck, blocking water flow into the skimmer, both cases cause the skimmer to suck air, which cause the pump to lose prime. Secondly, check that there are no air leaks in FRONT of the pump, typically around the pump lid, or on the pipe coming into the pump. Third, could be a clog in the main drain or skimmer (suction) pipes. Fourth, could be a clog or obstruction AFTER the pump, in the filter valve, or in the filter itself. To rule out the filter, if you have a multiport valve, run the pump on the Waste or Recirculate position. Likely not a problem with the pump itself.

  119. I have a brand new Hayward super pump for my inground pool that my husband bought last year..this morning i turned it on and when i checked it about an hour later i noticed it was off and water around the switch and the plug and i also noticed there must have been a leak in the hose where the water can be drained from the pool so im guessi g the hose sprung a leak and wet everything..i checked the timer and the breaker and switched them off and on again and still no power..i saw a switch on the back of the pump and flipped it off then on again and still no power..im guessing it couldve got fried but im hoping im wrong..please help

    • Hi Christy, there may be a GFCI test button that popped, on an outlet below the breaker box, or on a light pole? If no, test power on the wires coming into the pump, place test meter leads on the red and black wires, with power turned on to the pump. If no power there, check the timer, if no power there, check the breaker, if no power there… Is the main breaker in the house on? It may have also tripped.

  120. Steven D Eckhout

    Hi Davy, I have a brand new Hayward motor/pump as shown above on your site. Just got it a couple of weeks ago. Today everything was running well and than at some point the hose that takes the water to the filter came loose from the pump. I really don’t know how long the motor was running like this when I discover the problem — when I discover the problem the motor had already shut off. However it doesn’t turn on. I’ve waited a few hours and tried again – but no luck. Do you think the motor is fried as a result of no water running thru?

    • Hi Steven, probably the breaker tripped or the GFCI test button popped out – due to some water touching some wire. I don’t think it ran dry, if the pump outlet hose came loose (not the inlet?). It was probably spouting water several feet in the air, which soaked the motor, and popped a breaker…? Pump should be OK, I would think…

  121. Joe Altobello

    Just started getting a “No Flow” error. Checked the connection, which seems fine.

    • Hi Joe, Low Flow would be indicating that the water flow coming into the pump, heater or salt system is insufficient. Backwashing or cleaning the pump basket is the usual fix. If the flow is normal however, it could be a bad flow switch or pressure switch. Harwil type flow switches can become damaged over time and will need replacement at some point. Same with other sensors. So if the water flow thru the unit is normal – then I would next assume a bad flow switch or sensor (depending on what type of pool equipment we are talking about – pump, salt cell, heater)

  122. Tammy Wolf

    My 2 year old 1.5 HP above ground Hayward pool pump worked fine last year. Kept indoors all off season. Now when it is turned on it works for a few seconds then stops pumping and makes a humming sound. Don’t know if I need a new pump or what.

    • Hi Tammy, could be many things. A hum sound is usually associated with a bad capacitor (motor rear, 9 o’clock), however the capacitor is a battery that is only used on start-up, and is released within a second of start-up, but still could be related. Also could be a loose stationary switch (motor rear, 6 o’clock) or a loose centrifugal switch (motor rear, dead center). check that everything is tight and aligned. Also look for loose wires or corrosion (stored next to chlorine tabs during winter?) Good luck!

  123. Ryan Murray

    Any tips on getting the cover off to get to the capacitor (after removing the two screws)? I have a humming noise when plugged in, but can seem to get the cover off.

    • Hi Ryan, just use a small flathead screwdriver and wedge it between the cover and motor, and wiggle it back and forth, in a few spots around the edge, and pull off with your other hand. Maybe sand it down briefly and WD-40 it after it comes off

  124. Well the electrician said it was a bad motor and to contact hayward to replace. So i contacted them and waiting for response but tempted to just get another replacement to keep circulation in pool because i just drained and refilled pool 5 days ago and running a waterfall pump to get some circulation and watching chlorine level.

    • Joe, must be a bad motor yeah, to pull 58 amps, never heard of such a thing! Good that you have the waterfall pump, that will help tremendously. A warranty process with Hayward may take awhile, a few weeks this time of year I would think. In cases such as this, it is often wise to get things going sooner, and replace the pump (or motor) now, and sort out the money later – unless you are able to cover the pool with a winter cover, to block the sun, or load up the pool with lots and lots of chlorine and daily brushing/skimming – both of which could sustain the water for up to 2 weeks, in most cases. Might wait to see if Hayward can give you an answer – and probably want to contact the vendor who sold you the pump, which Hayward may require anyway…?

  125. Hi, I just had an electrician install a Hayward Super II Energy Efficient Pump 3/4 HP – SP3007EECA. It trips 20amp breaker after running 5 or 10 second. The electrician checked wiring and installed new breaker and does same thing. The electrician also installed w new capacitors on the pump and still same problem. He said it’s drawing 58 amps. This is a brand new pump out of the box that was installed and the inlet is drawing water in and filling basket and the outlet is discharging water but it just trips the breaker everytime.

    • Davy Merino

      58 amps! that is quite unusual, the 3/4 hp Super II is designed to pull much less, probably around 12 amps. Not sure what would cause that?!?

  126. I have purchased a Hayward SP 1580×15 Power-floLX series 1 1/2 horsepower Above Ground pool pump along with a Hayward S166T Proseries sandfilter 16 inch top mount for a 15 ft above ground proseries pool. When I installed the filter and pump the water in the filter came gushing out of the filter and the top mount was raised up even though the clamps were tightly screwed in place. I used no lube on the gasket. Do I need to use lube on the gasket, how much sand should be in the filter? My pool suppoier said 50lb but the info on the description of the filter on the site where purchased says 100 lbs. Would the lack of enough sand cause the water to gush out of the top of the filter? How can I secure the top to the filter so the water will not pour out of it while the pump is on filter mode?

    • Hi Jamie, definitely want to use 100 lbs of Pool Filter Sand, unless you are using a sand replacement like Zeosand or FilterGlass. But lack of sand should not cause a leaking problem. Lube should not be the issue with the leak, not required. When the valve is positioned on the filter, it should slide over the standpipe tube, or the center pipe that is connected to the laterals will slide up into the bottom of the valve, and the valve is pushed down to make a tight fit against the filter flange, and then the clamp is supposed to hold it tightly. The pipe from the pump is connected to the valve in the port labeled PUMP and the pipe returning to the pool connects to the port labeled RETURN. Be sure that all pool valves are open and any wall plugs are removed before turning on pump. Try again?

  127. Davy,
    I just purchased a pool home that is utilizing a Hayward Northstar SP4020NS I have noticed that when the pump shuts off water briefly blows out of the strainer cover, like a pressure release. Is this normal operation or should I look into replacing the strainer cover o ring?

    • Hi Doug, good question – that indicates that there is an air leak coming into the pump. I would start by lubing the pump lid o-ring with pool lube, and trying to tighten the lid a bit more if you can. If it continues, a new o-ring might be the ticket, yes. Air could also be entering the pump from the threaded pipe or union that is attached to the inlet port, which may also spray or drip when the pump shuts off. This quick spray of water when you shut the pump off, as you have experienced, are a useful tool in locating an air leak on a pump.

  128. Hi I have a Hayward aquatrol above ground pool chlorine generator system. We had a bad storm and a lot of rain come through. When I went out to drain water from the pool it wouldn’t turn on. The board wasn’t showing anything. I took off the cover to see the circuit board and all looks ok but then it started coming on and off randomly while I was standing there. On/off on/off. What do I need to do to fix this?

    • Hi Shelly, sounds like maybe the board got wet, or there is a loose connection, or power supply issues.

    • We purchased a Hayward D.E Filter last summer. We opened the pool this spring and the pressure rises after 15 to 20 minutes. We have cleaned it 3-5 times a day and changed the d.e as well. Please help.

      • Hi Rachel, I’m guessing a Hayward Perflex DE filter? Either way, when a DE filter clogs up quickly, it is either not enough DE powder being used, or the grids (flex tubes for Perflex) are clogged with mineral scale or oily deposits. If flushing and draining does not help, it is time to open up the filter tank, remove the grid assy (or flex tube ‘nest’), and after cleaning very well with a hose, soak it in a DE filter cleaner solution (5-gal bucket works well for Perflex). Also – keep in mind that 1 lb of DE powder is not 16 oz of kitchen dry measure, but actually 32 oz (4 cups) of kitchen measure, because DE is so ‘light and fluffy’… The normal unit of measure for 1 lb of DE powder is a 1 lb coffee can (or 4 – 8 oz cups).

  129. Yolanda Gamboa

    We tried opening the pool today when we plugged in the Hayward filter it keeps blowing the circuit breaker. Can it be repaired or do we need a new pump?

    • Hi Yolanda, also a great question – first plug something else like a hair dryer or lamp into the outlet, to be sure it’s supplying 115V properly (or use a test meter). Second thing is to see if the Motor Shaft Spins Freely, rust can develop which can bind up a motor. The shaft is accessed in the rear of the motor, behind the centrifugal switch. Usually the capacitor (9 o’clock) or the thermal overload switch (12 o’clock) must be removed to gain access to the shaft, whereupon you can use an open end wrench to grasp the shaft and turn it slightly, back and forth, to break the rust free. IF the shaft does spin freely, yet the breaker trips, check the wiring for wires touching each other or the motor housing, loose wires, broken wires or corroded wires or water in the conduit, surrounding broken wires. It can also be a bad outlet, and if older than 20 yrs, it could be the breaker too.

  130. Connie Herlufsen-Hildebrand

    Our Hayward pump is leaking and we just added our opening chemicals. Will it do it any harm if we leave it running?
    Thanks!

    • Hi COnnie, great question! In most cases, no worries that it will ‘blow-out’ to leave a leaking pump running. Especially a drip from the clamp band or the threaded fitting on the outlet port of the pump, or a dripping shaft seal, or leaking housing. 99% of the time it’s no problem – 1% of the time something could burst, usually a plumbing fitting, a bad glue joint or clamped fitting. This could drain the pool down to the skimmer, or possibly much lower in some cases, so keep a close eye on any leak and look for signs of worsening. I will also say that a truly ‘drip-proof’ pool system is not really the norm, most filter systems with a few years on it will ooze and drip here and there, and most often it’s of little concern.

  131. Mike Sklencar

    Hi. Our pump is going through this one-off cycle similar to what others are describing. I checked the pump and is is very hot. I have to say I’ve never touched it before during almost 6-years of normal operation. Should it be very hot to touch or is this an indicator for a capacitor problem?

    • Hi Mike, pumps are too hot to touch normally, running at 140° or so. Motors have a thermal overload switch which will shut off the motor if it gets too hot to operate, and in such cases, it will turn itself back on again after it cools, usually in 15-20 mins. If it is cycling on/off (motor turning on/off) more rapidly, that would usually indicate loose wires, loose breaker, broken wires (sometimes inside the flexible conduit). Put a meter on the terminal board, and see if the voltage coming into the motor is fluctuating or dropping off, when the motor cycles. The problem lies where the power dies… [note to readers: motor cycling is not the same as pump cycling, where the water flow starts and stops, here I am talking about the motor itself starting/stopping]

  132. Matt Harmuth

    I have a Hayward sp2607x10 pump. The pump has power, turns on, and seals are tight, however it will not cycle the water. I tried to prime the pump but it still doesn’t kick over to cycle anything. Any suggestions

    • Hi Matt, my first guess would be an air leak on the suction side, most typically a loose pump lid (or no o-ring lube), or loose pipe that comes into the front of the pump (or no thread sealant on the threaded fitting), or sometimes a leaky suction side valve, or low water level, stuck skimmer weir… Second guess would be a broken impeller, detached from the motor shaft. Third guess is closed or broken valves, clogged filter, clogged impeller, or other obstruction preventing water flow.

  133. Cortney Stuart

    We opened our pool today, ran the pump for about 7 or 8 hours and the plug on the pump was actually melted to the outlet on our timer. We’ve not had this issue the past 2 years (we bought the house 2 years ago). Do we need a new pump or can the electrical cord be replaced?

    • Hi Cortney, you can buy the cord separately, Hayward pump cord – the cause is likely from something arcing within the plug outlet. You will need a new plug and a new outlet – and maybe a new pump too (?), hard to tell until the pump can be tested.

  134. Shannon Clark

    I’m really uncertain exactly how to even look for a solution to my problem. Towards the end of last year the pump itself would work but the salt water fixture would not (like it would light up initially but then go to black), I wasn’t sure if it was a short or something in either part but ignored it since the season was almost over. Yesterday we attempted to open our pool and the pump is acting really weird. It DOES turn on. If there is air in the basket it hums away loudly and sucks great to prime and fill the basket (the saltwater thing even appears to be working). But the moment the basket fills with water it’s like the pump just kicks down to barely running or humming at all. It can continue to run at that point but its almost like it’s running at 25% power or even less so we just turned it off. Any ideas?

    • Hi Shannon, assuming that your pump is single speed (not dual speed or variable speed), it runs at a constant 3450 RPM, and is not possible to run at a lower speed. What possibly is happening, is that air is being sucked in, possibly from low water level or a stuck skimmer weir, or an air leak – in front of the pump (before the pump).

  135. John Long

    We opened our pool today, and when we went out to turn off the Hayward pump, after it ran for 7 hours, the plug was so hot it burned my fingers when unplugging it. Do you know what would cause this? The pump is only one year old. Thank you very much!!

    • Hi John – hot plug? Could be one of these…

      Frayed wiring inside the plug or socket.
      Loose connection inside the plug or socket.
      Fault with the pump wiring.
      Corrosion inside the plug or socket.
      Poor connection inside the plug or socket.
      Wire size inside socket too small (can’t carry the current).
      Incorrect size breaker powering the outlet (below 15 amps).

  136. tom robinson

    my hayward filter assembly on top leaks at the seam between the top (held on by six bolts) and the bottom. I recently took it ofdf to install a new spider gasket and saw no obvious reason for the leak. Should there be some form of gasket here?

    • Hi Tom, there is an o-ring that seals up the tank flange to the valve flange, it’s usually on the valve, when you remove the valve, might need replacement and/or a good cleaning and lubing

  137. I have a Hayward pump that will backwash but nothing else. It make a humming noise when on filter setting. Any idea what the problem could be?

    • Hi Kacy, that’s very odd, and likely just a coincidence that the pump works on backwash only. Humming noise is usually associated with a bad capacitor, a black cylinder at 9 o’clock in the rear of the motor. Also check that the stationary switch (6 o’clock) and the centrifugal switch (dead center) are not loose or misaligned. Inspect wiring for any loose or corroded connections. If assumed to be the capacitor, get the MFD number printed on it, and find an exact replacement capacitor on our site, or from a local electric motor shop.

  138. Sean MacDougall

    Hi Davy. I have a Hayward Ultra Pro LX pump. Last year the cap that you would remove to clean the filter was becoming more and more difficult to remove and get back on and now I cannot get it back on at all. Any ideas?

    • Hi Sean, the Powerflo pump lid has a very tight seal, likely the o-ring needs to be removed, cleaned off with a rag, replaced and lubed with a Teflon lubricant like Magic lube or other Pool Lube. Silicone lube can also be used, but don’t use petroleum based lubes that can eat the rubber. Also possible that the rubber is damaged, inspect closely for signs of wear while cleaning it. The o-ring should be a very tight fit also, not loose in the groove of the lid. A new o-ring may be needed. Also use a rag to clean the surfaces that mate on the pump body. Now if none of that advice helps, and you still cannot get the lid to go on, or seal up, I would suspect that either the lid or the housing is warped from an overheating situation, running for long periods of time without water flowing through it.

  139. Just replaced a 1.5 hp Hayward super pump with a 1 hp Hayward super pump. Entire pump system with pump basket and housing. When I turn on the pump, it sucks water through but only 2/3 of basket is filled as if a suction leak. Is it possible pump too small for AV60 filter?

    The 1.5 hp pump was so strong you couldn’t stand in front of the single return, which is why I used smaller pump.

    • Hi Joe, I would first suspect an air leak, Superpumps can also draw air from a loose drain plug and easily around the square lid gasket – but the usual suspect is the pipe coming into the pump. I would think that going to 1 hp superpump, from a 1.5 hp superpump, would not be a problem. If you have a multiport valve – you could put it on Recirculate to bypass the filter, but Avalanche filters don’t have one do they? You could remove the filter grid completely from the tank (and clean well), start the pump without the grid assembly inside (removing most of the resistance) and see how the water flows. If the filter was a problem, you may notice higher than normal filter pressure (compared to the old pump). If pressure is lower than normal – check for air leak on the suction side of the pump, or a clogged impeller, or low water level, stuck skimmer weir, or closed suction valves…

  140. Christin

    Just opened my in ground pool went to turn the pump on and nothing. No power not even a humming. Checked the circuit breaker and turned it off and on. Still nothing. Thinking it’s the compressor or really don’t know at this point. Any suggestions??

    • Christin, many aboveground pumps plug into a GFCI outlet, check that the TEST button is not popped out. If not, use an outlet tester or plug in a different appliance (light, hair dryer, fan…) to see if the outlet has power. If it does, check power inside of the back of the motor, with a test meter. Test to see if 120V (+/- 10%) is coming into the motor, on the two wire terminals.

  141. I have an sp3400vsp pump. When I try to start it the motor sounds like it tries to turn but doesn’t and I get a pump stalled error. I have been able to spin the motor shaft.

    • Check for water under the display, or in the control box area. Be sure the wiring is tight on both ends.

      •Shut down the power to the pump from the breaker for 15 minutes – turn back on and try to run the pump.
      •Make sure that there are no blockages in the impeller because the motor will not turn if the impeller cannot rotate.
      •Make sure that the drive is bonded with the bare copper wire and all four screws are secure on the drive.

      When running through all these checks and balances if it is noticed that there is not bond wire or that the tightening screws are not all secure, correct the issue. Attach a bond wire to the Eco star drive pump or tighten the loose screws on the bottom of the motor. When this has been corrected, shut the power down to the pump and rest it after 15 minutes. Check if the pump will now run.

      If the motor is still giving you a drive stall error, it probably means that you need a new drive. Check the serial number on the pumps sticker. Hayward has a 4 year warranty on these drives.

  142. Stacey Oyer

    I have a Hayward power-flow matrix pump with hayward preflex extended cycle D.E. Filter.
    We just opened our pool up cleaned everything out put new D.E. in the filter. Once we turn the pump on it runs good for a couple of mins then then once it builds up pressure the water pressure into the pool slowly stops. Please help!

    • Hi Stacey, the build-up of pressure usually means that the filter is clogged, as you likely know. Perflex filters are particularly known (to me anyway) for building up oily deposits on the ‘fingers’ or flex tubes, and clogging up quickly. Remember also with DE powder, it is half-weight of other dry measure, so if instructions say 5 lbs of DE powder, that’s not 10 8-oz cups of dry measure (kitchen measure), it’s actually double that, or 10 lbs, if you were using a 1-cup measure. The actual unit of measurement for DE powder (lol) is a 1 lb coffee can size scoop.
      – anyway I digress. For this issue you are having, I would bump and drain the filter of the DE powder and add a recharge of DE powder thru the skimmer, and give it another go. If it clogs up again, you will need to break it down and manual clean, then soak in DE Filter Cleaner – not so hard and the best cleaning, just a lot of little nuts and washers to remove and replace. Spray off well, and soak in a 5-gal bucket, the entire ‘Flex Tube Nest’, for a number of hours, hose off again, soak for another few hours, hose off thoroughly, dunk in the pool a few times, then replace in the filter tank. Start up again with a fresh (Full) charge of DE powder.

  143. Hi There – I have a Hayward Super Pump VS pump. It was working fine (all 3 speeds) until yesterday. It seems to only operate in the highest speed. When I touch any other speed button, nothing happens. If I try to shut it off, nothing happens. I turn it off at the breaker & then turn it back on again, it displays “rESET”. If I wait for a few minutes after that, the pump starts up again at full speed. Any thoughts?

    • Hi Mark, in looking at the owners manual https://www.intheswim.com/images/PDFs/E1964-Manual.pdf – perhaps there is a minimum speed setting that is set to high, or the programming Day/Time/Speed is set up to permit high speed only? The pump will always start in high speed, and stay in high speed for a few minutes after starting, to ensure full prime. But after that, you should be able to override any programs with the buttons.

  144. David Trent

    I have a new above ground pool with a Hayword pump. Was working fine until I backwashed and cleaned the basket by the pump. I didn’t plug the line and got a lot of water on the pump motor. Now won’t turn on when I plug back in and my circuit breakers are not popped. Is there a reset button or do I just need to wait until the water evaporates and it should turn back on?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi David, spilling water on the motor is no problem, they do fine outside in the rain (flooding is a different story…) Have you checked the GFCI test button on the outlet? No reset on the pump motor, but a little water on the wiring, and it will pop a GFI outlet.

  145. My Hayward Pump will pull the water through the basket really strong for about 45 seconds then the flow will stop for 20 seconds and the flow will then resume again. it continues to cycle this way. The pump never turns off but it should pull the water through constantly. Any idea how to correct this.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Don, we call that surging… and it is usually caused by an air leak on the suction side, which is usually on the pump lid o-ring, or a loose threaded fitting, coming into the pump, or sometimes a leaky skimmer or main drain valve – but the problem is always ‘before’ the impeller… You can use shaving cream around the pump lid, pipe and valves, turn on the pump, and see where it gets sucked in, or sometimes the problem is evident without such a messy test. Of course, be sure the pool water level is good, and the skimmer weir door is not stuck, or blocking water flow into a skimmer….

      • I did the shaving cream trick and no air leak detected. Everything coming in appears to be tight. It is still running the same way, surging. Any help,appreciated.

        Don

        • Hi Don, when it’s not an air leak, pump surging will then be an obstruction in the pipe, or filter, heater, check valve/filter valve/diverter valve, a bit of plastic usually (once I found a golf ball, in the skimmer pipe), that is pulled into a 90 or up against a port that is too small for the obstruction to pass. It can also just be a really dirty filter, or a clogged pump impeller. If you have a multiport valve, set it on Recirculate, to bypass the filter, and rule out any problems there. You can remove the pump basket and reach back with your fingers to see if any debris can be felt in the eye of the impeller (pump Off, of course, lol). Did I mention low water level, stuck skimmer weirs, or clogged skimmer baskets? There are some pumps that will draw air in thru a faulty shaft seal, which will leak water, dripping below the pump, when the pump shuts off. So, when a pump is surging or pulsing, and not getting up to full head – it is either starved for water, because of closed incoming valves, or too big of a pump for too small inlet pipes – or because of air being pulled into the pump from air leaks or low water level in pool – or from some obstruction in the lines, pipes or valves, a clog or something broken off… I have found a Drain King useful in diagnosing such things, find at a hardware store, the 1.5″-2″ model, and connect to a garden hose, to pressurize pool systems and pipes, to look for leaks, or used as a ‘water hammer’ to force clogs out, back the other way.

          • I have mud in my filter so I guess I have a underground broken pipe. I was wondering, I have four returns coming into one pipe to the pump basket. Question, if I can determine which return pipe is broke could I just block off that return and bypass it. Wouldn’t, the other three still be sufficient to filter? All my piping is under concrete and will be very expensive to dig up.

          • Hi Don, if you have four suction lines coming into the pump, that would be skimmer, skimmer, main drain and … spa drain? (returns are the lines going back to the pool, returning…) Some pools can operate successfully with fewer than the original pipes, I have worked on many pools with ‘abandoned’ main drains or skimmers that stopped working. So you could cut off the pipe and cap it yes, although it might be worth investigating the repair cost – the crack could be just 2 foot below the ground, near the pump/filter. It would be best to not abandon the pipe if possible, best for water quality, clarity and turnover rates – but sometimes that’s not feasible – so either way will work!

  146. CARLA DOOLEY

    have an old hayward flo lx pump and sounds like it is turning on with a click but wont start sucking the water from the pool through the pump to the filter.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Clara – ‘click’ doesn’t sound like a motor runnning, perhaps you are hearing a relay click, but if the motor itself is not ‘turning over’ – there could be a multitude of reasons why, but in most of these cases, the problem lies where the power dies. IF the motor is turning over or starting, but no water pumps, it is usually an air leak from a loose pipe coming into the pump, or a loose pump lid.

  147. Patricia Dower

    Hi Davy,
    I need some advice for my 15’ x 30’ x 48” AG oblong swimming pool. Round about 1990 the original AG pump and filter were replaced with used Hayward IG equipment. This worked well until about 4 years ago, when I replaced it with a similar pump, a Hayward sp2607x10. Now I am looking to replace the old filter. After doing some reading, I now understand that the IG pump shouldn’t be used with the AG pool and we’ve been doing the wrong thing for almost 30 years. Something about level of placement of pump in relation to the water surface.
    My question to you is what to do from here. My 4 year old pump is working well so I am not looking to switch it, but I am curious if I should consider raising its location to above pool water level. Currently it is at pool level. Also, I wonder if it matters or not which filter would be best, the Hayward EC50AC (AG), or sp2607x10 EC65A (IG).
    Thank you so much,
    Pat

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Pat, good question – you can continue to use the IG pump, no problem. It could be a problem the other way around, AG pumps cannot lift water vertically, so are not used on inground pools. But your superpump is fine on your AG pool. As to the filter, pool filters need to be matched to the flow rate of the pump. Your 1 hp Hayward Superpump can pump 75 gallons per minute, which is too much flow for most AG pool filters. If you like the Perflex filter, go with the Perflex EC75A, which is rated for 80 GPM, EC65A is only rated for 67 gpm. You could also use a Hayward 24″ sand filter, item E3324.

  148. *new pool owner of a big above ground pool* hello I bought a home it came with a pool the pump says Hayward. The previous owners winterized the pump and pool but left all the water in the pool so it’s full and nasty. We can’t figure put how to get the pump going they have a circuit box outside its hooked to but it seems it’s not working. We are trying to figure a way to start pumping the water put to clean the pool and get it going but we can’t work the pump. Also they winterized the place where the water circulates inside the pool and it won’t unscrew so we can let some of the water out and put the original piece back on. Please let me know what can be done if anything we may be calling for info. We even tried siphoning with a hose and it don’t want to work either.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Tiffany, in most inground pool cases, the pool pump should be powered by a breaker on the home main panel, which powers a breaker on the pool equipment pad sub-panel breaker box. Then there is often a switch or a timeclock that is wired in between the sub-panel and the pump. For the pool winterization, the usual practice is to remove the filter and drain plugs, and then use rubber expansion plugs, or threaded plastic plugs, to close up the pool skimmer line and the pool wall return lines (where water returns to the pool), after the pipes are drained of water. Find these plugs and remove them by loosening the wingnut and wiggling it out. If you have other questions, you can email me Davy, at swimmers@intheswim.com

  149. Jimmy Givens

    Does a Hayward super pump wired on 230v have to have a controller?..

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Jimmy, no it need not have a controller, or a timeclock, it could just have an on/off (light type) switch. I believe you must have some type of switch, for code – can’t just wire it directly to the breaker. The Intermatic T106M timeclock is the standard outdoor timeclock, then you can set it to run 12 hrs daily +/-, or as needed. Otherwise it runs all the time – or if you try to turn it on/off daily, but you’re bound to be unavailable or maybe forget from time to time…

  150. Virgil Mullins

    I have a super pump and a salt water pool. The pump keeps kicking off every 24 hours and I turn it back on by hitting filter. What would the problem be? They just reopened my pool

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Virgil, the time clock may not be set, or if you have a controller, the on/off program may not be setup, so it runs until it is set to turn off – but is not set to turn back on again?

  151. Hi i have a Hayward super pump when I turn it on it doesn’t suck any water from the pool the filter pressure gauge is at 0 when I turn it off it makes a spinning noice

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, that could be many things, from low water level to a broken impeller, but it’s usually an air leak. Either the pump lid oring is missing, or the lid (cover) is not tight, or a loose threaded pipe coming into the pump, or leaky valves (skimmer, main drain) – air leaks are always in front of the pump. Zero on the gauge indicates no water flow, so if not an air leak it could be a clogged line, pump basket or impeller.

  152. jp herman

    please help. i have an in ground pool. the hayward pump is 3years old. 1.5 horse power. near the end of last season it started loosing its prime on and off. this year, pressure goes up to 30psi. and loosing its prime . i removed the filter fingers and cleaned numerous times. when i reassemble after cleaning, pump works great for about 5 mins even at 30 psi. the loosed its prime again. iv also replaced o rings and filter basket gasket. dont know if the pump went bad already. any advise would be appreciated . thank you

    • Davy Merino

      Hi there, 30 psi is pretty high pressure, sounds like the pump is having trouble pushing thru… are you using enough DE powder? EC65 uses 6 lbs, and EC75 uses 9 lbs, but since DE is half as light as others a lb of DE powder is more than 2 cups of dry measure, it’s actually closer to 4 cups. But first, remove the fingers again, and soak the entire “Nest Assembly” in a bucket filled with pool filter cleaner, to dissolve oils and scale. Then recharge with a good dose of DE powder. There may also be air leaks on your pump, particularly the pipe or valve that is threaded into the pump, must be sealed with thread sealant tightly.

  153. Hello Dave,
    I’m having an air leak problem with my pool. My pump & filter are Hayward’s. The pump/motor, is a power flow LX, 1.5 HP, model SP151521BC, & the Sand Filter is the pro series model S210T. I hooked everything up, and I’m getting a lot of air returning into the pool. All the hoses have new Teflon tape and they are secured. last year, I replaced the Sand & O ring on the filter, and I resealed the O ring on both the filter & Pump with O ring lube. I’m still getting air? It seems the pump is more powerful than last year ? The water level in the pool is high enough, but I’m getting a whirlpool in the skimmer basket, and the water returning back into the pool is so powerful, it’s creating a whirlpool and air bubbles I don’t know what else to do? I never had this problem before.

    I hope to hear back from you
    Thank you
    Bob

    • Davy Merino

      Rob, the air leak is coming from the pump, or before the pump. No need to look for a solution after the impeller, it’s always before, on the suction side. Drain plugs, pump lid, pipe coming into pump, skimmer or main drain valves, low water level, stuck skimmer weir, or… the dreaded underground cracks in pipe (rare problem). A whirlpool in the skimmer that is deep enough can suck air into the pipe. Try adding another inch of water. Increased flow this year may be from the new sand, and higher flow makes it easier for air leaks to appear. If this is an ABG pool, check the skimmer hose and adapter fittings. You can also pressurize the suction lines using a Drain King, connected to a garden hose and inserted at the skimmer, with a plug inside of the pump on the incoming pipe, or setting the multiport valve on closed. Turn on the Drain King to pressurize all the way up to the pump, or to the filter valve, and whatever you see leaking water… that’s your air leak.

  154. Jim Carnathan

    Hello,
    I have a Hayward Self Priming Super Pump Model # C48J2N131B1. When I turn the switch on for the pool, the breaker flips immediately. I replaced the capacitor last year. I opened the casing again and it had a lot of corrosion within. Would this make the breaker flip? Not sure if I need to purchase a new pump. This one is 5 years old.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Jim, make sure the shaft of the motor (and the impeller) is spinning freely, rust can build up internally, and create a ‘frozen’ pump in spring. use a wrench on the rear of the shaft (or large flathead),to work the shaft back and forth until it spins freely. If your shaft IS spinning freely, other causes of a tripped breaker include loose wiring, broken wires, water in the wire conduit, wires inside the motor touching other wires or the metal motor casing, insect infestation in the time clock. Or it could be a bad breaker, but usually not.

  155. Getting ready to start up my pool , flipped the breaker and nothing. Replaced breaker still nothing. My Hayward pump is only about 3 yrs old. What am I missing?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi there – if you are hearing no noise from the pump at all, shut off power and check the wiring connections at the pump, switch/timer, and breaker, to be sure wires are making good terminal contact. Inspect for any damage to wires or wire casing. If the pump makes no noise at all, turn on power, and with a multi meter, check the power at the pump, switch/timer and breaker, the problem lies where the power dies. If you are getting correct voltage into the rear of the motor (120V or 240V, +/- 10%), but still the motor makes no noise at all, it’s likely DOA… the motor at least. But you could look further at the wires on the back of the terminal board, following them to the capacitor and switches… problem lies where the power dies! 🙂

  156. Don alexander

    Have an old Hayward super II pump, worked fine last fall, this spring at startup very low volume. 9,000 gallon in ground pool. Washed out the 4 Large cartridge filters before startup. Almost ordered a new pump but it really sounded good. Thought it was air leak, finally decided to check filters (pressure was 35 lbs after cleaning). Did not raise red flags, amature lol. Took out filters and it pumps perfect. I’m not sure how the filters went bad being winterized, but they were way old. I hope new filters fix the problem!!!

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Don, you have good troubleshooting skills, when flow is poor, it can either be a dirty filter or some obstruction after the pump – which raises the filter tank pressure. Air leaks or other obstructions BEFORE the pump (including a clogged impeller), will cause lower than normal filter pressure.

  157. Tom Harsh

    I have a Hayward pump and filter system for my outdoor water feature. I cannot locate the model # on either but believe the filter is a c250. We are snow birds in AZ and want to drain the system for the summer. I do not have a owners manual and need help on draining the water from the feature and pump. Can you help?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Tom, If the filter and pump are located below the water level of the pond, you could open up the pump lid or remove the filter drain plug, and the pond should gravity drain. The pump has two drain plugs and the filter has one drain plug, all located on the bottom. Clean the filter cartridge well, allow it to dry fully, and then replace it back in the filter tank. After the pump and filter are fully drained, screw the plugs back in slightly to keep bugs out, but leave them loose so they will still drain, as needed. If the pond is located below the pool equipment, then the pump and filter and pipes will drain down to that level, once the drain plugs are removed. Then you can pump out the water with a submersible pump, or depending on the surface material and design of your water feature, it may be better for the surfaces not to drain it, but to treat it with chemicals and put a heavy cover over it, where possible. Plaster and vinyl surfaces in particular, can become damaged when exposed to hot summer weather, and stained, if that applies or matters in your case.

  158. Todd Dunnam

    Replaced motor and seal on my Hayward Northstar. Upon restart, pump sounds horrible, like pumping rocks. Motor running very hot, almost like in a bind. I have taken it apart and put it back together probably 5-6 times looking for internal issues. Cant find anything that jumps right out. Run motor with impeller alone for brief second, sounds perfectly quite and normal. At a total loss here, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Todd, ok I understand – check the seal to make sure it is properly seated, and that the spring half is not turned backwards (should be hard plastic side toward motor, soft rubber side toward impeller, in most cases). Also make sure that the impeller wear ring is correctly facing, and that the seal plate and mounting screw are aligned properly, and that the diffuser and diffuser o-ring are seating properly. If that all checks out, be sure that there are no air leaks on the suction side of the impeller, around the lid, drain plugs or pipe coming into pump. The sound you reference ‘pumping rocks’ sounds like a pump that is cavitating, or starved for water. Be sure all lines are open, and again check for air leaks.

      • Todd Dunnam

        Davy, after going back into the pump again, i have come to the conclusion that the bearings are going out in the motor. Even though the motor is only 2 months old and had very little run time, bench running it sounds pretty horrible. Thanks for the help troubleshooting it.

        • Davy Merino

          Hi Todd, that would be rare but not impossible – sometimes bearings are not set perfectly, or manufactured perfectly, or the tolerances of the bearing housing could be off by a hair, from something being loose, or mis-shaped or if the motor were dropped from a height. As you found, if the motor sounds just as loud when it is pulled out or removed from the pump housing – it’s usually the bearings, which normally last for up to 10 years, not in this case it seems…

  159. Just replaced my old Polaris booster pump, 3/4 hp, with a 1hp pump. When turned on, it clicks in and off every few seconds. If I block the outflow from it, it stops clicking on and off, and runs smoothly. Any advise on what is the problem?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Rudy, clicking on/off sounds like the switch in the rear of the motor, you may find either the centrifugal switch (dead center) or the stationary switch (6 o’clock), may not be fully disengaging, or may be loose or bent. Perhaps it could be flow related, if the pump is ‘cavitating’ or starved for water – like if you only have 3/4″ or 1″ pipes (?). Is the pump pot filling full of water, or does it ever catch prime fully? Could be too big for the pipe size, although normally I would think that a 1hp should be fine, but do a wheel RPM test on the cleaner (28-32 RPM of the wheel is ideal), and bleed off excess water pressure at the wall fitting.

  160. Great site. My wear ring fits very loosely and it seems like impeller shaft has worn down. Is that a reason to replace impeller?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi David, impellers that have signs of wear are usually operating without a problem. Signs of wear under the wear ring is normal, and it should be pumping normally. Impeller replacement is only ever really needed for breakage or other severe damage, so if it ain’t broke…

  161. Just bought a hayward super II pump. NO one can get the cover off the darn thing. It is so poorly designed and the helper handle is basically useless because it bumps into the outlet flow tube and the jandy. I tried -no way ….then 3 very strong men all tried – all of them had to put stress on the plumbing pipes to get the darn thing loosened at all ..what a NGHTMARE …no we are not over tightening …any suggestions? better tool to use?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Ann, in such cases, I would probably use a plumber’s Pipe Wrench or very large Channel Pliers may work, or I have seen custom tools home-made from 2×4 wood, that fit over the ridge on the lid, with a few inches on either side to push on, or tap with a hammer. Pump lids are often easier to remove when the Filter Air Bleeder is opened, to relieve vacuum pressure. Keeping the pump lid o-ring clean and well lubricated also helps, be sure to use a Teflon pool lube, and not any petroleum based (Vaseline), which makes the rubber soft and can cause cover sticking problems too.

  162. Nancy Humphries

    My pump, when in the normal running position, leaks water in a slow steady flow out the tubing used for backwashing. The water does not flow when the pump is turned on. What is happening?
    Thanks

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Nancy, this is a common problem – water leaking out of the backwash line, while filtering. The issue is not a pump problem, not a filter problem, but a multiport valve problem. The ‘spider gasket’ as it is called, inside of the valve is not sealing the waste port like it should. Sometimes it is just a stick or debris stuck between the valve diverter (aka rotor or footpad) and the spider gasket, and a little wiggle or jiggle or repositioning of the handle can seal up the waste port, for a time… If it reoccurs, this means that the spider gasket is twisted, worn or damaged. The most common cause for this is turning the valve with the pump on, or not pushing the valve handle down fully as the valve is re-positioned. The repair for such an issue is to remove the 6 screws around the lid (don’t lose the nuts), and pull the handle to lift the ‘key assembly’ out of the valve body, where you can inspect the gasket, in the area of the backwash port. Sometimes you can reposition it, or reglue it, or make it work for a little while longer, while you order the correct spider gasket to match your make/model of valve. You find these in our valve parts department or use one of our multiport valve rebuild kits. Scrape out the old gasket with a sharp screwdriver and glue a new one in place with dabs of superglue – gasket flat side down, ridged side up. No lubricant is needed for spider gaskets. A less common cause of water out of the waste line is a broken Spring, under the handle, indicated by a floppy handle or difficulty turning the valve

  163. I have a Hayward Super Pump it will run for about 1 to 2 hours and then it shuts off once it cools off for an hour or so I can turn it back on it will run again the water flow it’s good it’s just shuts off when it gets hot

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Steve; check that you have good air flow all around the pump, and above. Check the motor vent holes, (bottom front) to be sure they are not clogged. There is an internal fan, near the front of the motor, but it is inside and hard to see. Inspect the motor for any ‘burns’ evident on the casing – as many times, an overheating motor will be shorted across the windings, and will soon fail. You could also check incoming voltage, and wire connections, as fluctuating current can cause an overheated motor, but if it’s very old, it may just be on it’s way out, sorry to say… at which point you could replace just the motor and shaft seal, or the entire pump

  164. robert gonsoulin

    I have a S-210 Hayward pool pump and it started spitting sand so I bought a Folding Umbrella Lateral Holder Ass’Y when I dumped the sand out I think 2 of them were broken for a couple of months it seems sand has been dumping in the pool that’s why I bought the lateral. I put new sand it its still dumping could it have been sand still in the line what you think or is there anything else that could cause this I put 200 lbs of sand in which is the correct amount .

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Rob, there could still have been some sand in the pipes yes, and that’s probably the problem…. When you installed the new lateral assy, did the standpipe come all the way up to the top of the tank, and insert neatly into the bottom of the multiport valve? The correct lateral assy for the S210 filter would be the SX210DA – if you used a smaller assy, the pipe won’t reach all the way into (inside of) the multiport valve base, and allow sand to enter the pipe – but just a theory, you likely used the correct and full height SX210DA…?

  165. Hi Davy~
    We have our pump timers to shut off at noon…many times, but all the time, they run past the specified shut off time. thoughts?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Mike, if there are power outages, mechanical timeclocks need to be reset. On traditional intermatic time clocks, you also have to make sure the timer dogs are tight, or they can slip, use pliers to tighten the nut tighter to avoid. If the yellow dial is bent, or the switch is bent, or the timer dog is broken or mispositioned, it can bypass the timer dog and not shut off… hope that helps!?!

      • We don’t have mechanical time clocks…it is all digital. We just verified all our time settings. We live in Arizona, so the automatic freeze setting isn’t an issue. We also a sense and dispense for pool chemistry that sometimes has a “ph feeder timeout” error code….could this have something to do with the pool pump running off the scheduled time? Thanks for your insight.

        • Davy Merino

          Hi Mike, it’s hard to say – not knowing which control system you use. If you find out, I would check the owner’s manual for information related to your symptoms.

  166. Paul Manias

    Hi Davy, I have a Hayward Super II which has been running well for years. It’s linked to an AutoChlor switcher and comes on twice a day but failed to switch on a couple of days ago. I used the override switch and it fired up and left it on for several hours then turned it over to auto and it worked again but has since stopped. I’ve tried the override, checked the basket on the pump and felt into the intake and outlet for obstructions. Sometimes it hums but won’t start and other times there is nothing. Is it likely to be the pump or the AutoChlor switches and timer (which I replaced last year)? There are ants around the AutoChlor, the lights come on but which is the problem, the pump or the switching system?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Paul, Ants can be a problem, when they get around motors or circuit boards, but it sounds like a pump motor problem, and could simply be a weak capacitor, in the rear of the motor (black cylinder). Spray some ant killer around, and replace the capacitor, but first, check all connections, maybe check incoming power (to the motor) if you have a test meter. Check all wires and switches and connections in the back of the motor, look for anything loose or ant infested or broken connections. Check wires on the other end, where they connect to the autochlor too. Since you didn’t say it trips a breaker, it’s probably not a short or ground-out of power, although it still could be, typically a wire touching metal other than the terminals on both end of the wire. And you can’t rule out a problem with the circuit board either. The best way to attack this is with the mantra “the problem lies where the power dies”. With a test meter, you check power at the motor, and it should be within 10% of 120V or 240V, whichever the motor is wired for, and if not, the power is traced back to a point where it full power is found, on the meter. Power going in, but power not coming out – and therein lies the problem, which could just be a loose wire, broken wire or faulty resistor/capacitor/relay…

  167. Stephen Henry

    I have an inground salt water pool with a spa and my flow rate was low so I cleaned out everything and replaced the filters and now the flow rate seems good with one problem. Now when my sweeper comes on my waterfall feature from my spa does not turn off like it should and my sweeper moves slowly and in circles. Again, flow rate is good but it doesn’t make the change in pressure like it should when switching to sweeper.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Stephen, your spa waterfall, is that a spillover or an actual waterfall feature? Spillover is just the spa filling up, and overflowing into the pool, a waterfall feature is something different, with dedicated plumbing and a booster pump usually. Anyway, have you checked the cleaner line strainer? The small filter, usually at the wall? Could need cleaning. Not sure what type of sweeper you have, but other adjustments can sometimes be made to prevent circling, but often it is a low flow issue. If low flow is not caused by a clogged strainer, inspect the cleaner hose for pressure loss (leaks). If none found, inspect your valve settings, on the equipment pad, and make sure everything is normal, and the cleaner water flow is not being throttled or bypassed. If your sweeper has a booster pump, could be a problem with a clogged impeller, or air leak into the pump, or some other pump issue. Hope that helps! Good luck ~

  168. Roger Mock

    I have a salt water inground pool the other day i noticed my pressure is going up and down from 14psi to like 4 to 6 then back up even couple of mins. The water level is good. What could it be. Thanks

    • Davy Merino

      Roger, I call that surging, when the pump catches prime, loses prime, catches again… it can be a stuck skimmer weir or a pool noodle blocking water flow into the skimmer. It can also be a loose pump lid allowing air to creep in around the o-ring. Or, a loose pipe coming into the pump can allow air intake. If not the skimmer being blocked, then it’s an air leak – BEFORE the pump impeller.

  169. I have an above ground 18,000gal pool…a Hayward SP1580X15 Power-Flo LX 1 1/2 HP pump purchased May 2017. For over 2 months, lots of troubleshooting, actually RE-PIPED THE SECTION FROM POOL TO PUMP … done by professional…pump still will not prime…draws water, wont prime…played with outflow and values, no prime…took apart (my nemesis) Hayward Perflex DE filter, cleaned fingers, silicone on gaskets, put back (I have done this crappy job a hundred times so I am familiar with the process)…no prime…feel like draining the damn pool and junking the whole thing >:(

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Leah, good question, and I understand. 3 possible solutions. The most likely is an air leak, and the usual places are 1) pump lid not tight enough or not lubed, or bad o-ring, or loose drain plugs (or without thread sealant or o-ring). 2) loose pipe coming into the pump (no sealant, or overheated and slightly shrunk), 3) Loose valve lids or o-rings, air-leaky valves in front of the pump (main drain, skimmer).
      Second possibility is the pump is too high above water level. PowerFlo LX is not a self-priming pump (Hayward PowerFlo II is self-priming), which means it has trouble lifting water vertically. Usually OK with a 12″ lift, but more than that can be a struggle.
      Third possibility is the pipe size is too small, and your 90 gpm pump may be starved for water. Hayward recommends 1.5″ PVC pipe, and more than one line, (i.e. main drain and skimmer) to feed this thirsty pump.

      • Hi Davy,
        I checked the possible issues that you mentioned here…no drain plugs on the system…draining pool is done through the filter via a valve that is after the filter (Perflex). All pipes are 1.5″ and solidly installed with primer and high quality glue for the PVC used. Because all the pipes are new and no leaks have been evident, I can say with confidence that #2 is not it. Valves were replaced with pipe and silicone applied to gaskets and O-rings during install and again yesterday while I was checking this list. Pump is sitting about 3 feet below level of water in pool..maybe a bit more. Is it possible that the filter is the problem? I have called a repair company since the pump is under warranty and they told me that it is almost NEVER the pump and therefore if it is something else I will have to pay $89/hour for their service…so I was hoping to exhaust all other possibilities before coughing up the money…Can you recommend any tests that I can do?

        • Davy Merino

          Hi, it could be the filter, and if so, the pressure on the gauge would be high during operation usually. Perflex filters can clog up with heavy oils, or not enough DE powder, or if undersized for the pool (just like any other filter), so it could be the filter yes. If you had a multiport valve, you could put it on recirculate and verify, but since perflex have no such valve, the only other test would be to actually plumb around the filter, by installing a bypass valve and line, or just temporarily routing plumbing around the filter, to bypass the filter completely.
          Another possibility could be a clogged pump impeller, should have mentioned that earlier. In such case, filter pressure is lower than normal, if the impeller is clogged. Grass clippings, seeds, gravel or other small debris can clog an impeller and reduce suction. With the pump off, remove the basket and reach your hand back into the eye of the impeller. If very clogged, you can usually tell, because debris will float out and you can grab some of it with your fingertips or with pliers. If clogged, open the pump up, and ream out the impeller vanes with a flexible wire.
          So yes – it could be the filter, very clogged and in need of a deep cleaning, but probably not a filter mechanical issue. Likewise, it could be any other obstruction after the pump (partially clogged pipes, small pipe size, partially closed return valves) – all of which will produce higher than normal filter pressure. Or it could be an obstruction in the impeller, or anywhere before the impeller (clogged pipe, small pipe, partially closed suction valves, air leak) – all of which will produce lower than normal filter pressure.

  170. William Lipe

    I have a pre-2008 Northstar pump and it seems to be losing air seal. If I prime the pump and turn it on it runs fine but when I turn it off and let it set for a few minutes you can hear it cheering then the water in the pump evacuates and there appears to be some water coming from the bottom of the pump

    • Davy Merino

      Hi William, yes an air leak, is what I call it. Pumps need to be fairly air tight, and water tight to avoid drain down when they shut off. The most common places for an air leak on a pump include around the pump lid (must be really tight, with lubed o-ring), or a loose incoming water pipe bringing water (and air) into the pump. A leaking shaft seal or drain plug could also drain the pump after some time. If lots of air churns when you shut the pump off, and the water quickly blasts out of the pump, that’s likely a suction side air leak. If the pump runs air tight, but slowly drains out over an hour or so, that is usually a pressure side (after the impeller) air leak. Sometimes it’s the filter that is drawing in air, thru the air bleeder or clamp band or bulkhead, which causes the filter to drain out through the pump, and back to the pool. The leak at the bottom of the pump, determine if it’s coming from the top of the pump and dripping down the sides, or if the leak is coming from directly under the pump, in the first case it’s usually the exit pipe threads are loose, and in the second case, it’s a leaking shaft seal or leaking drain plug, or sometimes a leaking volute o-ring, or the large o-ring between the seal plate and the pump housing.

  171. Carlos Rojas

    I Have an electric Hayward pool heater that comes on automatically when temperatures drop and then runs 3 or 4 hours. I live in Tampa Florida. Is this normal or is there a malfunction? This is my first pool. This is a salt pool not sure if that matters in the question.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Carlos, sounds normal. Pool Heaters have a thermostat, and just like a house heater, they turn themselves on/off to maintain a temperature.

  172. I had a 1 hp pump and it went out and I bought a new Hayward super pump and hooked it up the same way as the other pump and I turn it on and it makes a loud noise and blows a fuse I double chew led everything and can’t seem to find the problem, any ideas??

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Michael, sounds like the capacitor may be bad, located at 9 oclock in the motor rear, replace with exact same MFD rating. Check that the shaft spins freely, and check that the triangular switch at 6 oclock in the back of the motor, is tightly screwed, and that the centrifugal switch, located in the center, on the end of the rear shaft, is also tight, and that the two switch tabs are in contact with each other in the center. Check all wires, to be sure that the metal ends of wires are not touching any metal ends of the motor housing, or contacting other wire metal ends.

  173. Hi – and thanks for all this knowledge! Our switch seems to be getting power- a voltage tester confirms this – but pump makes zero sound when switch is turned on. It worked fine just prior to a filter cleaning. After filter was fully re-assembled- pump would turn on.

    Any suggestions appreciated.

    • Davy Merino

      If it makes no noise at all, that is often a loose wire or no power. If you do have power at the motor terminal board, look for loose wires, crimped wires, broken wires… Suspect the capacitor (black cylinder located at 9 o’clock), these can be tested, or if looks burnt, bulged, crack or leaking, replace with the exact same MFD number capacitor. Good luck!

  174. When the pump comes on a massive amount of bubbles comes out of the return line in the bottom of the pool.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Rick, if that’s a new thing, there is probably something loose and leaking (air) when the pump shuts off. Loose pump lid, filter lid, air bleeder, probably around the filter, allowing the filter to drain down, and fill with air. Look for any small drips or oozing around the filter, or you may be able to hear a small hiss, when the pump shuts off. Probably a loose fitting, clamp or o-ring…

  175. The motor on my Hayward super pump 2 went out so I ordered a Hayward replacement. It had a non Hayward motor installed before. Hooked it up the same as the last motor and left the setting to 230 as that is what the last motor was set to run on. Turned on the motor and smoke and a oil type substance came out of the capacitor. Turned it off and then tried it again and it hummed for a few and the something glowed red and then stopped humming. Nothing is making any noise now and pump is not working at all. Is it a defective motor or something else? Help.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Shannon, right now it is a defective capacitor, not sure about the rest of the motor, but is probably OK. Unusual, but it could be the only problem, I would replace the capacitor with the same size (match the MFD number), and check that the shaft rotates freely when mounted to the pump. Check the impeller and seal alignment. The motor can be tested briefly without being bolted onto the pump.

      • Ok I switched out the capacitor and it started up and ran for about 5 second and then blew the capacitor. Now what?

        • Davy Merino

          Hi Shannon, well that’s encouraging. I would test the voltage at the motor terminal board, very quickly, before the breaker trips, to be sure it’s between 210V-250V coming in. Check the tightness on all wire connections, on the breaker, timeclock and motor. If voltage is normal, there may be a loose wire in the motor, perhaps behind the terminal board, or a bent wire that is touching some metal housing, or bent and touching another wire. A start capacitor is supposed to only be energized for a few seconds to start the motor, and once the centrifugal switch opens and releases contact with the stationary switch, the capacitor is released. Look closely at the centrifugal switch on the rear of the shaft, to be sure it’s tight and is not missing parts (like the springs), engage the switch by hand (power off), to be sure that the stationary switch (located at 6 oclock) is disengaging, or the two copper tabs separate. The stationary switch copper tabs may be bent, or may have a wire crossing between them, have a loose screw or have some other issue that prevents it from opening, and releasing the capacitor.

          • Davy,
            Thanks for the help. I found the switch to turn off the capacitor was not operating correctly. One of the tads were not in the slot. All works good now. Thanks again!

  176. Dana Klett

    Hi I have a variable speed ecostar and am now having the drive error, drive stalled. It was working great up until a week ago. Does it really need to be replaced?

    • Davy Merino

      Most likely, and unfortunately yes. From the EcoStar technical guide: Check impeller and motor shaft for freedom of movement. If free, remove the Blue, Black and Red wires (page 4) from the drive
      and check each motor lead to ground. There should be no continuity. Next, check continuity from lead to lead. Ohms reading should be between 0.5 and 1.0 ohms max. If any of these readings are outside limits, replace motor. If they are within range, replace drive.

  177. Hi Davy, my pump is on a timer and will occasionally fail to turn on in the morning. When I then switch the pump breaker off and then back on again it springs into life (every time). Do you know what the problem is?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Phil, hmmm, could be a breaker that is going bad – they tend to wear out after 20 years or so, especially if they are used often, as a switch. I would also check all the wire connections (power off) to be sure they are tight, on the breaker and on the time clock, and also inspect for insect infestation, or lizards, mice, etc. Hmmm, now if the breaker were stopping the power from flowing to the switch, the timeclock would lose time, and would not turn itself on. You can check the visual motor check (if you have an intermatic clock), to see if the motor gears are turning, which means the timeclock motor is good and the power from the breaker is good. Next time it happens, check power on the timeclock, or inspect the motor, looking thru the ‘visual motor check’ window (again, only on Intermatic clocks), if no power is getting to the clock, replace the breaker, and/or wiring. Better call an electrician for that though…

    • Jeff Barber

      2 speed Hayward pool pump motor is very loud only when on high speed

      • Davy Merino

        Hi Jeff, probably that sound is worn bearings (pumps don’t have brushes). Bearings produce a loud squealy sound. Pump cavitation produces a lower pitched gravely sound, caused by the pump being starved for water from closed valves or clogged lines or clogged impeller. Vibration can also cause a similar noise. Press on the pump with your hand, and if the noise lessens considerably, you may be able to shim under the pump, with a rubber pad, to absorb vibrations. If you remove the motor from the pump, and then turn on the power very briefly – if the noise continues, it’s the bearings, if it runs quiet (high speed), then look to vibration or cavitation.

  178. Hi, my pump has power and makes no noise. I checked the voltage at the back of the motor and have 240 volts. Both the pump motor and Polaris are wired out of the timer and the timer seems to be working correctly and I checked it by checking the voltage at the motor with the switch in the off position and then again with the switch in the on position. No loose wires or insect infestation. Why would the pump and Polaris stop working at the same time? I assumed electrical issue but when I checked the voltage at the back of the motor and it was good I am at a loss. Please help!

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Bobby, so you have power at the motor, but no noise. If the wires are tight, I would suspect a bad capacitor, or wiring to or from the capacitor. A wire connected to the terminal board may be loose or burnt. You have both filter pump and polaris pump on one timer? I think you need two timers, usually, unless it can deliver 240 to the filter pump and 120 to the booster, at the same time. ?

  179. Kevin McCreight

    Have a Hayward variable that was replaced last year. After Irma came through, we were without power for a week, the pump won’t run on low speed and when it runs at high speed, it overheats after about an hour and shuts off. I’ve checked the voltage coming in before the breaker and after the breaker, (at the motherboard location), replaced the breaker just to be safe, but still, overheats. Any thoughts?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Kevin, I think I would check the capacitor(s), maybe replace them if they test weak, or look cracked or damaged. An electric motor shop local to you could test them, perhaps for free or low cost. Overheating pumps are usually DOA, in my experience, but there may be hope.

  180. Hi
    Got a new motor, it made humming noise since day on,if i help it spin it works so I changed the capacitor and still the same, humming and if I help it to spin it goes fine, any suggestions?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Ernesto, hmmm, I’m not quite sure, but sounds like it could be either low voltage, or a loose connection, or something mis-wired between the terminal board and the capacitor…?

  181. Jim Ahearn

    Hi Davy, I’m trying to remove the impeller from a Hayward 1 HP superpump. Directions say to hold motor end of shaft with wrench and to turn impeller counterclockwise (by hand). My pump impeller does not budge. Is there a solution for this problem? Trying not to damage impeller.
    Thanks, Jim

    • Davy Merino

      Jim, they can be sticky sometimes. A large pair of channel type pliers can be placed on the impeller, over a cloth, and given some persuasion. Open faced impellers need very large pliers, or a strap wrench, some have special tools to remove open brass impellers. But most plastic impellers are ‘closed’ nowadays, with non-visible vanes. So, grab the opening portion with pliers, while the wrench is holding the shaft still, and turn counter clockwise, it should come off, if it breaks, a new impeller is needed, but that’s rare, they usually will budge…

  182. Andy Pace

    Hi, we had very heavy rain the other night and I’m quite sure the rain at least briefly submerged the Hayward 2300 Variable speed pump I have. It does sit in a low spot and has happened once before, but I do have a solution to prevent it from happening again. But this pump smokes when I try to turn it on (guessing motor burned out from being submerged). Also the pool breakers are loose now. Is that a result of all the water that got in the equipment during the storm? I will be purchasing a replacement pump and have it installed, but I wonder if I’d need to just have the breakers tightened in the panel box? The breakers still seem to be working since when I turn the breaker on and the timer switch for the pump, it does send power to the pump.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Andy, breakers are not usually screwed down, they snap in place, you can try pushing firmly on the front of the breaker with fingers, to be sure it is seated properly. All breakers have some wiggle to them usually, but a very loose breaker could be a hazard for arcing or even fire so should be checked out, if so…

  183. I have a Hayward Super II pump that has had a small leak between the pump housing and seal plate. I just replaced the seal and all of the gaskets along with carefully cleaning the grooves that the gaskets rest in and greasing them thoroughly with Jacks. I put the pump back together and it still leaks. I even tried another new housing gasket and it still leaks. What do I need to replace – the seal plate, the diffuser, the pump housing? My diffuser does not tightly fit into my seal plate. Could this be my problem?
    Thank you.

    • Davy Merino

      could be the motor, if the shaft has worn unevenly, or if there are grooves or rust on the shaft. A common mistake is to install the spring seal half backwards. Should have the hard plastic side facing the motor and the soft rubber side facing the impeller.

  184. Hi, my name is Javier
    I just have a problem with the motor pump, I turn ON Saturday morning and left all day working, On Sunday morning I try to turn on the pump but it only make a noise but water don’t flow then it stop working, then on Monday do the same thing it only make noise for 3 minutes then it stop working

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Javi – the capacitor on the motor may have failed. The capacitor is like the battery in your car – it’s needed to help get the pump up to speed (3200 RPM’s) fast. If the motor shaft and impeller is spinning freely (not clogged or bound-up), then remove the rear cover to the motor. First inspect wiring, to be sure everything is tight and secure, and there are no loose wires, or anything that looks wrong back there. The capacitor is the black cylinder on the left side, you can replace the capacitor at a low cost. We have a few of them, but maybe not the correct one for your motor, replace with the exact same MFD number, printed on the cap. A local electric motor shop should have them, or easy to find online. Just disconnect wires, and replace. If the capacitor doesn’t fix it, you may need a new motor, or pump, barring other issues that can be seen readily.

  185. Dean Lattof

    I purchased a SP1580X15 Hayward pump July 2016 and began using it this year 2017. I shut the pump down the other night and it will not run. I check electrical from the panel breaker, to the timer to the circuit breakser to the switch to the outlet, through the wire to the pump and power is getting to the pump.

    I did find the black power wire lose on the pump when checking the wire connections, so I reconnected it but to no avail. Power is getting to the pump but the pump will not run?.

    I even plugged in the old pump and that too did not run? Excuse my ignorance, but what could be the problem?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, is there a GFI on the outlet? A TEST button that is popped? Pumps need 120V, +/- 10%, so maybe the voltage is fluctuating, from loose connection from breaker to outlet, or a loose breaker. Breakers and outlets do go bad after many years, usually last over 20 yrs, but can fail sooner. The loose wire you found in the pump, that was a good catch, there should be no hanging wires in the rear of the motor, all wires from the terminal board, to the switches and capacitor should be tightly connected, and the metals ends should never touch any other metal parts, except the terminal they connect to… Retrace your steps to recheck power to the motor. I’m assuming that the motor makes no noise at all? Is the shaft spinning freely? Does the capacitor look bulged, cracked or leaking? That’s all I can think of now…

  186. Lorenzo Gonzalez

    Just purchased a Hayward SP32002VSP. Will be using it as a stand alone. I connected Line 1&2 plus bond. Pump is grounded. I basically removed my old pump and instalked the new one. The display shows nothing as if it is not getting power. However, when I check the connection at the wired, there is definetly juice there. I’ve tried connecting direct from circuit breaker, as well as bypassing with a timer. Nothing seems to give it juice. I checked the prong connector and found no juice there. I may have purchased a defective pump??

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Lo – in checking the owners manual https://hayward-pool-assets.com/assets/documents/pools/pdf/manuals/tristar-vs-S3202VSP.pdf?fromCDN=true, it suggests bypassing the timeclock and wiring direct to the breaker. Are you getting 230V (207v – 253V) at the pump? Are all connections tight? Is the wire size correct? If your previous pump was also 230V, as it likely was – I’m not sure what could be the problem, probably not a bad pump, but maybe some wire is disconnected, from the terminal board to the capacitor, for example, or otherwise mis-wired, internally perhaps? Tough one, good luck!

  187. Hi, I have a filter timer and a cleaner timer that are side-by-side. The filter timer will not turn on at all, even when trying manually but the cleaner does. Could this be an issue with my pump?

    Thanks.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, if the switch won’t flip to on, the timer tripper could be right at the point where it is about to trip, making it hard to turn to on. IF the switch works, but the motor does not come on, then I would first look at the ‘Visual Motor Check’ on Intermatic clocks. Use a flashlight, and you should see gears moving thru the small view hole. If the gears are not moving, either the motor for the clock is dead, or insects or lizard is stuck in the gears, or the breaker is tripped or off, or the breaker is bad. If the gears are moving, then power should be coming out of the timeclock to the motor. Check for power with a multimeter, at the timeclock and at the pump motor terminal board. If you have power coming into the motor, but no pump noise, check (Power off) that wire connections are tight, and inspect the wire for breaks or damage. If still nothing, look for damage in the rear of the motor, something burned, melted, loose, or pinched or cut wires.

  188. Hi,

    Good day!

    The pump does not start. So,as a first step to see if the power outlet is broken or not, I tried to charge my cellphone to the power outlet and it is charging. Then, I tried plugged the pump into another power outlet and it still does not work. Does it mean the problem is on the pump itself ?

    Thanks in advance!

    • Davy Merino

      Bobby, yes that would rule out the power source, or the outlet as being the problem. So, it could be a problem with the cord, or the connection on the other end of the cord, likely if the motor is making no noise at all. If there is a little noise, check the motor capacitor, or look at the motor switches in the back, look for anything that looks or smells funny. 🙂

  189. James Corey

    Hello, my motor runs for 20 seconds then stops. I removed it from the pump housing to troubleshoot — it was pumping weakly before stopping. It spins easily by hand and doesn’t make any noise. If I let it sit I can turn it on again, but just for about 20 seconds. It had been running ok this summer.

    • Davy Merino

      It shouldn’t be overheating, not in twenty seconds, but I suppose it could. Does it turn on again by itself, about 20 minutes later (after cooling down)? Could possibly be loose wires on the motor or timer, possibly a loose centrifugal switch or stationary switch on the motor, or maybe the windings in the motor are shorting out. If you have a local electric motor shop in town, you could drive your motor over there for testing. My guess is they would pronounce it DOA, but may find something interesting, or may find no problem at all, which would lead you to suspect the wiring, breaker, timer – the source of power. When it shuts off, you could also test power, to be sure power is still reaching the motor, with a multimeter tester.

  190. mike robillard

    Good morning. Many years ago I had to replace my Hayward motor. I
    put in a new motor and had the old motor repaired. This week the motor
    died and I put in the old repaired motor. The hub was leaking and had to be replaced. I also replaced the seals. The motor runs but does not
    pull the water through. I replaced the impeller ring and noticed it
    spun and is loosely spinning. I also noticed that the repaired motor
    was spinning counter clockwise. I used electrical tape so the impeller
    ring won’t spin loosely around but it didn’t seem to help. Your thoughts?

    • Davy Merino

      hI, the impeller ring should go small side toward the impeller, they are often marked as such. You are also using the diffuser? The plastic shroud or cover over the impeller? Oftentimes I reassemble the pump only to find the diffuser laying on the ground (doh!). The motor spins CCW? That’s not right – if it is a 3-phase motor, perhaps the wires are switched, but for a regular hayward pump (residential) 3-phase power would be very rare….

  191. Bill Ralston

    Hi my spa empties into the pool when the spa is turned on. I’ve read online it is most liked a valve that is faulty in some way. I had my Hayward pool/spa installed about 4 years ago. How can I locate and check if a valve is faulty. Thanks

    • Hi Bill, when it goes into ‘spa mode’, the spa drain valve should open, and close off the pool suction valves, so that all the water is coming into the pump from the spa only. On the return side, after the heater, the return valve should also move, with Spa Jets fully open and pool returns fully closed. If the spa is draining while in spa mode, it must be sending some water back to the pool, either the valve is not closing all the way, allowing some water to return to the pool. By looking at the return valve, you should be able to see if it is squarely closing off the pool return pipes. Many valve actuators have a small toggle switch that can be used to activate the valve motor, to turn the valve, it may have gotten switched accidentally and is closing off Spa Jets (when it should be closing off pool returns). Flip the switch opposite, and you should be all set. hopefully.

  192. Hi!
    I’m having a problem with my super pump. I just want to clarify..we had a problem with the fuse box and its just been changed. The pump starts up fine and draws water but then it starts clicking as if its shutting off and on.
    Could that be the voltage then or is there another possibility?

    • Hi Kathy, the clicking could be the start switch in the rear of the motor, not fully disengaging. Could be insects or the copper ‘arms’ are bent, or something caught up in the works, This is usually directly in the center of the motor – a centrifugal switch, steel with side springs, and a triangular shaped switch attached at 6 o’clock, but contacting the cent. switch in the center. When it gets up to speed, the switch is supposed to release the capacitor. Or, it could be that the motor is cavitating, and restricting the return side somewhat may balance the flow, if you have a valve or bypass arrangement, or can plug one of the returns, for testing. Finally, could be that the voltage is not quite right, one of the legs (power wires) not providing enough power. The pump may be reversible, able to accept either 115V or 230V, so the incoming voltage must match the set-up, +/- 10%. If it is reversible is lists voltage on the label as 115V/230V, but if 230V only, it just says … 230V.

  193. Theresa L Evans

    My Hayward Pump Super shuts off and then starts then shuts off and then starts again. My pool guy went directly to saying I need a new one. We knows its not electrical. Could this be true? I just bought this pump 3-4 yrs ago?

    • Hi Theresa, if the pump is overheating, and shutting off for 20 minutes to cool down and then starting again, that’s not usually a good sign, altho could be incorrect voltage or loose connections. Loose connections or insect infestation on contacts, or loose breaker etc, could also cause a different type of start/stop problem, very rapid. Could be a problem with the centrifugal switch, located dead center on the rear of the motor, or the stationary switch, located beneath it, and contacting each other in the center.

  194. Stephen DeGray

    Hi Davy,
    I just replaced a Hayward 2 hp SP2615X20 that started making a loud noise while still pumping, so I figured the bearings or something were gone, with a Hayward SP3015X20AZ 2 hp. The last one lasted about 3 years. This new one when turned on seems to start, and pump, but the breaker shuts off in probably less than a second. I rechecked the wiring, everything seems good. Am I doing something simply stupid, or should I call the pool people tomorrow? Thanks, Steve DeGray

    • Hi Stephen, could be a loose wire, not just the power wires, but other wires inside the back perhaps, or loose wires on the timeclock or breaker. Or a loose breaker. Possibly a bad breaker, they do wear out after 20 yrs or so. Did you rewire the time clock too, or just the pump motor? Motor wiring is pretty simple, green to ground and the other two wires, doesn’t matter which one, go to terminals L1 and L2. Hmmm, should work…?

  195. Hi –

    Have a Hayward 1HP self priming super pump on an older pool – the motor bearings are screaming. So – changed out the motor with a Century model. When starting up when the pump gets to 75% almost pushing the air out – the pump starts to pulse with a click in the motor – like the click you hear when a motor starts up. Thought he motor was defective. Got another one, it too is doing the same thing. WTF! I put my old AO Smith original bearing screaming unit in – FULLY primes – pushes all the air out – runs fine. BUT THE BEARINGS. What is the problem with those other motors? They do not seem to have enough ‘stooch’ even though they are rated at 1HP – like my original motor. This is weird, no?

    • Hi Ric, is the SF service factor rating the same on both motors (new and old)? Your old motor may have been uprated, and new one full rated? But the clicking, that sounds like a centrifugal switch, on the rear of the shaft, which could be a voltage issue?

  196. Hello, I’m having an issue where my variable speed pump is pushing de back into the pool however it only does this when it’s running at a lower RPM and does not exhibit this issue when running at priming speed or a higher RPM.

    This issue started immediately after I changed the filter grids on my FNS plus 60 filter. I completely back washed and clean the system two times making sure the filter was put together properly and there were no holes in either the manifold or the filter grids. The issue continue to happen so I called a pool repair technician and he came out and verified that the filter was put together properly and also replaced the O-rings in the backwash valve. He did notice that there was de inside of the filter grids so prior to putting it back together we completely flushed each of the grids making sure to get all the de out from inside of them.

    It has now been two days since the technician was here and the pump is still pushing de into the pool at lower RPM speed. What could I be missing that would cause this?

    • Hi Larry, When DE is coming back into the pool, it’s usually:
      1. Holes in grids, or stitching coming apart
      2. Missing air bleeder sock or strainer cap
      3. Missing standpipe o-ring
      4. Grids not aligned properly, thus not pushed fully up into manifold
      5. Missing push-pull valve o-rings

      DE powder getting inside of the grids however – that’s something notable and the fact that it only does it on Low Speed, also unique. On a DE filter, water enters the tank through the bottom tank bulkhead, and is when the tank fills up, water is forced through the grids, and then up thru the manifold, and down the standpipe to the top exit bulkhead – DE inside the grids, must have been missing an o-ring before, a push-pull valve plunger ring? If the wrong o-ring size was used, that could cause the problem. They have to stick out about 1/8″ wider than the plunger disk. You can pull out the plunger and inspect, and see how it fits the valve body, at the top, should contact all sides, and be lubed well, twice per year. i hope this helps, but I am also maybe missing something…

  197. Hi there, I made the very unfortunate decision to rent my home to a “friend”. I just got my home back, I walked outside and pool level was well below jets. Knowing prime was lost I filled the pool and the filter housing up with water. I flipped on the breaker and the pump made this god awfully loud noise, immediately flipped it off. Do you think my pump is gone or is it just needing more water to achieve prime again?

    • Hi Tommy, very loud pump – could be that the pump overheated, because it lost prime, and this either damaged the shaft bearings or melted/warped the impeller and diffuser. So, it either needs a new motor, or new internal parts, or possibly a whole new pump. Pull the motor out of the pump and turn it on briefly, to see if the noise remains. If yes, the motor bearings are the problem. If not, the parts internally, some parts, need replacement. Third possibility is just that the pump capacitor is bad, if the motor won’t turn over, wont’ spin…

  198. Michael Scarangella

    hi quick question, i have replaced the bearing for the pump but when i reassembled the pump i’ve noticed that if i shut the pump off and want to turn it right back on most of the time it hums like the start capactor is not working but if i shake the pump it will start up. or if i let it rest for like 10 to 15 min it will start right up on its own when i hit the switch. i know there is a low spead and hit speed switch when i take off the cover but it looks ok. it seems like the contacts get stuck together preventing the pump to turn on?

    • Hi Mike, it could be the start capacitor going, or it could be that one of the bearings is not quite perfectly flat, and if the shaft stops rotating at the right spot, it has trouble making the shaft turn, until bumped. Capacitors are cheap to replace, order the exact MFD number, printed on it, or you can pick up local at a motor shop.

  199. I have a Haywood swim pro voyager and it is making a loud vibration noise. What seems to be the problem. Thanks

    • Hi Marsha, I’ve had this question a lot this year. On your filter (X-Stream and Voyager) there are two large wing nuts under the lid which secure the pressure gauge and air bleeder. Check that they are tight and haven’t come loose. That is usually what causes the rattle. If they are tight, pull out the cartridge and drain the tank – whatever it is may be laying in the bottom of the tank.

  200. At the end of last year, I had a leak in the diverter valve. I had it replaced. During that time, the pump got really hot and melted the fitting on the top. I closed the pool for winter. This year, I have replaced all the plumbing from the pump to the filer. The pump acts like it wants to pump, but doesn’t. Any suggestions?

    • Hi Thomas, the fitting that goes into the pump, was it also replaced? It likely also got hot and the threads shrunk, now drawing in too much air for the pump to catch prime. You can patch the fitting usually with pool putty or silicone, but the best repair is to replace the fitting. Sometimes pump lids can also warp or even the pump housing or internals, in cases where the pump got REALLY hot, but that is rare, but if the cause, you’d need some new parts, or new pump.

  201. Sir, I have a Hayward Ecostar 3400 variable speed pump and will not run anymore. Went to start the pump to prep the pool for the kids and sill attempt to turn on but then stops. Maybe does a quarter of a turn. The control panel says that theres a driver error. Can u shed any light on what might be the culprit? I checked the breakers, plumbing, control panel, plumbing…just need to know if I shud prepare myself to buy a replacement. Ob, and its just over 4 yrs old. Thanks

    • Drive Error is a major fault. You can buy replacement drives I believe, that may be the (expensive) cure for the problem. If you download the owner’s manual on the Ecostar there is some further information about Drive Errors, and some things you can try, in the troubleshooting section, to verify the fault, and also lists the part number for the drive, if needed.

  202. Angel Steel

    Hi, my above ground pool pump will run when not attached to the pool and there is no water in it, but when I get it hooked up to the pool and let the hoses and pump fill, it no longer turns on. Help!

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, that’s strange! Probably not related to the water, but something is not right. Maybe the GFCI button tripped? Check the wiring in the back of the motor, is the cord firmly attached? Check the breaker inside the house, make sure it’s not tripped. If the motor makes no noise at all, not even a peep, then it’s usually a power issue. If the motor hums, buzzes, or tries to start, but trips the breaker (or not), could be a bound-up shaft, super clogged impeller, bad capacitor, or bad motor.

  203. The Hayward swim profilter is making a loud noise and the top vibtrates. What’s the problem. Had the filter for 3 years. Thanks

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Martha, open the air bleeder, perhaps there is a lot of air in the tank, drawn in by the pump. Air leaks can occur over time, the most often areas are a loose pump lid, unlubed pump lid oring, or my favorite, the loose threaded fitting that brings water into the pump. Packing Pool Putty or Silicone around the fitting is a good fix, replacing the fitting is a better fix. It could also be something loose inside of the tank. On the Swim Pro filters, check the two lock nuts under the lid, which secure the pressure gauge and air assembly, and be sure the filter is seated firmly into the base.

  204. Amy Edillo

    We purchased a Hayward Pump SP3220EE and I need to know how
    to turn off the timer.
    Please advise

    Thank you

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Amy, the timer is usually wired between the pump and the breaker. On an Intermatic timer clock, there is a tab, at around 4 o’clock on the dial, that is pushed to the left to turn off the timer, or override the timer settings. Other timers will have a different switch, but all should have someway to override. Some controllers have a Service Mode button you push, to be able to turn off equipment at the equipment pad, as opposed to an in-house remote panel. You can also turn off the pump at the breaker which provides power to the timer.

  205. Dave Michienzi

    Good morning. I have replaced my existing super pump with new one. I added new wire and plug end but when I plug it in it trips the breaker. Checked to see that there was no short in the wire with an ohms meter . No luck. FYI I moved the voltage selector to 115. Does that have to be over the two spades or one? Thanks for your time.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Dave, check the owner’s manual to be sure that the cord size used is proper for the motor, and the plug, is a 3-prong grounded plug? Or use this Pump Cord. The switch or voltage selector, I believe it should be only over one tab, but check the owner’s manual, or the wiring diagram on the motor. Also check that the ground wire is firmly attached at both ends, on the motor and the plug. Finally, if the new superpump is larger than the old one, the amperage draw may be too much for the breaker.

  206. Brian Simpson

    I have a new pump and brand new grid inside my filter i have no leaks after about 10 minutes my jets stop i back wash filter and it works for about 10 min again i am stumped

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Brian, is this a DE filter? Are you using DE powder or enough DE powder? If that’s not the issue, is the pump sized correctly for the filter, and not under/over sized? Could the filter be plumbed backwards possibly? If none of those things, perhaps the filter grid needs to be soaked in a Filter Cleaner, to remove oils or minerals that have clogged the pores of the fabric.

  207. Loud screeching sound from 2 speed 1 HP pump, louder on faster speed. I figure bearing, I pulled the motor off the housing and cleaned a few pine needles out of impeller but nothing else….Its only 2 years old,I take really good care of the equipment so I’m surprised.

    Would Hayward do anything for me? Thinking of switching to PentAir, I hear they are better built.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, loud screeching ‘sounds’ like bearings, yes. Not sure if Hayward will cover, but if you have your original purchase invoice, check the warranty for your pump, should be able to find on haywardnet.com – to see if bearings are excluded, or to check the warranty period. 2 yrs is unusual for bearings to go. Usually get 3-4x that long. A local motor shop could probably fix you up for $100, if you can remove the pump, and drive it to their shop. Shock the pool first and overfilter, before pulling pump. You should get it back same day or next day, in most cases. Or you can buy the bearings and seal, and with a set of bearing pullers you can replace your own. Or buy a new motor. Or switch to Pentair, but I wouldn’t say they’re better – your case is unusual, the pump may have been dropped, suffered some hard knock from a tree branch, or perhaps it had a defective bearing to begin with. It is good to let hayward know, because if they had a run of bad bearings, they will know about it, and want to know about it, and are more likely to help, if out of warranty.

  208. My Hayward pump II LX 1.5 horsepower. Have had it for 4-5 years and have had no issues. Yesterday I plugged it in to filter and where the plug goes into the 3 foot heavy duty extension it sparked smoked and created a small flame. I immediately unplugged it and the plug was black and the extension Outlet was melted. I ended up buying a new Hayward pump online however don’t want this to happen again. Any suggestions?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, if the spark/flame was where the plug meets the cord, it could be a plug problem or an outlet problem. Probably not a pump or motor problem (but could be). If you are plugging and unplugging the pump to turn it on/off – that could cause the problem over time. I would recommend getting a plug-in timeclock so you don’t need to plug/unplug it all the time. If outlet is melted, you’ll need a replacement. Could have been an outlet problem too, make sure wires or terminals aren’t touching anything except each other.

  209. Question. Hayward pro lx 1.5hp pump turns on for 5 seconds, shuts off, then light to moderate, white electrical smoke from pump. The pump shuts off because it trips the circuit breaker in the house. It has been operating properly in it’s current setup for atleast 2 years (came with house). Impeller turns from inside basket. Is it time for a replacement pump?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Tim, smoke from the motor? Whenever I’ve seen that it’s from too much voltage, like connecting 220V to a motor wired for 110V. But not likely, since it’s been there for years. Tripping the breaker, could possibly be a bad breaker, allowing too much voltage to pass thru to the pump. The motor may be dead, or possibly not. If you can, you can check voltage with a meter, on the breaker, to see how much voltage it is passing. Also check that wires are tightly attached, at breaker, timer and pump.

      • I swapped the pump assembly with an almost identical Hayward that I found in the garage (bonus!) We’ll call it assy B. Assy B has a bad on/off switch that sparks when you try to dislodge it from it’s position, but DOES start and run, until I unplug it. It leaks from the impeler case and is noisey, so assy B is no replacement. The original pump (assy A) smells burnt. I assume assy A motor is just bad. What are some items I should check assy A for on the bench so I can possibly repair it? Thanks?

        • Davy Merino

          Hi Tim, If Assy A has a bad motor (test it?), maybe you can swap Assy B motor, but you say that’s noisey, it could need new bearings and shaft seal. Check the capacitor, for bulging, cracking, or melting. Also look for any burn marks on the wire terminal board, or any crimped wires running round the rear of the motor. Sounds like you might have enough good parts to put together one good pump! Good luck ~

  210. Hi, I just replaced my 3/4 Hayward pump with a 1hp. No leaks, pressure is good, suction is good, connections seem right. When I turn on my pump it runs normal for 5 seconds thank it winds down then reverts back to normal speed. So it seems it’s changing speeds from slow to normal or is shutting off and immediately turning back on. After 30 seconds it overheats and shuts down. Not sure what’s wrong

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Jim, check the wire connections, and the voltage coming into the motor. Is this a 2-speed pump, or variable speed pump? If not, I would suspect voltage issues, especially with the overheating, be sure pump is wired to accept the incoming voltage (115V or 230V), and it doesn’t fluctuate more than 10%, +/- ….

      • I’m thinking the new pump might be set for 230 and wiring is for 115. Which explains the clicking of the pump. Hopefully it has a switch inside the pump so I can change it for 115. Thanks

        • Davy Merino

          Jim, if the motor is ‘reversible’ it will have a Hi Voltage / Lo Voltage diagram printed on the label, and a means to switch it to 115V. Motors that are reversible always ship from the factory at 230V, and need to be manually switched to accept 115V. Some motors, esp. larger hp motors, are not reversible. If the motor label says 115V/230V it is reversible, but if it says just 230V…

  211. Hi Chad,
    Recently I started getting a loud vibration hum from my hayward pump. It seems to be coming from the wet side of the pump – the strainer housing. If I push down on the the cover or apply weight to the top, the vibration reduces significantly. Any insight would be helpful.
    Thanks,
    RPS

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, it could be just that, a vibration. YOu can shim under a piece of rubber, or carpet, or cardboard which won’t last long, but anything between the pump and the pad should quiet the pump, and take up space to prevent the vibration. You should be able to lift up on the pump just slightly, to push something thin, 1/4″ thick or less, beneath it.

  212. Sal Costa

    Hi, I have 2 issues with my 15×30 above pool.
    First, in regard to my Hayward pump basket lid, it is hard to turn counter clockwise, when i need to remove it but it does turn. However, no matter what. it will not “pull up” off the pump basket.
    Second, I have a Hayward EC40 DE filter attached with a Hayward 11/2hp motor. My issue is that the normal operating pressure is around 13-15 psi. However, when the filter is running for about 2-3 hours, the pressure increases to 20 psi, and the output water flow is minimal at best (extremely slow). I have back washed the filter about 6 times in 1 month, and even soaked the filter (the DE fingers) in a cleaning solution and also soaked it in Muriatic Acid for about 30 minutes. Still the same results. Do you have any ideas??

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Sal, for the pump lid, it may help to close the incoming and outgoing valves, and open the filter air bleeder, to release the suction. Also, using Teflon pool lube on the pump lid oring should help. For the filter, it’s a common problem, but it’s usually solved with soaking the fingers in a DE filter cleaner solution, or acid. Cleaners will remove the grease/oils, and acid will remove scale deposits. Are you using enough DE powder? A lb of DE is – by volume, equal to a 1 lb coffee can, or about 4 cups of dry measure. It’s half as light as say, flour – so we use twice as much. If that’s not the problem, try soaking the fingers again, with a stronger solution, and/or leaving them soaking longer.

  213. We’ve had our Hayward for four years now never had any problems….tonight my husband vacuumed the pool then back washed it. When he went to turn the pool back on it made a slight humming noise like it was trying to come back on but it wouldn’t turn on.

    • Hi Jodi, that could be two things – either the pump impeller is severely clogged, keeping the motor shaft from turning – or if the shaft spins freely, it is likely the capacitor (black cylinder in rear of motor) that has failed. Replace with the exact same capacitor (look at the MFD rating printed on the capacitor). Also could sometimes be the centrifugal switch, located on the very end of the shaft, in the rear. Nothing your husband did, he’s safe to come out of the doghouse, lol.

  214. Carolyn Nouri

    Just bought a brand-new Hayward pump , starts up in primes great but in about five minutes there was no suction or water flow back to the pool . Checked everything still doesn’t work . I have an aboveground kayak saltwater system . My pump is one horse power. Any suggestions?

    • Hi Carolyn, When a pump displays those symptoms, it’s usually an air leak or a collapsed suction hose, or a very dirty filter. Remove the filter cartridge to see if it continues. Check that the pump lid is on very tight, and that the threaded fitting that screws into the front of the pump has Teflon tape or other thread sealant. Check that hoses are clamped tight to fitting. Some pumps are stronger than some hose, so check to see if the hose is not collapsing under the suction, during the issue. If so, you need stronger hose (or pipe), or add another suction pipe (and wall fitting). Also check that water level is good in pool, and skimmer weir is not blocking water flow.

  215. chad Morgan

    I changed my sand a few weeks and tested it and it worked fine. Now that i have my new liner in and pool is filled i started adding chemicals to the pool and i went to turn the switch on and there is nothing happening with the motor.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Chad, when a motor makes no noise at all, I suspect power issues. Flip circuit breaker all the way Off, then back on again. Flip timeclock switch on, inspect time clock motor gears (Intermatic clocks) for good timer motor, and inspect wiring from timer to pump. For plug-in pumps, be sure the TEST button is not tripped on GFCI outlets, and that the cord is not damaged. Power can be checked at the motor terminals, with a multimeter set to AC volts. The problem lies, where the power dies… could be the breaker, time clock, outlet or at the terminal board.

  216. JUst installed new heyward pump . When it starts up it occassionally will blow the breaker. I have it on a 15 amp breaker with a few other items, the motor after running is very hot to the touch. Do you believe I have a bad breaker? The GFI doesn’t break which is where the pump is plugged into, it is just the breaker on the eletrical box that pops.

    • Hi, motors run about 140° F when running, so they are always hot to the touch. The breaker is probably overloaded. The pump should really be on its own breaker if possible. Perhaps you can replace it with a 20 amp breaker, of the same manufacturer, and you’d be all set, or move some of the other devices to draw power from a different breaker.

  217. Brian Ragaglia

    Hello. Just bought a new Hayward Perflex Series Extended Cycle Filtration Systems filter and can’t get the motor to start. Everything seems to be set up correctly on the filter and motor. Outlet works fine. Is there something special I need to do when first installing the motor? Never had an issue with the other motors we have had. Appreciate any help.

    Thank you.

    • Hi BRian, nothing special no… make sure the outlet TEST button is not popped or tripped? Make sure pump motor is set to accept 110V (may be wired to accept 220V), and that all wires for the cord are tight, and connected correctly to terminals L1 and L2…

  218. Hi,

    I have a hayward super pump model c48k2n143b1 sp2607x10a and i am trying to wire on the 115v but i dont have a switch to change from 220 or 115 and no diagram on the pump … i try yesterday to pump work but was not pulling the water like it is suppose to and after 3 min the pump what very hot .. so i think it is on 220v … are you able to help me

    thanks

    Mike

    • Hi Mike, when there is no wiring diagram printed on the motor label or above the nameplate, indicating High/Low Voltage wiring specs, then the motor is not reversible. Higher horsepower motors are usually only 230V, above 2 hp, but lower hp motors are sometimes reversible, or have the ability to wire either with 110V or 220V, but – they will say this on the motor label if they are (reversible) and have a diagram also. If you wire 110V to a 220V motor, it will not usually run, or will only slowly turn. So, I don’t think you can use this motor, (sorry), unless you are able to add another 110V wire, and run both connected wires from a Double pole breaker.

  219. We have a hayward pump and heater. When we first started both up there were no issues, however now when the heater kicks on the pump starts to make a high pitched noise. Any ideas why this would happen? This noise does not happen when the water is flowing through the heater but it is not turned on.

    • Hi Sara, could the sound be the gas whistling thru the burner orifices? You may have a partially clogged burner orifice, which is the brass spray tip on the end of the burner tube, where the gas shoots out of the manifold. My BBQ grill does the same thing, lol. Heaters often normally make such sounds, could also be debris laying on top of the burners. Open the door and inspect for debris with a mirror and flashlight. Turn on heater and see if you can narrow down the noise. You can use a bent paperclip to ream out the orifices. Now if it really is your pump, and not the heater making this noise, that I can’t explain, must be the heater?

  220. Mary Baughman

    Had a ball stuck under the skimmer basket, pump got hot and now will not turn back on. Any suggestions? Breaker for the pump is not tripped. hayward super pump C48L2N134B1

    • Hi Mary, pump motors have a thermal overload switch, which trips when motor gets too hot, it resets itself when the motor cools down, and the motor should restart again on it’s own. if it does not come back on, check switches, turn breaker all the way off and back on again. Then check power (volts) coming into motor to verify – and if it still won’t come on (and makes no attempt to) it’s likely dead. If it humms or buzzes, it could be a bad capacitor, in rear of motor, at 9 oclock. Good luck!

  221. I have no pressure on my filter. It is brand new. Has been running great. Tried to vacuum. No pressure now. Tried to backwash. Filled strainer basket back with water. It will start to run normal for 2-3 seconds. Then back to no pressure. What can I do?

    • Hi Carrie, sounds like an air leak, which is air being sucked into the pump, from somewhere in Front of the impeller,
      1. drain plug
      2. pump lid
      3. pipe going into pump’
      4. leaky valve or unions in front of pump
      5. low water level or skimmer weir blocking water flow
      6. Vacuum hose air leaks from splits in an old hose

  222. Tracey husak

    Juat replaced motor. It ran and then we shut it off. When we turned it on heard a pop and blew fuse. Is the motor still good.

    • the ‘pop’ may have been the capacitor blowing, its a black cylinder located at 9 oclock in the rear of the motor. Check that the shaft spins properly, and recheck all wiring. Check that the motor wiring matches input voltage, if the motor can be wired 110/220V. Motor may still be good.

  223. michelle

    Recently replaced mortor and pump. After running almost 24 hours the pressure went upto 30 which is the maxium number on our filter gauge and the water circulation stopped. I backwashed and started again and it was good for another 24 hours and the circulation stopped again and the pressure reached max. The filter caterige is brand new too.
    Is the replaced pump and motor problem?
    Now I turned the power off beacuse the circulation is not working and afraid the filter might blow up by the high pressure.

    • Hi Michelle, If the pump and motor are too large and powerful for your filter size, it would create this situation. The “Filter Design Flow Rate” is usually printed on the label, or can be found online. If the new pump produces greater flow rate than the old pump, it produces high pressure, and poor filtration, and can damage the cartridge. Pump flow rates are found on pump flow rate curves.

      If your new pump is the exact same make/model/horsepower as the old pump, then the pump is not the problem – but if you switched make/models… check the pump flow curve, because even though it may be the same hp, different make/model pool pumps produce Vastly different flow rates. Fox example, a 1 hp Whisperflo creates twice as much flow as a 1 hp Superpump.

      Other causes of high pressure could be unrelated to the pump size, such as an obstruction or restriction on the return line, or a partially closed valve, or plugged wall returns, or eyeball fittings in the pool that are too small. Or the filter cartridge may need to be replaced, and is clogged with minerals/dirt/oil, and creating the high pressure itself. You can remove the cartridge, reassemble the filter and run the system, just to verify that the cartridge is the problem. Your pressure should be much lower, maybe 5-10 psi, without the cartridge in place.

  224. I have a max-flo XL pump how high should it read it keeps going over 20 psi is this normal

    • Hi, each pool filter system has a different pressure, but if there was a normal pressure, many systems are designed to run around 10 psi (clean). When the pressure rises 7-9 psi above the clean, start-up pressure, that indicates that it’s time to backwash or clean the filter. Conversely, and by the way, when pressure is much lower than normal, that indicates an obstruction before the filter, like clogged pump or skimmer baskets or an impeller clog. Now if your pressure is jumping up to 20 psi very rapidly (hours or days), the filter media (sand, de or cartridge) may need to be replaced. Or you can try a filter cleaner first, to remove oils and scale that may be clogging the filter.

  225. I recently noticed what appears to be a shaft seal leak. It’s just a trickle (as opposed to a spray)at this time. Should I shut down my system until I can get this fixed or is it safe for the motor to continue operation?

    • you can keep running it, while you get parts sure. They don’t usually begin to flow like a gusher, but a steady trickle.

  226. Hi,
    I am a novice with in ground pools, but is the pool motor supposed to run continuously? Some times it has overheated, it did re start, but I want to make sure that the motor is supposed to run continuously.

    Thanks very much….Larry

    • Hi Larry, valid question. Pump motors are ‘continuous duty’, meaning that they are meant for continuous operation, it won’t harm the motor, or cause it to overheat. However, many inground pools do not run the pump 24/7, but operate it from 12-18 hrs daily, depending on the need, and the ability of the filtration system and sanitation efforts, etc… Some small systems do need to run 24/7, but a properly sized system has a timeclock, to set it to run for around 12 hours per day (less during cool periods, more during hot spells)>

      If your motor is overheating, and shutting off (from the thermal overload switch, located in the back, at 12 o’clock), then you have some motor issues, maybe blocked air vents, broken internal fan, or a short across the windings. In most cases, it means that your motor is on the way out…. 🙁 You may need to start shopping for a new motor and shaft seal, or a whole new pump of the same size and type.

  227. kathleen fowkes

    I have a Hayward super pump 1HP. This year I have developed a leak under the pump housing I believe. It looks like its coming from in between the motor and pump.Am I correct in thinking I need a new seal plate kit? Also, because of this leak, would It cause my pressure to decrease?

    • Hi Kathleen, sounds like a leak from the shaft seal, unless water is running out of the pump exit fitting, and running down the housing and dripping off the bottom. You dont’ need a seal plate kit – you can just use the shaft seal SPX1600Z2. A leaking shaft seal should not cause your filter pressure to decrease. Look for a clogged pump impeller, clogged basket, or other obstruction before the filter, or an air leak in front of the pump, or a broken pressure gauge, but the seal should not be related, unless it was literally gushing gallons of water.

  228. Pat Gomez

    hi I followed the set up directions on my new sp1580lx pump and it keeps tripping the breaker. I also tried it in a different place… same outcome.What am I doing wrong? Is it plug and play?

    • Hi Pat, yes they should be plug and play, was the cord attached already, or did you install? Check the wiring of the pump cord, comparing to the wiring diagram printed on the motor, to be sure that they are connected properly, should be wired for 115V (not 230V). Also check that no wires are touching any metal, and check for any bare/scraped wires. Inspect the capacitor (black cylinder, 9 oclock) and the centrifugal switch, (on the end of the motor shaft), for any signs of damage or looseness. I would also suspect the outlet or breaker, but you have tried a different one with the same result…

  229. I have a Hayward Power-Flo Matrix and seems to be working fine when it is running the pool. The problem that I have is when I try to start the vacuum to clean the pool. I have tried a segmented hose and a one piece hose and when it starts to clean, it will clean for about 30 seconds and then there seems to be no water flowing into the pump. I backwash and rinse and start again but it does the same thing. The help at the pool store had no idea what could be wrong. I’ve checked all my hoses for clogs and skimmer and pump baskets are clean. I tried to snake the pump but didn’t find anything. Any ideas?

    • Hi Terri, when you connect the vacuum hose to the skimmer to start vacuuming, this is like increasing the length of the pipe from the pool to the pump, which makes the pump have to work harder, kind of like drinking through a very long straw. What is happening is that the pump pulls so hard that either an air leak around the pump develops, or the vacuum hose or pool to pump hose begins to crimp and collapse. If you pipes are underground, it could also be happening, if flex pipe was used and you have been using chlorine tablets in the skimmer. Make sure that the fitting that goes into the pump has no air leaks, which is the most common air leak area. second most common is the pump lid or drain plug, lube the lid oring and teflon tape on the drain plug.

  230. Craig Mintz

    We have a Hayward 1.5 lx. Works great minus the vacuum created is so great that getting the lid off of the basket is so great a breaker bar is needed to remove it. I checked valves inside pump, and new o ring was installed. Disconnected the chlorination device, and direct connected it eliminating that. Normally when the device is turned off and we do get the lid off, water runs back into the basket from the filter, it almost sounds like it’s creating almost a vapor lock, like in an engine. Thoughts?

    • Hi, open up the air bleeder on the filter when you open the pump to release the vacuum seal from pump to filter. if this is installed below pool water level, also close the isolation valves, to keep the water in the pool, and avoid soaking your socks! Use Teflon pool lube on the pump lid o-ring, reapply every 4 months. Pump lids are all very tight, they need to be.

  231. Chuong Tran

    Hi Davy,

    I’ve checked out your blog and you had very good info for audience.
    I currently have Hayward RS750CA and it starts leaking underneath. It looks old and I’m thinking about replacing it. The price seems steep ($500+ for the pump) and it seems only Leslie’s carries them. Do you have any suggestion for similar pump? Thanks.

    • Hi Chuong, the Leslies RS750CA is the same as the Hayward Super II pump, which are $500-$600. For the leaking underneath, that sounds like the shaft seal SPX1600Z2 or it could be leaking around the plumbing fitting threads, where water exits the pump, and is running down the side of the pump and dripping off the bottom. I would suggest replacing the pump with the same exact pump, which is matched to your filter size presumably. Similar pumps, with the same flow rate characteristics, are not less expensive. But, you probably just need a $15 shaft seal, which is not overly difficult to replace.

      • Chuong Tran

        Thanks Davy for your quick reply. I could take a leap of faith by trying your suggestion of replacing the shaft seal first. Do you have a video clip to show how to replace it? I am very sure the water comes from underneath, not from plumbing fitting threads. We recently had a makeover of our backyard where we replaced the concrete with pavers and it could very well be the sands and dust (yes, I had to vacuum the pool a couple times to get it clean) that got into the parts that helped speed up the demise of the pump. Right now I can hear the pump running hard when it is turned on, but pressure gauge shows 0.

        • Hi again, I don’t have a shaft seal replacement video, but there are many on youtube. The process, for changing a hayward pump seal is:

          1. Shut off power at the breaker to all pool equipment
          2. Remove the 6 bolts that hold the seal plate to the pump housing
          3. slide pump backwards, out of the housing, remove diffuser and wear ring from impeller
          4. remove rear motor cover, loosen screw that holds capacitor (9 oclock) and move it out of the way, so you can fit a 7/16 wrench on the rear of the motor shaft, behind the centrifugal switch.
          5. Holding the shaft stationary (so it won’t turn), unthread the impeller, counter clockwise, to remove.
          6. Remove and replace the two seal halves, in the same orientation as removed, spring half slides over impeller stem, donut half is pushed into seal plate.
          7. Reassemble pump in reverse order from above.

  232. I have a new Power-Flo Matrix pump. When you first turn it on it works great with strong suction. After just a few minutes the flow slows down to almost nothing. This happens even when the filter and skimmer basket is clean. Nothin seems to be leaking anywhere. Any ideas as to how to fix this?

    • Hi, it is either an air leak (a non-issue if installed below water level), or the suction pipes are too small for the pump size, or the hose may be collapsing inward under pressure. Could also be a clog in the pipe. If the filter pressure goes higher when this happens, it could be an obstruction inside the filter or filter valve, or after the filter on the return line.

  233. joe edic

    my two speed Hayword pump clicks when
    put on high speed. It worked when fine for a couple of times but only clicks now. low speed works fine, pump is three years old.

    • Hi Joe, could be a relay clicking, if you have a controller attached to the system, look for burnt or melted hi-speed relay. It could also be the centrifugal switch located in the rear of the motor, on the end of the shaft, check for looseness, broken spring or other damage.

  234. Hi, I changed my Sta Rite motor, it was 10 years old and did not start anylonger, with a brand new one. After I installed the ne motor, I pugged it in, started the pump and the breaker tripped. Is there something I forgot to do?

    • Hi Renaud, many motors come wired to accept 230V, but are reversible to 115V. But most aboveground pool pumps are 115V, and certainly is if it came with the cord. If you attached the cord, make sure that the wires are correctly attached to the terminal board, and the ground wire secure. also don’t forget to connect the bare bonding wire, if you have one. If all is good, there is a possibility that the breaker or GFCI outlet is bad.

  235. Saundra Cox

    We have a Hayward Swimpro Lx 1.0 hp and have a slow leak coming from underneath, maybe in between the housing and the motor. We just has this pool installed year, and brought the motor inside the house. Should we already be having problem’s with it?

    • Sounds like a leak from the shaft seal, although it could be dripping from the pipe carrying water out of the pump, running down and dripping off the bottom. Shouldn’t be having a problem so soon, no – but it can happen, but more likely to not be the shaft seal, but the exit pipe, or a leak around the impeller housing, check the bolts around the pump, to be sure they are tight.

  236. Hi,
    I have a Hayward SP2610X15 Super Pump 1.5-HP Max-Rated Single-Speed Pool Pump,
    Can I turn on this pump without water to check whether the motor is running?

  237. Jed Daniels

    Hi, I have a Hayword pump and when I turn the pump on I have water coming out the bottom of the pump in the back, and trips the GFI OUTLET, could this be a bad seal? Thank you for your time, Jed.

    • Hi, it does sound like a bad seal yes. Not usually related to a tripped GFI, but I suppose they could be linked. Hayward pumps use different shaft seals, you can find the correct one here: https://www.intheswim.com/c/pump-parts?pcode=208&scode=SOCIBLOG . Replacing it involves separating the wet end from the motor end, then holding the shaft so you can unthread the impeller, removing the two old seal halves, and replacing in the same direction or orientation to each other, rethreading on the impeller and reconnecting the seal plate to the pump housing. Reprime the pump again, open water valves and test. Hopefully the GFI then holds…

  238. Heidi martinez

    I have a Hayward pro series filter and Hayward pump. No matter what setting I put it in its backwashing the sand into the skimmer. Took it to pool mart and they cleaned it out and said everything was fine inside it. Anyone have similar problems or have an idea what we r doing wrong?

    • Hi Heidi, it sounds like maybe the plumbing could be reversed? On the filter valve, on top of the filter tank, there are 3 Ports, labeled PUMP, RETURN and WASTE. Connect the hose from the pump to PUMP, the wall return pipe to RETURN, and the backwash hose connects to the WASTE port, with the use of a hose adapter and clamp.

  239. tony bryant

    I have a Hayward pump with DE filter. I primed the pump and was ready to add DE compund. I noticed through the basket lid before pump that there was a stream of water(full stream) but to me it didn’t seem like enough water being pulled in. Gauge was reading between 6 and 8 on filter container at this time. I am a new pool owner and first Hayward pump. Got pump from a friend and he had no problems. Just curious if this area needs to be full at all times or just a steady flow on intake.

    • Hi Tony, when all is good in the world, the pump basket will fill up full, and when a system is really air tight, you see no bubbles at all (through a clear pump lid), just solid water, filling the entire pump basket housing.

      It could be air in the pump, or it could be that the pump is too big (powerful) for the number of pipes. If it sounds loud and grumbly, that can be a sign of cavitation, being starved for water, from not enough water being supplied (it wants more). If regular loudness, its likely an air leak.
      1. Pump lid not on tight, gasket not lubed, or not positioned properly (superpump)
      2. loose pipe coming into pump, drawing air around fitting threads
      3. clogged pump impeller or very dirty filter

  240. Kimberly Roes

    I opened the control panel during a rain storm (down pour) to turn off the filter. It got very wet and tripped the breaker. Now it won’t flip back on but it is still raining hard. Does the panel just need to dry or did I cause possible damage?

    • It probably just needs to dry out, but breakers that trip do need to be fully turned to Off, before they can be turned back On again. Breakers do wear out, especially if used often as the pump switch. If you have a time clock or light switch in addition to the breaker, I’d recommend using that to turn pump on/off, rather than the breaker.

  241. MY PUMP STARTS TO PRIME THEN LOSES IT. PUMP IS 15 YEARS OLD.

    • Hi Carl, check for an air leak in front of the pump on the suction manifold, or around the pump lid, or on around the threads of the fitting that screws into the pump. Also check that the water level is high enough, and that a skimmer weir is not stuck in the up position, blocking water flow.

  242. Hello – we have a Hyward Power Flo Matrix 1 HP pump for a 15 foot above ground pool – the pump runs however only seems to fill the strainer basket half way and is very noisy (like it’s struggling to get enough water in) – the pressure guage on sand filter reads 15 psi and everything has been cleaned and new o-rings installed all around.

    • Hi, like some of the other comments, when a pump basket doesn’t fully fill with water, doesn’t fully catch prime… the first thing is to rule out an Air Leak, on the suction side. Either a leaky valve in front of the pump, loose fitting threaded into pump, or loose pump lid/o-ring, or sometimes a loose drain plug, with no Teflon tape on it, and a missing plug o-ring – these can all allow air to draw into the pump. The second thing that can cause such a problem is if the pump is starved for water, ‘cavitating’, because it is too large (hp) for the piping system, or because incoming valves are closed, or pipes are plugged, or clogged. The third thing to check would be an obstruction on the pressure side of the pump, clogged impeller, clogged filter, closed return side valves or plugs in the wall…

  243. Lou Mennona

    I have a hayward superpump and upon starting the pump, it sucks the water into the pump basket but when it is filled with water the pump will start revving up and down. Same thing if I try to backwash. Pump is primed and water is coming out of the returns.

    • Hi Lou, I call that ‘surging’, and when a pump does that, and the water level (in the pool) is good, and a stuck skimmer weir is not causing the problem, I would check for an air leak in front of the pump – a small void before the impeller that is pulling air in. Could be the pump lid, drain plug, or the pipe that threads into the pump. You can use a pool putty to seal up some incoming leaks, but sometimes new parts are needed. Superpump lid gaskets are a square cut gasket that can come out of the groove easily, be sure it is seated properly, and lube it with Teflon pool lube regularly.

      Now if it’s not an air leak, surging can also be caused by a clog in the pipe, usually a solid object like a golf ball, getting sucked back and forth in the pipe. Use a Drain King to pressurize the pipe backwards, to remove such clogs. If it is not a clog, it could be a collapsed skimmer line or drain line, if flex pipe was used underground on these lines. When tablets are used in the skimmers, Flex pipe beneath the skimmer can swell inside and begin to crimp and close (over many years time), so that a small amount of debris can clog the line.

  244. We have an Hayward SP1580X15 Power-Flo LX 1.5hp pump. When I go to backwash the filter pump shuts down. I replaced the pump thinking it was bad. The new one is doing the same thing. We have a sand filter and no pressure gage. Any idea’s as to what could be the problem?

    • Hi – when you say it shuts down, I assume you mean that the water stops flowing? Not that the motor shuts off… So, to backwash, you are shutting off the pump, turning the multiport valve to backwash, turning the pump on, but water does not flow out of the waste line? Check that there is no additional valve to open on the backwash line, and if a flexible backwash hose is used, that it is rolled out. If the filter multiport was recently re plumbed, be sure that the pipe from the pump goes into the valve port labeled PUMP, and the pipe to the pool is connected to the valve port labeled RETURN. If that’s all ok, you may want to shut off the isolation vales, and remove the handle and lid from the multiport valve and inspect the spider gasket. Finally, in cases of very hard water, some of your sand bed may have calcified, and need to be replaced.

  245. Rut Kessel

    Greetings! Just opened up the pool and the Hayward Super Pump worked just fine until we started vacuuming the bottom. After about 15minutes the pump stopped and the motor was super hot. Turned everything off, let the motor cool off and tried again. Flipping the switch makes nothing happen. No noise, nothing. Any tips? Thanks for your time!

    • Hi – probably not related to the vacuuming, but sounds like a motor problem. Motors have a thermal overload switch (in the rear of the motor, top-dead-center, at 12:00). if the motor is generating too much heat, this temp sensor will trip and shut off the pump. After 15-20 minutes, after cooling, the switch will close again, and the motor should restart. An overheating motor can be caused by bad air flow, broken internal fan, or often the death sentence of a short in the windings. Now, if your motor has cooled off, but won’t start again, or make any noise at all, as you say – i would check the power (volts) going into the motor, put the multimeter probes (set on 240V+) onto the two brass terminals of the motor terminal board, where the two incoming wires connect. With your timeclock or switch turned on, you should see about 220V, give or take 10%. (or 110V, if wired 120V). If no power at motor, check connections for tightness, inspect wire and conduit for damage. Check power at the switch or timer in the same way as the motor, at the other end of the wires running between the switch/timer and motor. If there’s no power at the switch/timer, go back further to the breaker. “the problem lies, where the power dies…”

      Now if you do find power at the motor, and the wires are screwed tightly, but no sound, no movement, and the breaker doesn’t trip… it could be a bad motor. Look closely for any visible damage in the rear of the motor, anything loose, disconnected, chewed, melted, broken, burnt or cracked. If it does make a humming or buzzing sound briefly and trips the breaker, check that the shaft rotates the impeller freely, and if so, replacing the capacitor is usually the fix.

  246. I have a Hayward super flo matrix pump. The pump has been running for 2 days. There was a slight drip coming from a fitting, that I tightened. Water began flowing out the pump motor and it tripped the gfci. I keep reading that it could be a seal.

    • Hi, yes shaft seal failure. The mechanical shaft seal sits behind the impeller, and prevent water from leaking out along the motor shaft. Not too bad of a repair, if you want to attempt yourself. Just be sure to buy the correct seal for your make/model pump, for the Powerflo Matrix pump, that’s here: https://www.intheswim.com/p/hayward-spring-seal-w-seat-spx1250xz2c SPX1250XZ2C. Separate the pump from the volute by removming the retainer clip, then remove the volute cover plate. Then hold the shaft stationary to remove the impeller, and finally remove the housing. Replace the seal in the same orientation as you removed it, and reassemble. No special tools or lube needed.

  247. Wilson Furtado

    Davey,

    I have 2 pumps, Ecostar for pool and Tristar VS for my waterfall, the pool pump is working fine, the Tristar will not come on, when I use my Omnilogic app or or the panel to turn on it just says-“paused/valve change”, but there is no valve change going on-having a Memorial Day party this Saturday and getting a bit freaked out, I have tried calling support, but they put me on indefinite hold, and I cant seem to get in touch with pool company-please help. Thanks

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Wilson, I can’t find any info on that error message paused / valve change – but it would sound like it thinks that either a filter valve or directional valve is being turned, so it has paused water flow. The waterfall pump should be a simple system, just a suction line and a return line (no valves?), you have it primed full of water? Maybe a complete reboot at the circuit breaker could be the answer, or a reset on the pump control panel. You might also check the the motor is not bound up, reaching in behind the basket to be sure you can spin the impeller with your fingertips.
      Hayward Tristar VS manual https://hayward-pool-assets.com/assets/documents/pools/pdf/manuals/tristar-vs-S3202VSP.pdf?fromCDN=true – has some good troubleshooting tips.

  248. David Marsden

    I have a Hayward Perflex DE filter brand new last year. Setting it up this year and the pool filter lid keeps leaking. I have cleaned the rubber gasket, made sure the springs touch to no avail. How do I get the lid tight enough?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi David, these can sometimes be tricky to seal up, you are not alone. 3 things are key, 1. Clean Gasket (no bits of debris or de powder), 2. Lube Gasket (after cleaning, with a rag lube with Teflon or Silicone based pool lube) and 3. Tighten in a Pattern (tighten up the bolts in a N, S, E, W, or 12, 6, 9, 3 pattern). And make sure the bolts are tight of course. And that the top gasket seats well into the groove in the filter body before putting the lid on. Inspect the gasket as well, for nicks, dry-rot or other damage that may affect the seal. Perflex filters can also leak out of the bump handle, this fix usually involves replacing the shaft o-rings.

      • David Marsden

        There are two washers that I have on each side of the spring. Is that correct or does one go on the nut?

        • Davy Merino

          For the clamp band, yes the washer with the slightly smaller hole I.D. goes on first, then the spring, then the slightly larger hole washer. One washer on each side of the spring, you are correct.

  249. Hi, I have a Hayward pump and it was running my barracuda g3 just fine but it stopped hours later. Pressing on/off buttom followed only by click sound of switch. I have digital timer with pump wire going into termials that are screwed down. What and how should I go about diagnosing this? Thanks in advance! 🙂

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Chris, the first thing I would check, since the motor is making no noise at all (?), is power, verify that power is leaving the timer and arriving at the motor. Use a multimeter on the AC volt setting of 240V, and place the meter leads on the wires on the time clock. You can check power in, on the incoming wires, and power out (with timer ON), on the outgoing wires that go to the motor. If power is tested at these points, I would check the motor terminals. The problem lies – where the power dies, so it could be a bad timer motor, timer relay, timer switch, or a bad pump motor. Could also be loose connections on the wires, or insect infestation on the contacts.

  250. Michael Jock

    Hi Davy,I have a Hayward pump and it’s not priming.The basket is only filling up halfway with water.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Michael, common problem, which can be caused by a variety of issues, in order of possibility…
      1. Pump lid not on tight enough
      2. pump lid gasket or o-ring not lubed, or not positioned properly (superpump)
      3. loose pipe coming into pump, drawing air around fitting threads
      4. clogged pump impeller
      5. very dirty pool filter

  251. Every time the pump is turned on with the timer it trips the circuit breaker. The pump is 18 yrs. old. This just started. We opened our pool a week ago and haven’t had a problem until today (May 23. 2017)

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Jim, bummer! Let’s see what we can do…
      1. check that the pump impeller and shaft are spinning freely. Rust can develop inside the motor that you can break free, by spinning the shaft a few times.
      2. check the pump motor wiring, at the timeclock and the motor. Shut off the breaker, and timer, and check the tightness of all screws on timer and on pump motor.
      3. inspect clock and rear of motor for any obvious signs of damage, like watermarks, dirt, insects or something burned or melted
      4. inspect capacitor, usually mounted at 9 o’clock, for signs of leaking, bulging, cracking
      5. inspect all wires inside the back of motor, looking for one that is disconnected, cut, crimped, or two metal terminals touching each other.
      6. inspect conduit and wires going from timer to pump, look for water in the conduit, or broken conduit, or rodent damage to wires.
      7. inspect breaker, turn off breaker to pool from house main panel). Make sure it is fully pushed into the panel, and the wires are tightly connected, which they likely are.
      8. check power at the motor, with a multimeter set on 240V+ place test probes on the brass screws or terminals where the two power wires connect. It should be the receiving 115V or 230V, depending on how it is wired, plus/minus 10%.

      In most cases, it’s going to be #1, just a ‘frozen motor’ as we say… If the shaft spins freely, and it makes a hum or buzz sound for a few seconds before it trips the breaker, probably #4. If there is no motor sound at all, and the breaker trips, it could be a bad motor, or it could be a bad breaker, they wear out, especially if used often (instead of the timer switch).

  252. John Callaghan

    Hayward Pump Makes Noise.
    The article says:
    “Use the [7/16] wrench to wiggle the shaft through several revolutions…to free up the shaft”

    After removing the capicitor and the thermal load, we were able to get a 7/16 wrench on the shaft at around 12 o’clock, but the shaft only has two flat sides and we are only able to move the shaft like 1/12th of a revolution clockwise and counter-clockwise (back and forth between 11 and 12 o’clock). There are pegs all around that prevent moving the wrench beyond 11 and 12 o’clock and because the shaft only has two flat sides we cannot get the wrench from another angle – plus there are other pegs. So we cannot manually rotate the shaft a full revolution. Is this normal?
    How are you supposed to move the shaft “several revolutions” with a 7/16 wrench with all the pegs in the way and the shaft only having two flat sides to get the wrench to lock on to it???

    • Davy Merino

      Hi John, you have to do it in tiny increments, with the wrench in place, just jiggle it around back of forth thru the range of motion (about 1/2″), then once you can turn it enough to reposition the wrench, do that and jiggle again, working it for several minutes until you can get it to rotate a few revolutions.

  253. Hello. I have a perflex ec50 that is about four years old. The pump stopped priming and allowed water to just flow through but not pressurize the closed filter basket part that is right before the pump…so it looks like a waterfall in the basket flowing from the pipe coming from the pool to the lower end going into the filter. I dropped $200 on a new pump and it is doing the same thing. Water level is good, pipe connections are sealed and I checked I rings which seem fine…I can’t seem to figure out what is wrong. Pressure reads 20.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Leah, when the pump is barely pumping, the problem is either in front of the pump or after the pump. When in front of the pump, problems like a clogged impeller, air leak into the pump, or clogged skimmer line, or low water – these will produce filter pressure lower than normal (on the filter pressure gauge). When the problem is after the pump impeller, like a clogged filter, closed return valve or clogged return line, the pressure will be higher than normal. Now assuming your pressure gauge is accurate, 20 psi would tell me that your filter grid ‘fingers’ need a serious cleaning. Remove all of the bolts around the top and pull out the ‘Filter Nest’, or all of the ‘fingers’. Hose them off well, and then soak them in a DE filter cleaner, in a 5 gallon bucket. Or, soak them in a TSP solution (1 lb of TSP in 5 gals warm water), followed by a soaking in an acid solution, 1 gallon acid added to 4 gallons of water. Soak in TSP for an hour, and in the acid for 10 minutes. Then dunk them in the pool quickly after the acid, to rinse cleanly. Reinstall and add new DE powder. Also check other possible pressure side problems, like a closed or broken exit valve on the filter, or other restrictions further down the line, up to the pool return fittings. Hope that helps!

      • Thank you 😊 I have taken the thing apart several times and cleaned those fingers but that wasn’t the problem this time…I took a chance and tried the vacuum to see if any debris actually made it to the filter basket and nothing went through…so got a plunger and forced the water through with that and then the pump finally primed!! I couldn’t believe it..after two weeks and a new pump!

        • Davy Merino

          Hi, might have been a small clog in the pipe. If it reoccurs, you may have some pipe problems, such as a collapsed flexible PVC pipe on the skimmer. Fingers crossed it is not that! If so, the issue would reoccur again, after vacuuming usually. Flex pipe used on skimmers can eventually narrow and crimp, leaving a small opening that clogs easily. Plunger was a good idea, a Drain King can also be used, from the pump, to blow debris back to the skimmer…

  254. I have a Hayward pump for my above ground pool, it is two years old. Just replaced the sand and cleaned the fingers, replaced the o rings and have a psi of 15 and great suction. I have great circulation, but I the problem is after the pump runs for around a half hour on the filter setting it barely has any force coming out of the jet. There are no leaks and the basket remains full with water. I have backwashed the filter and the water is clear. I have tried everything, please help because I am running the filter all the time.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Anmarie, Could be the wrong type of sand, but not likely if the bag said “Pool Filter Sand” on the label. Could be too much or too little sand, the filter should be about 2/3 full of sand. Could be the use of a clarifier or flocculent that is clogging the sand? Or very high mineral content (very hard water), or oily substances. When it stops again, you may want to pull off the filter valve from the filter, and inspect the top few inches of sand, maybe replacing it with new. Enzyme treatment to the pool can remove oils (if the sand seems oily), and Stain & Scale chemicals can tie up minerals like calcium (if the sand seems crusty). Another check to do is to place the multiport valve on recirculate, which bypasses the filter, and will let you know for sure that the problem is in the filter sand. If symptoms continues with the filter on recirculate, you would have different problems, like restriction or obstruction in the pipes.

  255. we bought a hayward super pump for inground pool – ever since installing pump we are able to vacuum pool for about 5 minutes then loose suction with filter gauge rising to near 30. if we turn off pump and restart the pump returns to normal with filter gauge registering at 18, we have replaced vacuum hose, checked laterals in filter, checked piping for leaks. everything worked fine until we installed this pump. our previous pump was a hayward variable.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi George, that is a strange one, because you don’t backwash, yet pressure returns to normal, just by shutting pump off for a minute, then restarting? Does it only do this when vacuuming, but otherwise runs fine? If you lose suction, and the pressure gauge is normal, or lower than normal, that would indicate an air leak in the hose or pipe, or pump, or a clogged pump basket. But higher pressure and no suction, that means an obstruction PAST the impeller. But not a dirty filter…? Was the filter multiport valve replumbed also? If plumbed backwards into the PUMP and RETURN ports, it would exhibit these symptoms…

  256. Just opening pool. Seems impeller is not turning, does it turn both ways or one way?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Rose, It’s common that winterized pumps may ‘freeze’ up, caused by a rust layer inside the motor. To break the rust, you spin the shaft, or impeller. Most impellers spin in a clockwise direction while pumping, but the shaft will spin in both directions no problem. If you have a visible motor shaft, just behind the impeller, common on older pumps or booster pumps, you can just grab it with straight pliers and turn it back and forth. Otherwise if not, you go in thru the back of the motor, remove the capacitor bracket to drop the cap out of the way, so you can slip a 7/16″ wrench on the slotted back 1/2″ of the shaft, and work it back and forth for 30 seconds to break the rust. Reattach capacitor, replace rear cover and test motor again.

      If the shaft is free turning, but the pump does not turn on, check power connections. If the shaft is free turning but it makes a hum or buzz sound, usually followed by a tripping breaker, check the capacitor, it may have failed.

  257. We opened our pool today. After running the pool for a few hours we realized the pump was leaking and EXTREMELY HOT. We believe it needs a new seal. However, we are not able to remove the pump. We’ve tried everything. It appears to be stuck. Any idea why this might be happening?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi lindsay, pump motors are normally too hot to touch, they run about 140° to the touch. You may be removing the wrong bolts, if you are trying to loosen the 4 bolts that attach the motor to the seal plate. Look for 4 other bolts, or a clamp band, to pull the motor/impeller out of the wet end, or the pump housing. If i knew what make/model of pump you have, I could be more specific. Some pumps are a bit difficult to remove, even when you have removed the right bolts/clamp – sometimes they need to be pried apart with a screwdriver, to separate the pump.

  258. Tim Hilgert

    My pump seems to be working fine but I’m having an issue with the flow pulsating out of the filter. Returns are getting good supply, the gauge on filter is bouncing up and down. Water level is good, changed basket lid seal, all unions are tight. Any idea what could be the culprit?

    • Davy Merino

      I call that surging… and it’s commonly caused by an air leak around the pump, either a loose pump lid, bad o-ring or loose drain plug or loose pipe coming into the pump. Or a stuck skimmer weir. When impellers are clogged sometimes they surge. When incoming pipes or valves are clogged, you can get a surge. Lots of things to check, but it’s either air entering the system, or an obstruction, both on the suction side of the pump, or before the impeller.

  259. Wendy Moss

    so….it shut off again. heard a click at the plug. outlet still on.

    Now the pump won’t switch on again?

    • Davy Merino

      A click on the outlet you say? could that be a GFCI tripping? The click I was speaking of is definitely in the motor, not the outlet, although I realize they are right next to each other. See if your test button has popped out on the outlet, or perhaps you have one on the breaker, a test/reset button. You can plug the pump into a long extension cord and test it with another outlet on the house, to rule out problems with the outlet it’s plugged into now. But don’t bypass GFCI protection, that’s just to determine if it’s a motor problem or outlet problem. could be cord problem, too.

  260. My pump motor runs for 3-5 minutes ant then shuts off for about the same time. Then restarts. any ideas?

    • Davy Merino

      Could be overheating – make sure the pump has lots of air around the motor, no piles of mulch or dirt packed around the pump. Could also be a loose wire connection, the power wires. If you have an automatic controller, it could be a rickety relay or something. Motors have a thermal overload switch to shut off the motor when it gets too hot. Normally though, it takes more like 15 minutes before the pump is cool enough to turn back on again, at which point you may hear a ‘click’, as the overload resets, just a second before the pump turns on again.

  261. Jennifer

    New pump, was running fine. Turned it off tho clear the skimmer basket.. water level is correct. When iturned it back on, it ran for a few seconds, sounded funny, then shut off. It now trips the breaker whenever i try to turn it back on. I removed the back of the pump and the yellow wire has a small black burn hole in it. Is this rare? What would have caused this? What can I do? It’s less than 2 wks old. Was running fine. Electrical hooked up by electrician… help!! Please.

    • Hi, the yellow wire could have been hit by the whirling centrifugal switch in the center rear of the motor, or could have burned thru from touching something very hot. I would call back the electrician, he may have fumbled this while wiring it, such a problem is rare, and could hardly be blamed on the manufacturer, but if your electrician says that it’s not his fault, have him put in writing on company letterhead, what the defect of the motor is – which can help you in getting warranty assistance. There’s not much room back there for wires, and if they get too close to other things…

  262. Brady Reynolds

    I just purchased a new pump and installed it but once all the hoses are connected even with the pump off the pump is leaking from the strainer housing.

    • Hi – the strainer housing must need to be tightened up. Usually it’s 4 bolts or it’s a clamp band that connects the seal plate to the volute or strainer housing. Inside there is an o-ring that may be out of position, or need lubricant. Same thing with the pump lid, there is an o-ring that on some pumps can fall off the lid when the lid is removed, or become mis-positioned. Pumps can also leak water from the shaft seal, which can appear to be a housing/seal plate leak, but will leak only directly from the bottom. New pump – probably not a shaft seal problem, just loose clamp band or volute bolts. Shut off the valves or plug the skimmer and return, so you can keep the water in the pool while you get it sealed up.

  263. Tom Giroux

    I just purchased a new pump for my pool. I’ve had the pool for 25 years with no problems until now. everything works well but the circulation is half as strong as my last pump.Tried everything,BACKWASH,checked for air leaks. It runs fine but no strong circulation. HELP!!! THANK YOU,

    • Hi Tom, if it is the same exact pump and pump size, that would be unusual, but if it’s the same horsepower, but a different pump model, that would be the simplest answer. Not all horsepowers are created equal, meaning that a 1hp Hayward Super II pumps a lot more water than a 1hp Hayward Super I, or Max-Flo. You can consult the flow charts for each model, to compare flow rates among two pumps, with a given (or assumed) level of resistance (feet of head). There is not much that can be done to increase flow rates for a smaller pump, with exception to reducing plumbing restrictions with larger pipe size and less elbows, etc.

  264. thanks. There was alot of debris once I removed the assemblies and some water below wiring. Terrible storms 2 nights ago. Put things back together and still have error. Guess it is time for a new drive.

    Thanks for your information

  265. vacuum on waste last night. My mistake was forgetting to empty pump basket. Checked pump later, not running with message “Drive error, heatsync overheated”. I turned power off from breaker, emptied basket, used fingers to check for debris in impellers, did not find any. Put everything back in place, turned pool on. Still have “Drive error, heatsync overheated” and day of weekflashing back and forth between the two. Suggestions on what to do next.

    • Hi Nancy, Heat Sinks are designed to absorb the heat from the motor, and dissipate it safely. The heat sink is a ridged metal plate beneath the drive, that relies on air flow to help remove heat from the motor. From the Hayward Ecostar Owners Manual: “the Heat Sink Overheated error indicates that the heatsink on the bottom of the drive has overheated. Motor air flow path should be checked. Follow disassembly/assembly procedures (pages 32 -37). Clear all debris from the heatsink (page 36) on the bottom of the drive. Check fan and shroud for blockage. If error still occurs, replace drive.” So, check that the air vents on the motor are not clogged, and that the fan in the rear is not clogged, or doesn’t have something wrapped around the fan, and also around the pump, check that air flow is not blocked by mulch, or by pump being installed in a small box, or anything that prevents free flow of cool, outside air. Probably not your pump basket being full causing this – but improper air flow caused by debris/dust.

  266. Shaun wood

    Filter primes and runs great with no air bubbles try to let it run all night to get ready for season. Check in morning and basket is half full with water trickling in basket. Changed lid gasket and plugs in basket still same issue.

    • Hi Shaun, if it’s not an air leak (from a loose pipe going into the pump, or loose pump lid, or low water level, or stuck skimmer weir), it then most likely is a clogged pump impeller. On a Hayward pump with clogged impeller, you can remove the basket, reach through the small hole with your fingers (pump off! 🙂 ) – and you should be able to feel debris lodged in the impeller with your fingertips. Sometimes you can pull out the clog with needle nose pliers. Scoop out debris left in basket area, and try again. If it still won’t catch full prime, open up the pump so you can ream out the impeller vanes with wire or a skinny screwdriver.

  267. Raymond Montero

    Have a Hayward SuperPump. At first, the pump would only “hum” and not work. I removed the capacitor and had it tested at a local pool store and they told me it was fine. I next realized the shaft (impellers) was frozen, and was able to free it up so it now spins smoothly. The pump then ran fine for about 10 minutes and then stopped working again. When I checked it again, the shaft (impellers) spin freely when tested by hand, but its not actually spinning when powered up?

    • Hi Ray, NOW you may have a bad capacitor. But, If you get no noise at all when you turn on the pump, no humming or grinding, or breaker tripping – then check all the power connections, and check for power entering the motor, using a multimeter to test the terminals where the 2 wires connect. If power is reaching the motor, but nothing (no noise), look for any disconnected or severed wires in the back (shut off power first), if nothing, the motor may be dead. You could take the motor or pump into an electrical motor shop for confirmation. If dead, you can replace just the motor and shaft seal, re-using the pump and impeller.

  268. We used flocculant and vacuumed through the pump instead of to waste. Now the backwash is leaking a small amount water and the pump seems to be surging instead of running smoothly. First time pool owner (obviously don’t know what we are doing). Did we just ruin our pump??

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Mary, flocculents usually produce a fluffy precipitate that is vacuumed to waste, because it clogs ups the filter. If you vacuumed the floc residue into the filter, you should be able to remove most of it with a thorough backwashing of 5 minutes or so. For a DE filter, pull out the grids and clean them off. For either sand or DE, if you experience high pressure or poor filtration after backwashing or cleaning, try a Pool Filter Cleaner product to deep clean the filter. The leak and the surging you are experiencing, could be a result of the high filter pressure. Pump Surging also occurs from low water level, or air leaks in front of the pump. If the backwash line continues to leak, remove the multiport valve lid and inspect the spider gasket for wear or damage in the waste port area. I doubt you damaged anything, or have any big issues, should be OK…

  269. Hi Jack, according to the manual, the “Drive Error Pump is Stalled” error usually refers to water or moisture on the circuit board, under the display panel. Otherwise, it can be loose or corroded connections on the 3 wires that connect the motor to the drive. Inspect the circuit board, blow off with some air, and look closely at the 3 wires for any insects, spiderwebs or corrosion of any type. Here is the manual:

    Now, it could also be rust inside the motor, natural when a pump sits for long periods of time, in a non-climate controlled location. Try to spin the impeller with your fingers, or turn the motor shaft to check that it spins freely, or if not, put a wrench on the shaft and break the rust free. I also see that some people with the same problem have had a power surge, or incorrect incoming voltage that has caused this error. Also that some circuit breakers used can create such noise as to cause problems with this error message.

    • Pump is less than 3 years old. Has worked fine until today. I have this same Drive Error Message. Removed pump from housing- nothing in impeller spins freely. Reinstalled – Same problem – recycled power. No change. Remove C/B Assy. No moisture. Cracked Seal on Case – Completely Dry inside. New Assy is $500. Is this the problem and should I get i checked or just replace it?

      • Hi Scott, if the cracked case seal has any possibility of letting water in, maybe you can silicone it to seal it up. For “Drive Error – Pump is Stalled” error message, the first thing to check (as you did already) is that the motor shaft spins freely, and the impeller is not clogged. This error can result commonly in springtime, after the pump has sat all winter – rust can develop between the stator and rotor. Manually spinning the shaft can break the rust bonds. Also make sure that the pump has no air leaks from loose pipes, loose pump lid, low water level in pool… For you Scott, the next step is to shut off power to pump and remove the Blue, Black and Red wires (page 4 owners manual) from the drive and check each motor lead to ground. There should be no continuity. Next, check continuity from lead to lead. Ohms reading should be between 0.5 and 1.0 ohms max. If any of these readings are outside limits, replace motor. If they are within range, replace the drive. Hope that’s not the case.

  270. robert lombardo

    Have a Hayward pump. Only get big time cavitation and the basket empties about half. This ONLY happens when I connect my vac hose.
    Inground pool

    1 Bought new vac hose now own 3
    2 No loss of water level in the pool
    3 No air bubbles on my returns when not vacuuming
    4 New pump 2 years old. started having the problem
    5 Changed the seal
    Previous pump 15 years old no problems vacuuming

    Can there be a high resistance leak in the lines or pump only when connecting the vacuum ? Or is it coincidence that I have a bad line in the pool

    • Hi Rob, If the pump is the same exact model and horsepower, it sounds like either; 1). partially collapsed, or partially clogged skimmer line. Some inground pools used Flex PVC pipe to connect skimmers, and over 20-30 years, Flex pipe can develop internal nodules like polyps, that restrict flow. The outer walls become thin, allowing the pipe to crimp – but only under high vacuum pressure, otherwise seems normal. Or, 2). there is an air leak, on the pump lid, or around the pipe that comes into the pump, or the pump drain plug. Spray shaving cream around all of these areas and run pump with the vac connected, to see if you can see the cream being sucked in, in these areas. Air can also enter through split vac hoses, but since yours is new… Third problem could be if the new pump moves much more water than the old pump (not all horsepower pumps are the same – 2 different pumps of the same hp, can produce vastly different flow rates. Fourth possibility is that the other lines (skimmer or main drain) are partially clogged or valves closed, not allowing enough water to enter pump, while vacuuming. Cavitation refers to a pump being ‘starved for water’, and as you describe the water level in the pump basket is low, but also the pump makes a grinding noise, like it’s gargling rocks. Air problems don’t usually cause the same loud noise, just the low basket water.

  271. A.H.JOHN

    My salt water pool was shut down for the winter. Big mistake! On attempting to open the pool, the motor started humming. I Manually turned the shaft (which was not turning freely), while the motor was humming. The motor eventually started. Good news….not really. Ran it for two hours, then shut it down to move valve to backwash. Motor again started humming and had to repeat the above steps each time I moved to backwash. What can be the cause? HELP!

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, could be that the capacitor has worn out. This is a black cylinder located in the back of the motor, at 9 o’clock, which acts as a battery to give the motor extra juice to start. They are easily replaceable. But, that may not be it, if you say the shaft is getting stuck each time? Could be from a large buildup of rust inside, between the stator and motor, but that usually frees up after running for just a minute. Some very old pumps have impellers that need shimming from time to time, or resetting the distance from the volute, but that’s with keyed shaft motors, on older bronze pumps (not plastic). Could be clogged impeller? Probably not… can’t think of another issue.

  272. I have a Hayward 1.65 variable speed pump it is on a timer for high and low. If the pump is on high when it is supposed to come on the pump motor humms and cuts off. If it is on low it works properly. However this is not correct operation. what could be the issue?

    • Hi James, for a two speed motor, I would suggest the run capacitor, but not sure if the VS motor has one? Check all the power wires for tight fit and no corrosion. Inspect the area where the wires connect to the motor, aside from that I’m stumped – haven’t had the chance yet to work on too many VS motors. Hayward should be able to help, http://www.haywardnet.com – see for contact info.

  273. Tim Donovan

    I’m being advised by an electrician that my Hayward pump has a dead short in it. Motor will hum for a few seconds and eventually trip the breaker. I’m wondering how to fix this problem and/or if a new pump is needed. Please advise. Thanks.

    • Hi Tim, when the windings in a motor are shorted, the motor is pretty much dead, they aren’t rewound anymore, like in the old days. The symptoms you describe could be shorted windings, or it could also be just a bad capacitor, or it could be a motor that is locked up, from small amounts of rust inside – which is often the case for motors that have sat all winter long. If the motor shaft won’t turn, you can work it loose by spinning the shaft with pliers on the front end of the shaft, or a 7/16″ wrench on the back end of the shaft. If the shaft does spin fine, and is not locked up, you can try a new capacitor, or check your current cap, with an ohmmeter. If the motor is fried, you can either replace the motor and shaft seal or spend more, and replace the entire pump (although the motor is the only thing you would really need…)

  274. Bill Green

    power to my pool pump & timer quit working at the same time. I checked the power to the timer and I have 120 v to L1 & L2 but timer not running & pump won’t run when I turn pump on manually. any ideas?

    • Hi Bill; So you have power coming into your timer or timeclock, but on the ‘out’ terminals, or the wires that lead to the pump? That’s either gears not engaged, or stuck – or it’s a dead motor (timer motor). If you have an intermatic clock (big yellow dial), there are a series of gears behind the dial, that all need to be engaged. Pull out on the dial, and reset it, until you feel the gears engage. With a flashlight (and your glasses), you can also look into the ‘Visual Motor Check’ hole in the top of the mechanism, you should see gears moving. If you see no gears moving, the timer motor may be dead. At this point, you can shut off power at the breaker, and pop the mechanism out of the box by depressing the tabs on the top, and inspect the gears and motor directly, for any insect problems, gecko tails (seen it!) which can clog the tiny gears, or wire issues, burned spots or chewed wires (ants). Also check that the wires on the front, from breaker and to pump, are tightly secured, and no burn marks. If the clock motor is dead, you can replace just the motor, but most people replace the entire mechanism…

  275. I appreciate your knowledge. I’m very new to pools & pool maintenance in general. I hadn’t run my pumps in a couple of weeks. I just went out there to crank them up, after 10 minutes they shut off. I tried to restart them & only got a low buzzing type noice. Shut it off & starting looking for help online. I don’t want to pay someone to come out & charge me more for not knowing what I’m doing. After I moved in a year ago. I had to have a pool person come out & they got me good. So I need any kind of advice or help you can give me, before I have to call someone out. Thank you very much in advance.

    • When pumps don’t run for a long time, they are susceptible to rust forming in between the stator and rotor. If your pump has an open bracket (where you can see the motor shaft), you can grab the shaft with your fingers or straight pliers, to break any rust. Alternatively, you can spin the shaft at the rear motor, with a 7/16″ wrench inserted behind the stationary switch, on the slotted end of the motor shaft. If the shaft spins freely, no rust problem. And since it was running before (it shut off), it’s probably not rust. Other problems that could cause this could include a (very) clogged impeller, something actually preventing the shaft from turning – or it could be a bad capacitor, a black cylinder in the rear of the motor. It could have also overheated, when this happens, it will work again after cooling down. Finally, it could be bad voltage, but again, it was running before just fine, so… probably not that. Check the shaft for free spinning movement, and check the capacitor for signs of failure (bulges, cracks, smoke).

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