Old Pump Motor Replacement

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strangiato

strangiato

0
Aug 16, 2012
38
Philadelphia, PA
Pool Size
19000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Hey All,
I have some questions regarding replacing the motor on our very old pump. At least, that's what I think I need to do. This is, I believe, the orignial pump from our Anthony pool which the previous homeowners had built in ~1981. Before buying the house 11 years ago, we had the pool inspected, and the guy told us not to replace the OG pump and filter, because they will last forever. I will include photos of the pump and filter labels.

The pump is, in fact, starting to struggle to turn on. It will just hum loudly, and sometimes will trip the breaker before it gets going. I found that if I turn it on manually, let it hum for 5 seconds, turn it off, then wait a minute, and turn it on again, it will slowly start to turn and then pump water after about 5-10 seconds. Once running, it will continue running all day.

I looked up replacement pumps based on the info on the label. I also read through the Pump Basics and the Hydraulics 101 artcles. The current pump is a single-speed AO Smith CET38ABM, motor model K48M2P104. It is labeled as 2HP, with a SF of 1.1, so 2.2 THP. It is 230V, max load amps of 10.1. Frame type is 48Y. The filter is a 52sq' DE filter. There are 2 jets in the pool and 6 in the spa. No other water features and we do not use a robotic cleaner. There is an in-floor cleaner system, but we genreally don't use it becasue I have not been able to get the connection to the mechanism to seal right and it shoots water out when sending water flowing through it. However, I would like to use it just to help distribute water through the pool when using the heater.

It looks to me like I can use this motor as a replacement (2.205 THP).
  • Is it okay to go to a dual-speed motor and get this one instead? I am aware that I will need to get the speed switch as well.
  • Is it okay to go VS and get this one? What else is needed for the VS version?
  • I am also not sure what I need to get for replacement seals and O-rings for my pump model as I can't seem to find any info on it.
  • Do the symptoms of the current motor indicate something else needs to be done?

Thanks everyone for any help you can provide here!

Tim
 

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strangiato said:
Hey All,
I have some questions regarding replacing the motor on our very old pump. At least, that's what I think I need to do. This is, I believe, the orignial pump from our Anthony pool which the previous homeowners had built in ~1981. Before buying the house 11 years ago, we had the pool inspected, and the guy told us not to replace the OG pump and filter, because they will last forever. I will include photos of the pump and filter labels.

The pump is, in fact, starting to struggle to turn on. It will just hum loudly, and sometimes will trip the breaker before it gets going. I found that if I turn it on manually, let it hum for 5 seconds, turn it off, then wait a minute, and turn it on again, it will slowly start to turn and then pump water after about 5-10 seconds. Once running, it will continue running all day.

I looked up replacement pumps based on the info on the label. I also read through the Pump Basics and the Hydraulics 101 artcles. The current pump is a single-speed AO Smith CET38ABM, motor model K48M2P104. It is labeled as 2HP, with a SF of 1.1, so 2.2 THP. It is 230V, max load amps of 10.1. Frame type is 48Y. The filter is a 52sq' DE filter. There are 2 jets in the pool and 6 in the spa. No other water features and we do not use a robotic cleaner. There is an in-floor cleaner system, but we genreally don't use it becasue I have not been able to get the connection to the mechanism to seal right and it shoots water out when sending water flowing through it. However, I would like to use it just to help distribute water through the pool when using the heater.

It looks to me like I can use this motor as a replacement (2.205 THP).
  • Is it okay to go to a dual-speed motor and get this one instead? I am aware that I will need to get the speed switch as well.
  • Is it okay to go VS and get this one? What else is needed for the VS version?
  • I am also not sure what I need to get for replacement seals and O-rings for my pump model as I can't seem to find any info on it.
  • Do the symptoms of the current motor indicate something else needs to be done?

Thanks everyone for any help you can provide here!

Tim
Click to expand...
A picture of the entire pump would help, but with that motor it is likely a bronze copy of a Sta-Rite Max-E-Glass 1 pump. The V-Green EVO would be a good match. You can continue to use the existing timer. The motor programs start when power is applied, run through their times and shut off. The clock can be set to turn off sometime after the last program ends. For more control, a Nidec NPTQ225 is a better option. It would no longer use a timeclock as it needs to have constant power.

You would need a new PS100 seal. Get Viton if you can, PS3866. The O ring for the pump housing is an O163 or an Aladdin G-44A gasket, I believe.
 
JamesW said:
Get an IntelliFlo variable speed pump and a 420 sq ft cartridge filter.

The motor is 37 years old.
Click to expand...
I'd rather go the motor replacement route, if possible, but I do need a backup plan for sure. I feel that I can do that project myself, but replacing the pump and filter I would need someone else to do. I've never beeen good at plumbing.
 
1poolman1 said:
Looks like it, yes. Those were/are still very good pumps. Anthony Pools always did put oversize pumps on their pools when they had a spa attached.
Click to expand...
So I fnally got around to trying to pull off the old motor, but it is stuck. I was able to get all four nuts off, but one of the bottom corners seems to be stuck in place. I hit it with some WD40 and let it sit for a bit, but I still cant't get it loose. I've tried pounding a flat blade screwdriver in to break it loose, but it has not worked. I also tried a pry bar, but still no luck.

Any recommendations on something to try?

I probably won't get back to it for a while since tomorrow starts the 90-degree temps and since this is an enclosed pool, it's even hotter and there's no air flow.

I don't think we'll be using our pool this year. :(
 

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Saturn94 said:
Do the symptoms indicate it may just need a new capacitor?
Click to expand...
I don't know. I'm not well-versed enough in electric motor technology to understand that. I am guessing that the cap will provide an extra boost at startup to get the motor spinning. Is that correct?

This may be moot, though. Another issue that I discovered yesterday is that I cannot see how to get the cover off the back end of the motor housing. I could not find any screws like I saw in the videos I watched. I tried a screwdriver and mallet, but it would not budge. Is it possible that it twists off? The underside of the motor housing also seems to be rusting away pretty badly, so I think replacement is the way to go. I will probably need to replace the power lead on it from the other end.
 
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strangiato said:
I don't know. I'm not well-versed enough in electric motor technology to understand that. I am guessing that the cap will provide an extra boost at startup to get the motor spinning. Is that correct?

This may be moot, though. Another issue that I discovered yesterday is that I cannot see how to get the cover off the back end of the motor housing. I could not find any screws like I saw in the videos I watched. I tried a screwdriver and mallet, but it would not budge. Is it possible that it twists off? The underside of the motor housing also seems to be rusting away pretty badly, so I think replacement is the way to go. I will probably need to replace the power lead on it from the other end.
Click to expand...
You need a new motor at the very least, don't bother with a capacitor, that motor is gone. A new VSP would be better.
On a motor that damaged by rust, which is from a seal leak that has gone on way too long (unless that motor sits in water), it has rusted from the inside.
Removing the end cover will need the judicious use of a hammer, saw, chisel, etc. Don't worry about damage as the motor is now only useful as a weight.
A chisel driven between the the sealplate (#5 in the diagram) and pump housing may separate them as well, but the damage caused may be too extensive for the pump to work again. The sealplate has to come off with the motor as the impeller is still on the motor. The pump itself is bronze.
1718639965863.png
 
Last edited:
1poolman1 said:
You need a new motor at the very least, don't bother with a capacitor, that motor is gone. A new VSP would be better.
On a motor that damaged by rust, which is from a seal leak that has gone on way too long (unless that motor sits in water), it has rusted from the inside.
Removing the end cover will need the judicious use of a hammer, saw, chisel, etc. Don't worry about damage as the motor is now only useful as a weight.
A chisel driven between the the sealplate (#5 in the diagram) and pump housing may separate them as well, but the damage caused may be too extensive for the pump to work again. The sealplate has to come off with the motor as the impeller is still on the motor. The pump itself is bronze.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all that @1poolman1! I hope to have a chance to get back out to this when it's not broiling hot outside. I have a few cold chisels that I can try to get it unstuck.
 
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