Seal Plate replacement

[PapaAlan]

Thanks for the help with my other posts already!

So, I put in a new motor, replaced all o-rings and main seal, also installed new impeller yet after I hooked the pump back up I saw water dripping out of the slot below the impeller main seal area.
I removed pump again and put it on a table and filled up the basket with water and I can see the drip in that spot.
I disassembled the impeller and check the new main seal and it looked good but had a spare new main seal and lubed and pushed the new one in ensuring it was fully pushed in and level with a small piece of cardboard etc. reassembled impeller and put everything together and bolted it all up again on table.
Filled basket with water and waited, can still see a drop or two after a while.
So other than the main seal having something wrong with it or that area, what can cause water to infiltrate that specific portion behind the impeller area?
Any ideas?

 

[PapaAlan]

Replace the entire sealplate. You've also had a bad seal leak, look at the bottom of the motor, very rusted. That can also be the problem with slow priming.
Is there a tablet feeder on this installation? That can be the cause of what you are seeing.
What is the pH of the water? The use of tablets alone will drop that to very bad (for pool equipment and people) levels. That's likely where your heaters went.

You said replace the seal plate for this issue, why? You think the hole for the main seal might have cracked or gone bad in some way or something? I ask because i'm having a similar dripping after replacing my motor and main seal and impeller parts. Didn't replace the seal plate though as it visually appeared ok.

 

[1poolman1]

You said replace the seal plate for this issue, why? You think the hole for the main seal might have cracked or gone bad in some way or something? I ask because i'm having a similar dripping after replacing my motor and main seal and impeller parts. Didn't replace the seal plate though as it visually appeared ok.

After a while, OEM Whisperflow sealplates can have issues like you describe. May be cracked, deformed from a pump that ran dry, or a lot of reasons why. After dealing with many, many of these pumps, you get used to the fact that you bring a new sealplate on the job as 30-50% of the time it needed replacing as well.
You can fight with it, try shims which never work (especially cardboard, sorry), use extra silicone, etc. and end up replacing it anyway and any seal that you may have just put in (never re-use a seal if you do this for a living, they don't cost that much), after wasting an hour or more with an extra trip to a supplier and back for no extra money. If it wasn't needed, you're always going to be back at the suppler sooner or later.
I always like CMP aftermarket sealplates for those pumps, they are better made (never saw a brass insert pull out of one) and cost a bit less.

 

[PapaAlan]

Thanks so much for the info, although this one is a hayward sp3000 seal plate, i'm sure from what you described that it could happen here and i've eliminated everything else i can think of.
One last thing, since the impeller threads onto the shaft and has a ceramic surface on a spring that contacts the main seal ceramic surface inserted into the seal plate, if the seal plate is deformed in that area, is the actual reason water is getting past it perhaps that due to the warping the ceramic contact area is skewed ie. not flush completely?

 

[1poolman1]

Thanks so much for the info, although this one is a hayward sp3000 seal plate, i'm sure from what you described that it could happen here and i've eliminated everything else i can think of.
One last thing, since the impeller threads onto the shaft and has a ceramic surface on a spring that contacts the main seal ceramic surface inserted into the seal plate, if the seal plate is deformed in that area, is the actual reason water is getting past it perhaps that due to the warping the ceramic contact area is skewed ie. not flush completely?

Sorry, last time I addressed an issue like this was on a Whisperflow.
The Super 2 pump seal plate is different, and it likely has a small crack, though I've only seen that a few times. Those are very good pumps. Cracks are hard to see on the black plastic. Don't know of any aftermarket ones made, but for +/-$45.00 I'd replace it if the rest of the pump is good.
The part of the seal that goes into the seal plate is the ceramic in a rubber cup (use a very light coating of silicone sealant on the rubber to allow it to slide in easier and then seal).
The part on the impeller is the bellows and the sealing portion is usually made of a Phenolic plastic. Be sure there is no corrosion on the impeller shaft if it is brass and use a bit of grease on the shaft to allow the bellows to slide and seal.
A better option, especially if you have an SWG, is a seal with a Viton bellows portion. Your standard seal is a PS-201. The PS-3868 is the better one.

 

[PapaAlan]

Much appreciation for the info. Have a great new years and holidays.