Why is my pool pump cycling?
There are several reasons why your pump may randomly shut off—a behavior known as “pump tripping.” Most commonly, your pump may be operating at the wrong voltage, overheating, or simply failing to compete with your neighborhood’s electrical needs.
What causes a pool pump to overheat when not in use?
This heat from friction, combined with the heat is generated by the motor under normal operating conditions, are too much for the motor to dissipate. Eventually, the grease between the windings of the motor start to melt away.
What should I do if my pool pump does not turn on?
If your pump does turn on, but loses power, it could be overheating. Try running the pump during the night to avoid overheating. If this does not work, check the bottom vents of the motor to make sure there is nothing inhibiting the fan. If the problem persists, you’ll have to replace the pool motor or pool pump.
Is it normal for pool pump motor to be hot?
Under normal operating conditions, the motor end of the pump is hot enough that you can barely touch it — but not searing hot. If you check your pool pump motor and find it is far too hot to be able to touch with your hand, that’s not good.
What causes a pool pump motor to spin?
First, a pool pump motor is made up of copper windings. Copper windings are just small copper wires wrapped in a coil to create a magnetic field when current is sent through the windings. This magnetic field is what causes the motor to spin.
If your pump does turn on, but loses power, it could be overheating. Try running the pump during the night to avoid overheating. If this does not work, check the bottom vents of the motor to make sure there is nothing inhibiting the fan. If the problem persists, you’ll have to replace the pool motor or pool pump.
What happens when an electric pool pump overheats?
Most electric motors have a thermal disconnect designed to cut the power if the pump overheats, which should prevent the pump from catching on fire…usually. Clearly, it happens (as evidenced by the photo on this page) as there is more than enough power, and friction, in a pump to catch fire.
Under normal operating conditions, the motor end of the pump is hot enough that you can barely touch it — but not searing hot. If you check your pool pump motor and find it is far too hot to be able to touch with your hand, that’s not good.
How does a pool pump keep the water cool?
There are multiple moving parts inside of a pool pump, all of which create heat. This comes at no surprise. In fact, pool pumps are designed to regulate the heat generated by friction: pump motors usually draw in ambient air to keep cool, and most metal parts are built to safely absorb heat.
