As you look out your window, you notice that your swimming pool’s water features aren’t flowing. The swimming pool pump stopped working. So, you go to the equipment area to check on things and confirm that all filtering has stopped functioning. You note a humming from the pump motor or the booster pump motor, and the housing is hot. Instinctively, you cut the power to the pump system and flick it back on. Just humming, but no pumping. Shut it off, wait for the pump to cool down for a half-hour, and try again. Nada. Zilch. Just humming. Chances are, it’s even tripping a circuit breaker if it hums too long. This symptom could mean that your motor has failed. However, a fairly inexpensive motor part called a capacitor is likely the cause.
This is a photo of the 2.0 HP motor with the back cover removed to reveal wiring connections andced on December 22, 2023. I was surprised that the capacitor failed so soon, but it’s very hot in Houston, the faulty 40uF capacitor. This motor was repla and this equipment doesn’t get much shade. Mercifully, I didn’t have to remove and replace the motor from the Whisperflo pump to get it working again.Another view of the capacitor at the rear of the pump motor exposed after removing the plastic cover. A photo like this ensures you put the wires back in the right places.Rear view of motor with the faulty capacitor in place. Once I verified there was no charge in the capacitor I could remove the wires and the small hex screw clamp and remove it easily.The faulty 40uF (microfarad) capacitor with a plus/minus 6% rating at 370 Volts AC. This capacitor completely failed as a short circuit and measured zero capacitance when tested on a meter. These start capacitors are needed to get large electric motors to start by giving a “boost.” Here is the faulty capacitor that caused my pool filter pump to stop working and just hum when powered on. It can be dangerous to mess with these high voltage caps so if you don’t know what you are doing call someone who does.This is one of the many available online. It could be delivered the next day and had lots of good reviews. The key is that the uF or MFD match EXACTLY with the one being replaced. You can use higher voltage, but the capacitance must match.
Swimming pool owners owe it to themselves to use union fittings in their filter pump plumbing. When it’s time to replace or repair you’ll be glad you did.
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