See full version: Pump starts for a few seconds and automatically turns off
One other key thing to note. once it turns off you can't turn it on again right away. after a little bit of time, you can hear a clicking noise, and then the pump can turn on again. Obviously a few seconds later, it shuts off again.
any ideas on what this might be or where to start? my pool is beautiful now and if I can't fix this soon, it will turn ugly soon
my very old century centurion 1hp pump and it started giving me some problems today.
basically, when I turn on the pump it stops a few seconds later (sometimes in 15 seconds). the pump simply turns off.
also, when it starts, it is making a noise that is louder than usual.
Re: pump starts for a few seconds and automatically turns of here
You could have scale deposits: here
Circulation pumps don’t simply wear out die. So if yours is struggling, don’t assume it’s just wearing out. It’s likely your filter needs to be looked at:
While these pumps are known to last 5-10 years, at some point your pump is going to see problems that need some instant attention— unless you enjoy non-chemically treated spawater, which we hope you don’t! Seeing foam in your hot tub could be a sign that your pump is not working correctly.
Hot tub circulation pumps are low-flow pumps that constantly circulate in water as slowly as possible to provide your spa a continued filter, heat and chemically treated water.
While there are many reasons as to why your circulation pump has failed on you, we’re happy to provide you with some tips that will help troubleshoot the issue.
Pump will not turn on - A pump that does not turn on or make any noise at all when you turn the power on would be considered to have a problem starting. This is not the same as a pump that runs but does not draw water. This is also different than a pump that turns on but then turns itself back off in that the electrical supply seems to be working but the pump is giving no indication of this.
The only other noteworthy thing worth mentioning for a pump that is tripping the electrical breaker is that you should differentiate between a tripped electrical breaker and a tripped GFI. A GFI (GFCI) is a ground fault (circuit) interrupter designed to essentially act as a hair trigger for amperage spikes. Current and voltage are inversely proportional so when one goes up the other goes down. When there is a short circuit, or ground fault in other words, then the voltage which is normally expressed as a potential difference of energy becomes zero. If voltage were zero, then this would technically make the current equal to infinity. Obviously this is not possible, but this is the electrical process that happens when a short circuit happens. The voltage drops to zero and the current races upwards towards infinity all within milliseconds. A GFI breaker is specifically calibrated to detect and disconnect when a sudden current spike is detected, or when current is detected through a grounding conductor where it should never be. Some pool pumps are installed on GFI protected circuits while some are not. Since a pool pump is a wet area it should certainly be protected with a GFI however this is not always the case. Since a GFI is very sensitive you can sometimes get a GFI that trips out from the slightest bit of dampness in and around the motor. GFI's can also become faulty themselves so it may turn out that the pump is not even the problem after all. Actually the same goes for regular household electrical breakers. they can simply wear out over time and replacing defective breakers would be considered every day work to residential electricians for this reason. If you have been using an electrical breaker as a switch to turn your pump on and off then this most likely caused the problem that you have now. Electrical breakers are NOT switches, and are not designed to be used as one, especially for controlling a large electric motor. This is what they make motor starting switches specifically for. [links]
Pump turns off - A pump should not turn itself off and if yours is doing this then that is a problem that needs further investigation. A pump can potentially turn itself off after extended periods of running but can also manifest this problem as soon as you turn the switch for the pump on. The pump may make noise briefly before turning off, or it may be instantaneous as soon as you attempt to turn it on.
If you notice that the spa has low volumes of water, it means the circulation pump is barely pumping the water. If that happens, remove the filter and clean it. Check to see whether the flow improves. If it doesn’t, then you need to replace the filter. [links]
However, you also want to have the electrical wiring and transformer checked because even the new fuses will blow as well. Hire a professional to help you fix the electrical connections so that only the right voltage goes through the fuses. here
You’ll know if your fuse is blown if your power is still on but the water doesn’t heat. Fuses are meant to blow in the event of power spikes. By blowing, fuses protect other components of the spa such as pumps and jets from excess amperage.
The high limit switch is important to the functionality of your spa because it prevents it from overheating. When the high limit switch trips, the hot tub cannot switch on until you reset it. You can quickly reset the switch using the reset button and your power will automatically turn on.