[Kenpretty]

I have a 1.5 HP Hayward Super Pump for my inground swimming pool that is too hot to touch.

The pump is 5 yars old and seems to be running well. The pressure is good and the amperage readings are within specs, however the tempeature of the motor casing is 180 deg Farenheight. but the over temperature switch is not shutting down the pump.

Any ideas why this pump would be this hot?

 

[Kenpretty]

Blocked air vents, and/or direct sunlight on the motor can cause that kind of heating.

Thanks for the responses,


I took the pump apart again, checked the vent holes and confirmed that there is no blockage.

Ther pump has an insulation class of B, so I wonder if the temperature of the punmp is acceptable?

It isa still running at 180 deg F wilthout tripping out.

This the second Hayward Super Pump that this has happened to ( the last one kept tripping out on high temperature) and the third pump I have put on the pool in 9 year. The last one was replaced under warrantee.

I think I'll just let the pump fail if it is going to and replace it with another manufacturer's pump. Tht's too bad because I thought Hayward was a good brand.

 

[Kenpretty]

Check the voltage at the motor terminals while operating (with a clean filter, all valves open etc. - you want the minimum restriction to flow for this test). If the voltage is low, that could cause higher than normal operating temperatures. However, 180 degrees sounds acceptable. You can also reduce the load on the pump by partially closing valves on the discharge lines. This increases the pump pressure, but decreases the flow rate which (counter-intuitively) decreases the load on the motor.

The motor is drawing 8.5 Amps at 247VAC. I don't have any valves on my discharge lines.

 

[Kenpretty]

If this is the original pump than it shouuld be the correct one. If not than maybe someone installed a larger motor to get more capacity.
That may sound good but it will not work since the pool piping is designed for a certain flow rate. The filter, piping and pump are all designed to get all the water filtered in a 6-8 hour span.
Most pool motors do feel hot to the touch.

When I moved into the house 9 years ago the pump installed was a 2 HP. When it failed I was sold a 1 1/2 HP . My local pool store told me this would be sufficient. The first replacement pump started to trip out on overtemperature 2 1/2 years after it was installed.


This is a new pump supplied by Hayward under warrantee.

 

[Kenpretty]

My Chlorinater started leaking last year and I removed it. I wonder if this might have an inpact on the water flow since it has been in line since the pool was installed.

I'm going to put a restriction on the line and see what happens.