newpoolowner Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 I am a new pool (saltwater) owner and have a problem with my Whisperflo pump. It was working fine yesterday but this morning, it would only hum but not actually operate and automatically shut off. My water level in the pool is perfect, I have cleaned the skimmer baskets and the filter basket, and have relieved any air pressure. I was going to check the impeller to see if it was blocked but do not know where it is located on the motor. The manual does not show where to access this. Can anyone help? The pool guy is out of town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahunt Posted June 21, 2010 Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 To reach the impellor on my Whisperflow I remove the lid and the strainer basket. Then reach your hand in toward the pump and you will hit the impellor. Mine has been so clogged it has pretty much reduced the pressure to zero. I now regularly reach my hand in and remove anything from the impellor. I also shoot the hose in to get anything I can't get with my hand. Having said that, if it is automatically shutting off, there may be something else going on. How old is the pump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newpoolowner Posted June 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 To reach the impellor on my Whisperflow I remove the lid and the strainer basket. Then reach your hand in toward the pump and you will hit the impellor. Mine has been so clogged it has pretty much reduced the pressure to zero. I now regularly reach my hand in and remove anything from the impellor. I also shoot the hose in to get anything I can't get with my hand. Having said that, if it is automatically shutting off, there may be something else going on. How old is the pump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newpoolowner Posted June 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 My pump is only one year old and maybe less than that. There was nothing in the impeller so it must be another issue. Thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted June 21, 2010 Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 Could be one of two things. Either a frozen bearing or a bad capacitor. Take a piece of wood (2x4) and tap the motor to see if it frees up. If so, it is probably a bad bearing that will eventually fail. If it still doesn't move, then it is probably a bad capacitor although a truely frozen bearing won't move either. How old is the pump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFiremanFirst Posted June 21, 2010 Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 CAPACITOR! What is a capacitor you say? A capacitor (or start capacitor) is the hump on your motor. Turn the motor off and remove the two screws holding the cover on (5/16 or phillips head) in side you will find two wires, likely black and red. Remove the wires from the capacitor and take it with you to a pool supply store, or maybe even a auto parts store. Careful. The aftermarket ones tend to have a larger girth and will not fit into the housing you have. However you can order them on line to at poolcenter.com. A capacitor does not have polarity, in other words a + or -. just plug the new one in and enjoy your repair. BTW a start capacitor provides a jolt of power to the motor to assist it's start up. You can also remove the cover off the back side of the motor that covers the shaft. and use a cordless drill with a flat head bit spinning the shaft clockwise (if looking at the back of the motor) to start the motor. In other words. turn on your motor. It will hum. then us your drill to "start" the motor. This is a temporary fix till you replace your capacitor. Careful. Your pump spins at like 3200+ rpms and your drill about 250 rpms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mn pool and spa Posted July 2, 2010 Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 You cannot unclog an impeller on a Whisperflo pump simply be reaching in, The impeller sits behind the diffuser assembly, It cannot be accessed unless you remove the pump volute and the diffuser than you can unclog the impeller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted July 2, 2010 Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 It depends on where the clog is and what it is. Sometimes hair and larger debris will get stuck in the impeller inlet which is reachable from the pump basket. But you are correct in that if the the clog is the impeller vanes, then the only way to remove it is to open the pump up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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