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Accidentally Ran Hottub Pump Without Water


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I drained our hot tub to clean it and left it empty overnight. I automatically runs for an hour a day on a timer...I forgot to turn that off so I think it ran for an hour :(

I am filling it back up now and the pump seems to be running ok. It is not full yet but I turned it on for a second just to check. It is a 2 speed motor and only the low speed would have turned on not the high.

Did I screw it up...what do I need to look for?

Thanks,

Scott

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You probably didn't hurt anything, you'll know for sure when it's full and you try it out.

Dave

Cool, thanks.

It is full now and when I first turned it on it barely had any pressure. I remembered when I first got this pump new I was supposed to fill up the tub and "flood the pump" by loosening the pvc connector on it to let the air out. After this the pump seems to run fine with good pressure and no leaks.

Is there something I need to be on the lookout for?

Does that mean I dodged a big bullet??

Thanks for your reply.

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Usually what happens on a centrifugal pump, that is run for a long time dry, is that the shaft seal on the pump gets overheated and damaged. If your pump doesn't leak, you are OK. It doesn't sound like it ran enough to get hot anyway.

Dave

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  • 11 years later...
  • 4 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Crap.  I emptied our tub this morning, and forgot to turn it off.  I can't be sure (because we had a powercut while we were away at the weekend, resetting the tub clock), but I suspect it ran a 2hr filter cycle towards the end of emptying.  Unless it's clever enough to turn itself off when it senses no water, I suspect it'll have tried to run the circulation pump for an hour or more....  how screwed am I?  It's an Antigua 2 from https://betterlivingoutdoors.com/product/hot-tub/5-person-antigua-2-hot-tub/

Fingers crossed... won't be able to test it until tomorrow I think :-(

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And how will I know then?  Someone mentioned that the seal might leak - how will I know?  Or will I not until a couple of days have passed and the level is dropping?  It certainly won't be obvious around the base if it's leaking, not in this most-Welsh of weather we're having at the moment!  And does the base have drain holes, or will it fill up 6" before spilling over at the corners?  🤷‍♂️

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