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Watkins Circ Pump 1109101 Making Noise


KevinNH

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I find it easy, but I've been doing electrical/mechanical repairs to hot tubs since 1984. The biggest mistake that dummies make is buying an aftermarket pump and getting the wrong voltage. It does make a difference. If you simply buy the pump from your local dealer, you'll get the correct one.

John

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The directions I have read say to disconnect the power cord from the panel and then from the pump. Attach to the new pump and then back to the panel. Is there a reason I would not just disconnect from the pump and reconnect to the new pump and not do anything with the panel connection?

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Assuming you have the new style circ pump from the dealer, a cord should already be attached to the new pump. It is a simply matter to just swap pumps and make the electrical connections to the board. You CAN open the back end of the pumps and change connections there. That is the way we USED to change them, but Watkins subsequently changed that. I suspect it may have been due to people breaking the somewhat fragile connections in the back of the circ pump. If you change it that way and accidentally break a connection, I assume you would be out of luck on warranty.

John

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I was hoping someone told me I just had to take the pump apart, clean out junk, and off it would go, like new. I knew better. Waiting for a day off to get the new one installed. Ran the old one long enough yesterday to be sure my chlorine was okay, while it is shut down. I suppose I could just drain it, but I had just drained and cleaned the tub 3 weeks ago. I hope I can find a couple of corks. I might have to empty a couple of wine bottles. Wonder what I could do with the wine???

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I was hoping someone told me I just had to take the pump apart, clean out junk, and off it would go, like new. I knew better. Waiting for a day off to get the new one installed. Ran the old one long enough yesterday to be sure my chlorine was okay, while it is shut down. I suppose I could just drain it, but I had just drained and cleaned the tub 3 weeks ago. I hope I can find a couple of corks. I might have to empty a couple of wine bottles. Wonder what I could do with the wine???

Junk in the circ pump frequently results in low water flow through the heater and the result is usually shutting down on the high limit. Noisy pumps are just that, noisy, and they need to be replaced. I use lock jaw pliers on the vinyl hose to pinch them off rather than corking the hose. The advantage to locking jaw pliers is that you stop up the flow BEFORE pulling hoses off, not after. However, I know plenty of guys that use the stopper technique and it works.

John

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As I mentioned, I have the pump (and heater of course) shut off until I can get to do the pump swap out. I assume that is wise? I would be concerned the pump would fail, and the heater would overheat and shut down. Am I correct, or should I leave it running?

Is there an issue of possibly damaging the hoses with the pliers? I have vice grips. Same thing?

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Hopefully these are the last questions. Finally had a minute to look at the new pump and the tub connections, hoses and wiring.

First question: tub has 3 blade type connection points on the board for the wiring from the old pump. The new wire (which did come connected to the pump) has two blade type and one screw type. The green wire from the pump wire is a screw type connector. Next to the green blade connector on the tub board is an unused screw ("shared" with the next blade connector to the right). Can I just connect the new wire with the screw rather than cut it and put on a female blade connector?

Second question: The new pump also came with a short (3") piece of hose. The first piece of "horizontal" water line is that same length until in goes into the first of several connectors, back-flo valve (?) and more connectors. (It would be very hard to stop the water flow on that side with pliers. All the pipe sections are only about 3" long). I suspect it would be a good idea to replace that 3" section of pipe with the new one that came with the pump?

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Question #1= Yes.

Question #2= No. The vinyl hose included with the new circ pump is to be used in the event you have 1" vinyl hose in the tub and you need to mate it to the circ pump's 3/4 inch barbs. It is a filler between the two hose sizes. You can usually pinch off further out near the heater where there are longer hose lengths.

John

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  • 4 years later...

Hello; I hate to reactivate this old thread but was hoping some of your could help

I have a 2008 Watkins/Hot springs tub

Red/green light were blinking when waterfall was turned on.  Turn off waterfall:  no more blinking/alls good.

Spa tech said circ pump is dying, replace it in the fall.  Couple of weeks of good use go by, then I get the blinking/red green again.  I buy an original E5 pump from Hot Springs dealer, I replace it, I still have the blinking red/green.

Service department is somewhat stumped when I call them ( I have a service call planned but not for 2 weeks!)

They say it could be..

- calcium build up

- thermistor replacement (but I have bubbles coming up, everything else working?)

Or something else?

Any ideas out there?

Thanks

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  • 1 year later...

Hi all, my SilentFlo E5 circ pump is very nosy all of a sudden, after a drain and refill a month ago, but is moving the flow well, including ozone bubbles. Then the breaker tripped afgter running for some time, possibly hours, I did not time it. I also had the heater on to reheat. What is happening? Is it as simple as replacing the circ pump? Can it be disassembled and cleaned if there is matter hanging up the impeller? Thanks for the help.

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