New Or Rebuilt Motors

[jbe]

I noticed many rebuilt motors come with 2 year warranties and the new motors sometimes only have 1 year warranty, is there a reason? Does anyone have any advice on which would be better? I need two new 4.5 hp motors and wonder what to purchase?

Thanks

[jbe]

My second post and zero replies???

[Brulan1]

My second post and zero replies???

Figure a rebuild costs 75-90 depending on what pump. You have nothing to lose with a two year warranty other than the labor doing so. In some cases the windings are shot and you would need a new pump anyway. Sometimes if the pump is humming it could be just a capacitor (simple part on pump and cheap). A new pump probably in around the $350 range depending on the voltage, hp, and speed of the pump. How deep are your pockets?

[New NW tub owner]

I noticed many rebuilt motors come with 2 year warranties and the new motors sometimes only have 1 year warranty, is there a reason? Does anyone have any advice on which would be better? I need two new 4.5 hp motors and wonder what to purchase?

Thanks

The length of the warranty doesn't mean much. It all depends on the source of the motors. What SHOULD happen with a motor rebuild is that the motor is completely disassembled, carefully inspected, all parts tested, all worn parts replaced, everything cleaned, and then the entire motor is reassembled. Most motors in industrial use are rebuilt several times during their operating life. If the motor has been properly rebuilt, it should be as good as, or better, than it was when new. So...if a reputable company has done a proper rebuild and is providing a warranty for at least 90 days, it would be a good option. However, small, single-phase motors like those in hot tubs are relatively inexpensive so that a proper rebuild might be nearly as much as just buying a new motor. What you have to watch out for, then, are places that take an old malfunctioning motor, swap in a new part to repair the immediate malfunction, spray paint the motor, and then sell it as 'rebuilt.' Such a motor will work for a time but will not have the expected life of a new motor. Don't know if any of this is helpful but that's about as much as can be said without going into the specifics of your particular motors.

[New NW tub owner]

My second post and zero replies???

Figure a rebuild costs 75-90 depending on what pump. You have nothing to lose with a two year warranty other than the labor doing so. In some cases the windings are shot and you would need a new pump anyway. Sometimes if the pump is humming it could be just a capacitor (simple part on pump and cheap). A new pump probably in around the $350 range depending on the voltage, hp, and speed of the pump. How deep are your pockets?

He seems to be talking about the motor rather than the pump. In my hot tub (and most others), the motor and the pump are 'close coupled' with the motor fastened directly to the pump but the two components are distinct and wear in different ways. The pump is vulnerable to corrosion of the plastic and metal parts and wear of the seal around the shaft where it enters the pump resulting in leaking. The motor is vulnerable to heat damage to the winding insulation, wear of the bearings, wear to the cooling fan (if present), etc. I haven't had my own tub long enough to see what might wear out on a hot tub pump assembly but I would speculate that it would be pump seals, and corrosion of the impeller and impeller housing that would happen first. At least, that's what happens on a dishwasher. I would think the motor would last longer than the pump, maybe for the life of the tub unless it was both overloaded routinely and not properly protected against overload by the controller. The typical 'spa pack' turns on multiple motors, provides digital temperature control, provides a lot of functionality for only a few hundred dollars but the weak link (compared with a normal industrial system) is that the overload protection is weaker to keep the cost down. If the motor is failing relatively early in the life of the tub, I would look at stepping up the motor size and/or service factor to get a longer life the second time around.