Repair / Replace Pump

After 5 seasons, pump will not run this spring. When switched on it just hums and moves no water. Saw many posts to repair, but have a few questions first. Obviously to manually turn impeller I have to drain it ... can the pump run when dry??? I never did that before. During winter I had to disconnect and reconnect the ground wire at the pool frame. Can an interrupted ground wire cause this? Can the outlet be bad or would that result in no power at all? ... If unable to repair I will replace. Not savvy on electrical lingo... it has a unique plug and receptacle. It is round with three curved prongs - one of which has a notch. You insert and spin slightly to lock into plug. What is this type of plug called? Receptacle has "20A 125V" engraved. Do all new pumps have this same type of plug and meet the same Amps / Volts? Thanks in advance!

I don't know the answer to a lot of your pump questions. I do know that you don't want to run the pump when dry. You can check the impeller with the pump off to see if it is clogged. Is the pump humming or whining?

just a quiet hum and NO movement at all. Thanks.

You can run a pump when dry but no more than a few seconds. However, you can manually turn the impeller without any worry. The issue is that there is no lubricant for the motor seal without water and if it gets too hot, it could damage the seal. However, it takes a good long time before that can happen.

But the symptoms of the motor sound like a bad start capacitor. You can usually find one online or at a local motor shop. But make sure the motor shaft spins freely first.

Thanks for the info. Got it working OK. It was just debris inhibiting the impeller rod. Opened the back plate, turned it with screwdriver. First turn was tight and it squealed. then turned free. Plugged in and worked fine. Running now - usually starts at 10 psi on pressure gauge, now starting at 5. Flow out of eyelet feels strong, maybe a pressure gauge issue. Thanks again!

Sounds like it could be bad bearings too. If you find it making more noise that normal and/or shutting off on it's own, start planing for a motor or pump replacement.

As an aside, I am SO glad that you still check in, Mark! Your expertise is so valued.

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Originally Posted by FormerBromineUser

As an aside, I am SO glad that you still check in, Mark! Your expertise is so valued.

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+1!

Tried my old pressure gauge as a test and it read 10 psi just like it always did to start (the reason I had replaced it at the beginning of last season was because the weather had made the plastic window very difficult to see thru.) My other pressure gauge was showing 5! I thought that was the issue since the water stream felt strong! Thanks again for the feedback!

One way to check your gauge is to turn off the pump. The gauge should go to zero.