Bad Lighting Storm caused pump to STOP?

[shay999]

Hello...

I am very new to this forum and last evening in Rhode Island, we had a very short but yet powerful lighting storm. I forgot that I had my Hayward Pump and sand filter on during the storm. When I realized it was on, I automatically ran to shut it off with the switch that is mounted on my home.

But when I did, I noticed the equipment was not running. I tried it a few times, and still nothing, so I waited till the morning, and nothing
So what can this be???? Did the lighting hit my power cord to the circuit breaker?

Also , yesterday afternoon, I noticed that the plug to the pump is missing the ground prong, my son told me later that when he had placed some chemicals in the pool, he accidentally tripped over the cord, pulling out the plug and it got stuck in the outlet, but he was able to pull it out of the outlet and then plug it back in and everything worked perfectly...

UNTIL THE LIGHTING STORM..

I am about to rip this pool down
every year it something and I am the only person in this house..my son only comes over to use the darn thing...

Please can someone help me before I drown mysef

Thanks Shay

[jimmyzshack]

did you try plugging something else into the power cord and see if it turns on. that will let you know if you have power are not. is there a timer on that line? if so bypass it and see if it works.

[shay999]

Well, I just spoke to my next door neighbor, he has a coy pond, he said that this morning his pump on his waterfall was off too! He may think it's just because of he heavy down pours last night? What do you think??
I did try to plug something in also..NOTHING!!

[jimmyzshack]

that is probably a good sign if you plug something else in and it didn't work, means your pump might still work. Did you check the breakers?

[shay999]

That is another problem Jimmy, the black breaker will not pop, I hit the red one, that goes in, but the black on is stuck..it won't trip..but that was doing the same thing a few days ago and I was in the process of finding someone who can come over a change the box...oh it's always one thing after another..

I am going to try and stay hopeful that it just got wet and wait till the end of the day, we are headed for another 90degree day and with hopes, my pool pump starts??

If not,oh how I am going to have a long expensive electrician day here in Rhode Island..They will need to come out and see what the darn problem is at possibly $40 ahour..

[rhosk]

Try a heavy-duty extension cord? This will, at the very least, put your mind at ease that the pump is OK.

[shay999]

I am looking for one as you speak..Thanks !

[matt4x4]

Ok, I'm reading between the lines here, and I think your limited knowledge of electrical components is what is confusing the issue...Don't take this the wrong way!
I believe this is what's going on:
The black and red switches you're talking about are actually the buttons on a GFCI outlet - are they in the middle of an outlet??

If so, tehn that is likely what's shot, either that, or you blew the breaker in the main panel.
First off, go to the main panel and look to see if the breaker for teh pool is off.
If it's not go to teh GFCI that your pool is hooked up to and try to "test" and "reset" it They should be labelled (red and black buttons).
If it does not reset, your GFCI is bad, go to home depot and get a new GFCI (15A) and when you get it home, go to the main panel, shut off the pool breaker and replace the GFCI plug, then turn the breaker back on and reset the GFCI.
While you're at it, get a new outdoor plug for the pump, I wouldn't go near the pool without it having a ground.
Black wire to the brass screw, white to the silver, green to the ground terminal.

[shay999]

OK..update and Matt..thanks so much off to Home Depot I Go!
I found a extension cord, it's working, the pump is ok!

I will now have to go and get what Matt suggested because that is diffently the issue, but I have also gone down to the main panel and it's not labeled, so what can I do..oh boy! I don't know which one is the pool breaker!!!

Can I shut off the MAIN and change the GFCI?
I am also going to change the plug too on the outside pump!

[rhosk]

Can I shut off the MAIN and change the GFCI?

Yeah, that'll be fine.

Glad to hear the pump is working!

Good luck.