Owning a pool can be great. You have the ideal location for neighborhood gatherings, birthday parties, and easy play dates in your own backyard, but along with the benefits of pool ownership, you must stay on top of regular maintenance. From filters to cleaning, chlorine, and pumps, keeping your pool free of germs and debris can be a hassle, but there are plenty of things you can do without calling your local pool professional. For example, changing a pool motor or pump is well within the expertise of plenty of homeowners.
First Steps
Before even touching the new machine, make sure that all power is turned off to the old pump. While all homes differ, this generally means venturing downstairs to your breaker and switching off the power that feeds the pool area.
Removing the Old Pump
Consult your owner's manual to locate the specific location of your pump (as this will vary by design and household) and then look for the motor mounting bracket that holds it in place. You may see four bolts where the bracket attaches to the motor and strainer housing (that keeps debris from your pool). Once found, unscrew the bolts and clamp that hold the current motor in place.
At this time, you will also need to remove the strainer housing that is connected to the bracket with an O-ring. If this piece appears to be damaged, make sure to replace it before continuing on to the next step.
Wiring
Next, inspect the motor carefully to access its wiring; there is generally a plate on the back or underside. You will need to disconnect the green, black and white wires (these colors are uniform across models) by unscrewing their bolt, unclipping the nut, or removing them from fasteners. Then, you will need to similarly disconnect the conduit (a wire-covering sleeve) that will allow you to remove the remaining wires.
Impeller
Lastly, you will need to remove the impeller, which normally involves undoing its fasteners, removing the plate covering the impeller housing, and unscrewing the impeller itself. You should also replace the pump seal at this time, as it is located directly under the impeller.
The final step is reversing this process with the installation of your new motor. With a bit of effort, a few wire attachments, and some bolts, your new pool motor will be doing its job in a matter of minutes.
For more information on replacing a motor, contact a professional contractor, such as Shenton Pumps.
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