Need some tech support help

[Vinny]

Hey Everyone,

Sorry I haven't been here in a while ... life getting in the way!

My tub, an Artesian Grand Cayman, has develpoped a leak in the pump seal (besides the water being yucky!)

I looked at it and I'm wondering if it's better to buy a new pump or have it rebuilt. I have tried in the past to rebuild seals and I never seem to get it correct so it would be a professional rebuild.

The pump has an Ultrajet sticker on it, model 5KCR48UN2388X, and also an Ultimax sticker on it, model 1016178. Quickly looking, I found a place on-line that has the model 1016178 for about $325. If the pump needs to be replaced, I plan on doing it myself (I repair medical equipment) or if a rebuild is in order - remove and reinstall it myself.

The tub is a 2004 and I am wondering if it's even worth rebuilding a 7 YO motor that sits outside.

What do you techs think?

Thanks!

Vinny

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

I'm a little confused...are you contemplating rebuilding the "wet-end" ie seal,impeller,o-rings or are you strictly talking about rebuilding the motor ie bearings? is the motor making noise at all? or just a leaking pump seal?

[clover]

come on Vinny, you can do it.  Open the wet end and put in a new seal.  It's a $25 repair, or a new motor $400.  Your motor still has a lot of life in it.

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

come on Vinny, you can do it.  Open the wet end and put in a new seal.  It's a $25 repair, or a new motor $400.  Your motor still has a lot of life in it.

you can order a 1.5hp Emerson for under $200, just up to you whether you want to shell out the money for something that may not be needed right now...and like clover said you could possibly get another 5yrs+ out of your current motor...If I were you I would just start with a wet end rebuild (seal, o-rings, maybe an impeller if needed)

[Vinny]

I'm a little confused...are you contemplating rebuilding the "wet-end" ie seal,impeller,o-rings or are you strictly talking about rebuilding the motor ie bearings? is the motor making noise at all? or just a leaking pump seal?

I'm talking pump seal, motor is quiet. It was dripping water out the back of the pump and when the pump was on it was raining!

come on Vinny, you can do it.  Open the wet end and put in a new seal.  It's a $25 repair, or a new motor $400.  Your motor still has a lot of life in it.

I took the pump out, removed the bolts, tried to open the pump housing and it wouldn't budge! I didn't really try just pulled and tugged and it went nowhere. I was thinking it was a low cost repair and since I repair stuff for a living I would give it a try if I don't need a gear puller or something.

Is there a place to get parts for the pump on-line? I searched with Google and it seems there are places to buy these parts but when I go to the site I'm not sure if the seal will fit my pump ... of course I could pick up the phone as well.

[Vinny]

I guess I'll go the rebuild way ... any suggestions on where to get the part? Only on-line spa store I ever bought from was Doc's

come on Vinny, you can do it.  Open the wet end and put in a new seal.  It's a $25 repair, or a new motor $400.  Your motor still has a lot of life in it.

you can order a 1.5hp Emerson for under $200, just up to you whether you want to shell out the money for something that may not be needed right now...and like clover said you could possibly get another 5yrs+ out of your current motor...If I were you I would just start with a wet end rebuild (seal, o-rings, maybe an impeller if needed)

[Vinny]

Well I attempted to get the pump open and I was successful so I decided to order the seal. I was told my pump doesn't exsist anymore and to order a certain part and it should work. I did and proceeded to remove the impeller - it ain't budging. The place I ordered the seal (which I have since canceled) has online instructions on how to remove the impeller but they claim that sometimes you need to destroy it. So I call back the parts place and asked to get a replacement for an impeller and they can't cross reference it.

So my pump is not a good part any more, parts may not be available and if I destroy the impeller I can't get a new one ... life is good!!

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

Well I attempted to get the pump open and I was successful so I decided to order the seal. I was told my pump doesn't exsist anymore and to order a certain part and it should work. I did and proceeded to remove the impeller - it ain't budging. The place I ordered the seal (which I have since canceled) has online instructions on how to remove the impeller but they claim that sometimes you need to destroy it. So I call back the parts place and asked to get a replacement for an impeller and they can't cross reference it.

So my pump is not a good part any more, parts may not be available and if I destroy the impeller I can't get a new one ... life is good!!

typically you'll put a wrench on the shaft of the motor and spin the impeller off the threads

[Vinny]

I popped the back of the motor off and put a big screw driver into the slot on the shaft. I tried to spin the impeller off and it didn't budge. I next took a channel lock plier and did the same thing and the impeller didn't budge. I sprayed some  WD 40 hoping it would penetrate into possible rust - didn't work. In my experience metal vs plastic = metal wins. Without having a back up impeller I stopped for now.

Well I attempted to get the pump open and I was successful so I decided to order the seal. I was told my pump doesn't exsist anymore and to order a certain part and it should work. I did and proceeded to remove the impeller - it ain't budging. The place I ordered the seal (which I have since canceled) has online instructions on how to remove the impeller but they claim that sometimes you need to destroy it. So I call back the parts place and asked to get a replacement for an impeller and they can't cross reference it.

So my pump is not a good part any more, parts may not be available and if I destroy the impeller I can't get a new one ... life is good!!

typically you'll put a wrench on the shaft of the motor and spin the impeller off the threads

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

I popped the back of the motor off and put a big screw driver into the slot on the shaft. I tried to spin the impeller off and it didn't budge. I next took a channel lock plier and did the same thing and the impeller didn't budge. I sprayed some  WD 40 hoping it would penetrate into possible rust - didn't work. In my experience metal vs plastic = metal wins. Without having a back up impeller I stopped for now.

Well I attempted to get the pump open and I was successful so I decided to order the seal. I was told my pump doesn't exsist anymore and to order a certain part and it should work. I did and proceeded to remove the impeller - it ain't budging. The place I ordered the seal (which I have since canceled) has online instructions on how to remove the impeller but they claim that sometimes you need to destroy it. So I call back the parts place and asked to get a replacement for an impeller and they can't cross reference it.

So my pump is not a good part any more, parts may not be available and if I destroy the impeller I can't get a new one ... life is good!!

typically you'll put a wrench on the shaft of the motor and spin the impeller off the threads

ahh sometimes they are exposed shaft (1" sticking out) of the back where you can actually get a pliers on it...I know exactly what your dealing with and they are a pain in the you know what because I know for a fact its near impossible to get leverage with a flat head screwdriver in that slot....I am sure there is a replacement impeller that would work, problem is finding it in a timely manner

[Vinny]

In case anyone's interested.

I called StaRite which is part of Pentair and they refered me to Balboa because they sold the spa pump division to them. Balboa gave me part numbers for the impeller and seal based on the pump number I gave them. Hopefully they'll be the correct parts. I did notice that they had my model pump but it's about $400 than what "spa pumps and more" on-line wants for the pump.

I guess if the parts don't fit or are wrong (impeller looks slightly different) I could try Balboa again or bite the bullet for a new pump.

[Vinny]

Well, I received the parts and they were the correct parts, I repaired the tub yesterday. I replaced the seals and impeller and it cost me about $50 and a total of about 4 hours. The impeller did have a rusted on nut so when I went to turn the original impeller, the impeller seperated from the nut (plastic vs metal = metal wins  ). I used a Rotozip with a wood cutting bit to cut out a circle on the impeller, the center popped out to reveal the nut. A bunch of WD 40 on the nut and eventually the nut came off.

Anyway, I wanted to finish up this service call with you guys .... Thanks again for your help!