Circ pump hot!

[iceno9]

Hi All,

So i got a second hand tub about 3-4 months ago and everything has been great so far. The circulation pump (A Gecko) has been changed at somepoint and looks quite new...hence i was glad of this when i bought the hot tub.

Tonight after using the tub i decided to remove the filter, replace the filter basket and add half a bottle of swirl away with the intension of draining the tub tomorrow. When i used the tub tonight, i know for fact the circulation pump was running.
Anyway, after running the main pumps twice with the swirl away, i went back out to the spa and noticed a slight smell and that the circulation pump had stopped running.

Spa is now turned off and i removed the access panel and found the circ pump to be very hot!!!
Does anyone know if these pumps have a thermal cutout or do they just burn out?

Did i do something wrong which might have caused this? It seems very strange that everything was fine till i did the above....could removing the filter and replacing the basket create an airlock? If it did - could this burn a pump out? If yes, how....the wet end should have no influence on the pump should it?

ANy help appreciated....

Matt

[Kev B]

 Always turn off the breaker when removing filter. It sounds like the impeller is seized. Not sure what pump the Gecko is but see if you can get the pump apart and spin the impeller, if pump is not rebuildable it is probably time for a new one. Make sure you have proper voltage also.

[iceno9]

Having thought about it today.....i am wondering if some 'crud' has got dislodged when i added the swirl away and maybe this has blocked the pump.
I am hoping if this is the case, i can free it and everything will work again.....i hope i havent burnt out the motor. It didnt trip the RCD so there should be no earth fault and i dont think it blew any fuses on the control board which is suggestive that the current didnt get too high for the motor meaning the windings could still be in tact (i.e. no short circuit).
The motor is already new from the last owner so i struggle to see that bearings have gone.....hence it can only be a blocked impellor?!?

Motor voltage should be correct....it has been running fine for months. But i will anyway take your suggestions to check later.

Many Thanks
Matt

[iceno9]

Update..... I got the pump running again tonight for a short time and then it stopped again. So the good news is that the coil hasnt burnt out and the motor must be ok?!?
When i turn the shaft by hand, the impellor is a little squeaky so i am wondering if you are right Kev - it could be its starting to seize.

I have drained the tub and will take the pump out at weekend and disassemble the pump, but it might be easiest to buy a new 'wet end'....i think they are circa £46.

Anyone else had similar experiences?

[iceno9]

Update.....Think i am a wally!

Pump back installed and everything running again....i think i have found the issue....or none issue!
After reading the ML700 (Balboa) manual, i noticed a statement that says the circulation pump may switch off for a period of 30 minutes if the water temperature is 1.5 degrees above the set temp. I think what i did last week was lower the set temp while i added the swirl away and had the jets running as it wasnt necessary to maintain the temp anymore.....of course this would make the pump stop!
The following day when i tried it, the was water was still circa 30 degrees so still above the lowered set temp! hence ther motor would run for 1 minute and then stop again. 

However it wasnt a wasted effort taking the circ pump out, i found that the plinth that the pump sits on was rotten so made a new one and the seals for the heater and pump where 100% knackered and leaking.....hence i have changed these now.

Still....the circ pump runs very very hot.....this must be normal as i believe the pump has a thermal cut out?!? However does anyone know how hot a pump should run under normal conditions? I can then close this thread...

[LeoL]

Shouldn't be too hot, typically you can put your hand on it. They do have thermal protection if its a waterways, iron might, tiny might etc