One of the most annoying parts of owning a pool is when it gets dirty because your pump isn’t functioning correctly. Dead leaves, bugs, dirt from the construction down the street all end up in the water of your pool. If you go swimming while the pump gets shut off for too long, all that disgusting detritus ends up on your skin.
Use this guide of the top reasons your pool pump keeps shutting off for clarification and support. Getting your pool pump working correctly is essential for a well-filtered and clean pool. The sanitation of your pool water and the health and safety of people swimming in the water of your pool depends on the pool pump. Read on for the top reasons your pool pump keeps shutting off.
Why is the Pool Pump Important?
Your pool pump is an essential piece of equipment for your pool. Without it, the water in your pools tends to get very dirty very quickly.
A pool pump circulates water through the filtration system. The filtration system not only filters out debris that falls or blows into the pool but also works with the pool pump at dispersing the sanitation agent of chlorine throughout the water. Once chlorine gets spread, the water is cleaner.
WIthout your pool pump, the water would never get cleaned unless you used a net. A pool pump is necessary for the health of those swimming in the pool and should never get turned off for too long. Also, the circulation of water is crucial for the addition of sanitizing chemicals.
Top 7 Reasons Your Pool Pump Keeps Shutting Off
If your pool pump keeps shutting off when it shouldn’t, the odds are there is something wrong mechanically with the system. However, there are other more challenging and complex reasons for a pool pump shutting off.
This list of the top reasons your pool pump keeps shutting off includes:
- Mechanical
- Environmental
- Installation
The article should give you the information you need for diagnosing and even finding solutions for the problems causing your pool pump to shut off.
Even if you have a new pool pump, there are times when it could shut off for different reasons. Don’t buy a new pool pump before taking a look at some of the main reasons why a pool pump may get shut off. Some of the mechanical fixes require checking the continuity of the circuits or switches. If a component reads as infinity on any element in your pool pump, it needs replacement.
What Can Cause Pump Overheating?
In the circuits of the pool pump, there is a temperature gauge. If the internal temperature of the pump reaches the limit of the indicator, there is a kill switch that shuts off the pool pump. The pool pump should turn on again once the temperature lowers to a more reasonable temperature.
Some possible solutions for this problem include:
- Ventilation: Make sure that your pool pump housing unit has open ventilation so that air may circulate around the machine and help to cool it off.
- Faulty gauge: The switch that turns the pool pump off when it gets too hot may get connected to an inaccurate temperature gauge. In that case, you need to open the pump’s body and use a multimeter to test the pump circuit board and temperature switch gauge for continuity.
- Direct Sunlight: If your pool pump is in direct sunlight, it is possible that the pump casing is getting too hot on the outside. Heating up the outside container of the pool pump may trigger the temperature gauge to activate the kill switch and turn the pump off. Consider creating a pool pump house or covering that blocks the sun’s direct rays.
Overheating could damage your pool pump and is nothing to mess around with. If you suspect that the pump is overheating, either:
- Wait until it cools off and then inspect the components
- Build a shade structure for it
- Call a professional to take a look
Electricity Demand Can Impact Your Pool Pump
In the dog days of summer, everyone wants air conditioning and other luxuries that keep them cool and comfortable. If you live somewhere where rolling blackouts or even the occasional brown-out in the power grid happens, your pool pump may be affected.
Occasionally during the hottest days of summer, your pool pump may not get electricity because there is a lack of electrical energy to power it. The pool pump runs on 240-volt power outlets, equivalent to a washer and dryer. Since it is such a high-powered appliance, there may be times when it can’t get enough juice, and it will turn off.
Some possible solutions for this problem include:
- Get a generator: A generator for your pool pump is a possible solution if your pool pump has been off for an extended period of time. You don’t want the pool to get too dirty and risk damaging your pump and filtration system with a large amount of debris or silt. So, a generator could get used as a last resort.
- Wait for nighttime: Try using your pool pump in non-peak electricity hours. You may be able to pull enough energy during these hours of the day or night to get the pump working so that the pool can remain clean and clear.
There is not a whole lot you can do about the demand for electricity. Everyone wants their pools and air conditioning running during very hot days. Instead, you may need to be patient and wait to turn your pool pump on during non-peak hours.
Faulty Parts Cause Problems
Some of the parts that come with your pool part might not have gotten appropriately installed. These parts can also burn out over time or become faulty and need replacement. If your pool pump keeps shutting off, there is likely a mechanical problem with it that needs diagnosing.
Open the casing of the pool pump and find where the writing gets connected to the switches and circuit boards. Faulty parts need to get checked by a multimeter. If any of the internal components of the pool pump read as infinity on the multimeter, find replacement parts and install them as soon as possible.
Extra Environmental Water Collection Impacts Your Pump
If your pool pump is shutting off when it rains, this is a sure sign that water might be penetrating your pump casing and causing a short in the electrical wiring. Water penetration causing electrical shorts is not only annoying but is potentially dangerous.
Water collection during rain storms inside of a pool pump not only causes it to shut off but could cause electrocution, injury, and even death.
Ensure that you call a professional or turn the power off to the pump before inspecting it if you suspect that water is collecting in the casing and causing electrical shortages.
Corrosion May Be Causing Your Pump to Fail
If there is a water leakage around your pool pump or you live in an area with corrosive salty air near the ocean, corrosion of the wiring and components could be cursing your pool pump to shut off.
Corrosion of electrical components in your pool pump happens when water or salty environmental air penetrates the casing of the pump. This air or water exposure corrode electrical connections, causing them to become faulty and less conductive.
Eventually, these electrical connections give out or only work part of the time, causing the pool pump to shut off.
What if There is Debris in the Motor?
When it rains or the weather is very windy, debris from outside and around your yard may get blown into the pool pump casing.
When debris gets blown or rain pushes it into the pool pump casing and impeller, it can get into the motor and make the motor work harder, sometimes causing it to overwork and shut off.
An overworked motor is not a good thing because it may burn the motor out completely. If the engine is overworked for too long, you may need it replaced. The fact that it is shutting off before this happens is a good thing so you can diagnose and take care of the problem before it gets bigger.
Rusty Motors Just Don’t Work Well
If your motor and impeller get exposed to the elements, their metal components could begin corroding. Over time, corrosion and rust build-up causes the impeller to have to work harder to spin and pump water.
The Impeller May Be Clogged
The spinning impeller of the pool pump may get some debris or other material clogged in it from time to time. The pool pump might not stop immediately, but some tell-tale signs show that the impeller is working too hard and probably has some debris blocking its spinning.
If the impeller of your pool pump is clogged, the pump will make a high-pitched squealing noise. The impeller is having trouble spinning, it should get cleaned of all of its clogs before continuing to run.
A clogged impeller is nothing to mess around with. If the impeller gets left plugged for too long, it could overwork the motor and cause it to become overheated or damage the engine and impeller beyond repair.
Make sure if you get a replacement impeller that you find one that fits your motor size, so it is not too heavy for the power and amperage output of the motor.
Rusty Motors Are Problematic, Too
A rusty motor and impeller will eventually cause the pump to seize. If you catch it before it does seize, you can stop it from making the engine require more energy to work. The overworking of the motor because of the rust causes the motor to shut off.
A rusty motor is never a good thing. Hopefully, you catch this issue before it goes too far and cleans the rust from the impeller.
Troubleshooting a Pool Pump that Shuts off
If you are more curious or can’t find the exact reason why your pool pump keeps shutting off, you may want to open it up and try some DIY troubleshooting.
Troubleshooting your pool pump includes:
- Checking electrical readings
- The positions and wear on components
- Repairing or installing replacement parts
All troubleshooting for a pool pump begins the same way and follows a similar set of steps. Since most pool pump problems are part of the electrical input or components associated with electricity, it is best to use a multimeter and voltmeter for checking features.
The most straightforward steps for troubleshooting your pool pump that shuts off are:
- Check the voltage: Your pump’s motor should have an ideal voltage labeled somewhere on its casing. Using your voltage meter, check the voltage output of the engine while plugged in. If the motor is not within at least ten percent of the voltage listed, your motor components may be faulty or need repair.
- Check the Amperage: The motor terminal should have a consistent output of amperage that you can test with your multimeter. The impeller rating should match that of the horsepower. If the impeller has gotten replaced, it may be too large for the motor and cause an overload on the engine, reduce amperage, and cause the pump to overheat and shut down.
Troubleshooting your pool pump is an excellent way to save yourself some money and find out more about the issues facing your pump. If you find a problem, you may need replacement parts. Always try to find legitimate manufacturer parts that fit your pool pump exactly.
In Conclusion
Pool pumps are the heart of your pool that keep everything working smoothly. When the pool pump shuts off, it throws the whole pool into disarray. Not only do you need the pool pump for cleaning unsightly debris and silt out of your pool, but you also need it for spreading the sanitizing chlorine into the water.
Hopefully, this article gives you some good insights into the most common reasons why a pool pump keeps shutting off. If you can diagnose the problem of your pool pump, you should be well on your way to fixing the problem and getting back into a clean and clear pool.