Re: Salvaged Spa Pumps

No sign of any seal leaks. It looks like the front bearing is bronze, and
is just worn out (motor shaft wobbles when I turn the rotor by hand).

I found the slot in the rear of the shaft behind the cap, but the impeller
is on too tight. I finally got the motor front housing off and the rotor
out, so I can clamp the rotor in a vice. I still can't budge the impeller.
With the scroll around it, I can't get anything on it to unscrew it (and I
AM turning it in the right direction) and it's too tight to reach in and
turn by hand. About the only thing I can think of is to make up some sort
of clamp out of aluminum plate, that clamps onto the impeller outer
diameter, and then turn it with a wrench of some kind. Lot of work to just
try and salvage the pump. I've also tried a strap wrench through the outlet
hole, but there wasn't quite enough room. Frustrating.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)


"Sunworshipper" <mattsonsolar@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:dcmhh1dl7egs8bglbthpjem18ltbgki70h@xxxxxxxxxx
> On Fri, 2 Sep 2005 12:12:50 -0400, "Bob Chilcoat"
> <viewptmd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>>I picked up a couple of Waterway spa pumps (they say 5 hp on them, one is
>>two-speed). The pumps are fine, but the motor front bearings seem to be
>>worn out. I can't get the pumps off the motor shaft to replace the
>>bearings, but I can cut up the pumps and salvage the motors that way.
>>These
>>are A. O. Smith, 220 V, 1 ph, 12 amp, 3450 rpm, capacitor start motors
>>(metal content).
>>
>>Some questions.
>>
>>Any idea what I could get for these on Ebay "as is".
>>
>>What would the motors alone be worth if I replace the bearings?
>>
>>Would these motors be good as compressor motors?
>>
>>Any idea how to get the pump impellers off the shaft, so that I can
>>rebuild
>>them and sell them as complete units? The impeller seems to be pressed or
>>epoxyed onto the shaft, since there is no sign of a setscrew or key. No
>>exposed shaft inside the pump to apply a puller. I've tried levering off
>>one the pumps between the front housing and back of the pump, but nothing
>>moves.
>>
>>Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
>
> Take the cap off the back motor and there will be a slot or flats (if
> not there then it will be on the front of the shaft between the
> impeller and motor) to hold the shaft so that the impeller will thread
> off.
>
> When the shaft seal leaks it screws up the front bearing. They can be
> a major pain to get off. The two speed is for circulation and jets,
> the other is a booster pump and is probably in better condition.
>
> Might be hard selling used pool pumps that big. Their more likely to
> be from a commercial application or rich folk.


.

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