Hot Tub Pump Parts Canada
What parts go into a hot tub pump?
Hot tub pumps are made up of a wet end and a motor (or dry end). The two hot tub pump parts are bolted together with 4 long bolts. The motor spins the shaft in the center of the pump which in turn spins the impeller.
Impeller
The spa impeller is basically a miniature version of the large spinning wheels used to power steamships and sawmills. The concept is that there are many indentations in the impeller that move water. Impellers are also rated and matched to the horsepower specifications of the pump. The rating relates to how much water the spinning impeller can move per second.
Some manufacturers purposely mismatch impellers to gain more water flow, but if not matched properly with the pump motor specifications, this can cause excessive wear on the motor or early failure.
Hot tub pump parts can be exchanged in order to avoid having to replace the entire pump assembly. Some of the most common parts replaced on a spa pump include the entire wet end, or the impeller or pump seals.
Hot Tub Seals
In the event of a leak, the main seal that separates the wet end from the motor may be the problem. Seals can fail for a variety of reasons, but one of the most common is poor water chemistry.
A spa that is not maintained may achieve water pH values outside the recommended range of 7.2-7.8. The water can become too acidic or too basic and both conditions can damage pump seals and other spa components and parts.
In Canada, hot tub pump seal kits available to replace worn or leaky pump seals and get a pump working again. This is also an alternative to having to replace the entire spa pump.
Pump Problems
The spa motor powers the motor shaft which spins the impeller and allows water to flow from the pump suction (water input) to the pump discharge (water output). Problems with the pump motor may include a short circuit condition which shows up in the form of a tripping breaker or blown fuse.
Sometimes a pump will not start due to incorrect wiring, a blown fuse or even a bad start capacitor.
Many do not realize that there is a capacitor usually situated on the top of the pump that facilitates pump starting. It exists for many reasons including the avoidance of surging on startup.
If the start capacitor goes bad, a pump may not start at all but there may not be anything wrong with the actual pump motor or wet end.
Typical reasons to exchange a pump motor include worn or noisy bearings, short circuit problems with the internal pump wiring or other motor related issues that may cause overheating or non-operation.
Pump Overheating
Some pumps actually have an overheat device so that if the pump reaches a certain extreme operating temperature, it may shut down on its own for an hour or more before it resets. This condition may occur in spas during very hot summer days where the pump goes into thermal overload. In that case this is a normal, protective function and not a problem with the pump.
If a pump is older than about 4-5 years old and there are significant problems, it may be more economical in the long run to replace the entire pump with a replacement pump.
Whether you need an Arctic Spa pump, Beachcomber pump, Cal Spas pump, Jacuzzi pump or Sundance spa pump, you will find a suitable replacement pump at discounted prices.
Parts of a Hot Tub Pump
Pump brands such as Waterway, Laing, Jacuzzi, Ultra Jet, Vico and other names may also be replaced by generic pumps or other brand pumps that have the same operating characteristics as a particular brand pump. As long as the functionality is the same by matching specifications found on the pump label, the replacement pump should work fine.
Pump motors are made by G.E., A.O. Smith and other motor companies.
Pump wiring to connect the pump to the spa pack is typically for either a one-speed or two-speed pump. A green ground wire is connected to the ground lug on the pump while typically the white wire is the common wire. The other two wires would be for low and high speed. Typically the black and red wires represent low and high speed connections on these 4-conductor pump cables. Take note of how the old pump was wired because some spa manufacturers use the black wire for low speed while others may use it as high speed.
Replacement Parts
A hot tub pump can be disassembled and repaired, or it can be replaced. Other components that may need replacement include the heater, a spa blower, an ozonator or a dedicated circulation pump.
The hot tub manufacturer does not make the actual pump, but buys it from the pump manufacturer. For instance Marquis Spas has installed Ultra Jet pumps in some of their spas featuring Ultima plus and other types of motors.
One type of mistake to avoid when replacing pumps is not ordering the correct voltage pump. Be sure to get the specs off of the old pump and not assume because the spa is operating at 230v that the pump would also be 230v, as in many cases the pump may be operating at 115v even in a 230v spa. Hooking a pump up to the wrong voltage can permanently damage the pump or spa.
Order a New Hot Tub Pump
If the pump is older than 4-5 years old, it may be better to replace the entire pump rather than repair a pump leak or other issue.
The easiest way to order a replacement pump is to note all of the important information from the old pump label.
Besides noting the physical properties of the pump such as the plumbing connection size (usually 1 1/2 inch, 2 inch or 2 1/2 inch connections), where the suction and discharge plumbing connectors are so that the pump wet end can be properly rotated on the new pump in order to match up with the existing plumbing, and the frame size of the pump, also note horsepower, operating voltage, low speed and high speed amp rating, and other info found on the existing pump label to find a suitable pump replacement online.
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