All things are subject to wear and tear. Regardless of how much or how well we take care of our belongings, they can and will lose efficiency over time and eventually stop working as intended or break down altogether. The same can be said for our pool equipment, whether it’s pool brushes or pool pumps.
The capacitor is one of the more essential components in your pool pump, as it plays a vital role in keeping your pool pump running and pumping the water in your pool. Sometimes, your pool pump starts to not run as well as it used to.
This can be due to a variety of causes, as there are many moving parts involved. It can also be complicated to troubleshoot, especially for someone who is not necessarily trained as a pool technician. These devices can cost a lot of money, so it wouldn’t be the wisest option to replace the entire item.
Today, we will help in that regard and give you some tips on how to take better care of your pool pump. In particular, we will look at the capacitor in your pool pump, what the telltale signs are that there is a problem with your capacitor, and what you can do to fix it as the owner.
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What Does the Capacitor Do?
Your pool pump is a machine, and like with most devices, it needs a power source to operate. Pool pumps run off of electricity, and the capacitor is similar to a car’s battery in many regards, especially in the roles they play in their respective machines.
The capacitor in your pool pump is there so that, when you start up your pool pump, there is a power source that allows it to get up to speed before it switches to an alternative source of power that can help keep it running. Think of it like a startup battery used to give it that kick to get it going before it switches to its main power supply.
The average pool pump will need to reach a speed of around 3450 RPM before switching to its primary power supply. The capacitor is a cylindrical component around 3 to 4 inches long that is responsible for getting the pump to this speed. Some pumps might require two capacitors to get going, depending on the strength needed to get through water volume.
As the component required to start up the pump, you can imagine how important it is for the capacitor to work correctly. We also now know that when it comes to capacitor-related pump issues, we should look out for more power-related signs that occur during startup.
Signs That Your Capacitor is Bad
There are a few ways that you can go about diagnosing capacitor-related pool pump issues. The first is by listening. When you start up the pump, listen for a distinct humming sound that wasn’t there before. This sound indicates an issue with the capacitor and often means it’s run dead.
Be warned, however, as the humming can also be a sign of a faulty or seized motor shaft. If you can turn the motor shaft manually, then it’s likely the capacitor causing the issue. If it can’t turn manually, then it’s an entirely different issue that has to do with the motor or bearings.
Pool pumps and their motors also tend to get quite hot. However, a faulty capacitor can lead to overheating. These machines are designed so that, when they begin to overheat, they shut themselves down immediately to prevent any further issues. If you notice your pool pump suddenly turning itself off after a while, tentatively feel around the motor. If it feels very hot, you likely have a faulty capacitor.
Faulty capacitors cause the engine in your pump to run at a higher amperage than it should, and a higher amperage means more wattage. The more watts being pumped into the system, the hotter it gets. Be sure that when checking the heat, you avoid any electricity that could be exposed. If you are unsure about overheating, other symptoms include an oversized impeller, high voltage, and bad windings.
The last sign that your pool pump might have a bad capacitor is with the speeds. Most pool pumps have two speed options for their motors – a high and low option. If you try and use the high speed option and it won’t run any faster than the low speed option, then you can probably guess that there is an issue with the capacitor.
A dying capacitor commonly causes speed problems with pumps. More rarely, the issue may be chalked up to bad phase winding, in which case you’ll need to change out the motor itself instead.
Checking With a Multimeter
This process is a more dangerous method of checking the capacitor, but it is a surefire way of getting a clear answer as to whether or not you have a bad capacitor. You’ll first want to start by removing the cover on the motor to expose the capacitor.
From what we pointed out earlier, you should know that this capacitor stores an electrical charge, which you’ll need to short. Be warned that this process is dangerous. You should take the proper precautions by wearing protective eyewear, insulated gloves, and placing a cloth over the capacitor before shorting it out.
Now, you’ll take an insulated screwdriver and place it along the leads of the capacitor. Shorting the capacitor has been known to cause at least a spark and at most an explosion, which is why you need to take those previous precautions. You will now take the leads out, remembering or noting down where they were initially so that you can replace them correctly. Set your multimeter ohms to 1K. Placing a heavy piece of paper between the points on the switch, attach one probe to each terminal.
On the multimeter, your needle should move rapidly to the right and then slowly back down to the left, or the digital reading should start slow and then rapidly increase to its maximum value. Should it instead remain at zero for either the needle or digital reading, then the capacitor is bad and needs replacing.
In Conclusion, What Can You Do?
If your capacitor is a problem, you’ll need to get a new one as soon as possible. Otherwise, you won’t be able to use your pump properly. Replacing it is not an easy task for someone who doesn’t know what they are doing. It’s advised you call on a professional electrician, especially if you are someone who isn’t comfortable working with electrical parts that can give you a nasty shock.