Motor Overheating

Pool Repair & Troubleshooting
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We have a Sta-Rite Max-E-Pro pump with a Century motor (both new in 2013). Our motor is now running for about an hour at a time and cutting out, to turn back on when it cools off again. It has been doing this for about a month.  We’ve looked over “How To Fix a Hot Pump Motor” --vents not clogged, checked voltage in/out in timer box ports (240V each). Don’t know if impellor is too large (haven’t changed anything since pool company intalled it). Don’t know if impeller is worn and rubbing on diffuser.

Timer looks exactly like the yellow dial timer in many of your pictures – with wiring out for both the motor and the heater. Pump runs a waterfall in the spa and a pool cleaner. We never use the heater for the spa.

I’m uploading pictures of our system for reference.

  1. Recommendations on saving the existing motor? Is it worth the effort to further diagnose?

2.  Is this the single speed motor to replace the existing–> A.O. Smith 1.5 HP Square Flange 48Y Full Rate Motor - SQ1152

  1. What seal kit / pump tune up kit should we order? Do you carry silcone lubricant? Anything else needed?

  2. Intrigued by the variable speed pump option we see on your website (pool company said we’d need a whole new pump). Is the " V-Green 1.65 HP Square Flange 48Y Variable Speed Motor - ECM16SQU " the one for us to consider? How would the wiring work with this VS Motor’s control panel - considering we currently have the yellow dial timer with wiring to both the heater and to the motor?

Thanks on clarifying what we should order… Your installation and troubleshooting videos have been incredibly helpful!

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  1. If it’s just a failing capacitor, it’s worth repairing the motor. The run capacitor for your SQ1152 motor is part number 5270-07. The start capacitor is part number 5270-09. Check out our guide titled “How to Test a Pool Pump Capacitor”.

  2. Model SQ1152 is the correct single speed motor for your Sta-Rite Max-E-Pro.

  3. The tune-up kit for the Max-E-Pro is part number GOKIT79. You shouldn’t need anything else when replacing the motor.

  4. The replacement variable speed motor would be model ECM27SQU. Since the variable speed motor has a built-in timer, you would wire it to the line side of your timer. That way the pump always has power. If it’s an Intermatic timer, the line terminals are 1 and 3.