I have a 2hp dual speed Century spa pump that I am using aS a Polaris booster pump. I can turn the shaft freely and easily and I have put on brand new heavier capacitor and STILL cannot get the pump to start without giving the shaft a little shove. I only have to wired to the high speed, 230V. Is there another capacitor inside or maybe a switch that could be bad? I hear a switch click when I turn it on and off and as long as the shaft is still turning I can turn it on and off with no problem. It’s just the initial start that is a problem. Any thoughts?
This is a view is the whole pump I’m having issues with. Note the one capacitor in the back which I thought was start and run capacitor.
Hi SteveIII,
I received the response below from the motor manufacturer from a previous customer who was having a similar issue. Since you have already changed the capacitor it seems to me as you have a bad phase winding which is not replaceable and would require a new motor. If you decided to go with a new motor then you will require this Century Dual Speed Spa Motor
“This motor is PSC on high speed, and split phase on low speed. On high speed there is a main winding, and phase winding with a run capacitor. If any of these components are not functional, the motor will not start. If low speed is on, it may be possible for some motors to continue running when switched to high. The run capacitor is 25 MFD, 440 volt. Previously, a 25 MFD, 370 volt capacitor was used. The voltage rating on a capacitor is the amount of voltage it can withstand, including line voltage, and voltage impressed on it by the winding. The voltage was increased from 370 to 440, to allow more tolerance against high capacitor volts. Running lightly loaded is one cause of high capacitor volts. There is a good chance this motor is lightly loaded, compared to the design potential, given the fact that this motor will run all day on high speed. The capacitor is the easiest thing to check. If it checks ok, the likely cause of the problem is a shorted phase winding. The 440 volt capacitor is 2” in diameter, and the previous 370 volt capacitor was 1 ¾” in diameter.”
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