Why Should I Change My Shaft Seal?

The shaft seal is a two sided assembly that sits around the shaft of the motor.  Its main duty is to contain all the water flowing into the pump within the housing and away from your electrical motor. As I hope you know already, water and electric motors do not play nice.

Aladdin PSR-201-2

The standard issue shaft seal is made of two parts; the white ceramic seat  with a rubber sleeve and a stainless steel spring with cuff lined with a rubber sleeve called the head.  The head has two sides, the bottom which is metal and sits against either the impeller or in the seal plate. The other side is a black plastic or carbon ring that contacts the ceramic side to form a watertight yet virtually friction-free spinning seal. This allows the shaft to spin freely but stay bone dry.

When should I change a shaft seal?

We recommend replacing the shaft seal during any motor replacement or if there is sign of leakage. If you wish to be extra careful and you winterize your pump, we suggest replacing the shaft seal at the start of every pool season.

click here to find your Replacement Pool Pump Motor Parts

Why should I change the seal?

Let me answer that question with a question of my own: do you like replacing $200 pump motors every few months? I very much doubt it. If we do not change the seal when replacing the motor or immediately after noticing a leak, that scenario is likely to happen. Think of coupling a new shaft seal with a motor replacement as an insurance policy.The new seal provides peace of mind as well as protection for the new motor. A $15 part that protects a $200 motor is the best insurance deal I’ve ever heard.

RUSTY MOTORA shaft seal can also play a part in warranty claims. A.O. Smith/Century motors have a 1-year warranty that covers manufacturer’s defects but does not cover installation error. One sign of installation error is this white whirling we see in the picture to the left. The whirling is residue from water that has breached the shaft seal and begun to seep into the motor. A simple trickle from the shaft seal can lead to bad bearings. If you have not had the pleasure of hearing the screeching of a motor with bad bearings, consider yourself lucky. When the banshee scream of a bad bearings is heard it is only a matter of time before the motor will fail or freeze up. That would leave you with no motor and no warranty to replace it.

The shaft seal is under immense pressure while installed. If you don’t believe me, let me run through some numbers with you and we can see what this little guy is up against.

A pump motor rotates at 3,450 revolutions per minute (RPM) and for this example we will run our pool for 8 hours a day:

3,450 RPM ✖60 Minutes = 207,000 Revs Per Hour
then,
207,000 RPH ✖ 8 Hours = 1,656,000 Revolutions in a day

If those numbers make you dizzy, how do you think the seal feels after a long day? That is just one day, multiply that by a short 5 month swimming season and that is at least 2.5 billion revolutions.

After looking at the numbers, I hope you can better understand why we may plead for you to replace the shaft seal when installing a new motor. If your big 30 pound motor died on you, that small seal that is being put through the same paces is likely needing a replacement as well. Protect a motor and your wallet, get a pool pump shaft seal replacement.

How to replace my shaft seal?

Look no further than our own How to Guide and video: How To Replace a Pool Motor Shaft Seal. It is not the easiest of operations but for the handy homeowner it should be simple enough to save money on a service call.

If you have any further questions, please give our techs a call at 877-372-6038.

click here to find your replacement pool pump motor

3 thoughts on “Why Should I Change My Shaft Seal?

  1. my pool pump pressure suddenly dropped from a normal 18psi to less than 5psi. i decided to replace bearings even though the pump is louder than what i remember it to be but it’s not screaming. i had difficulty removing one of the long screws and am waiting for liquid wrench to soak in. in the meantime i am focusing on the seal. my motor shaft had developed some rust under the seal. i am not sure if this added to strain on the shafts ability to spin. can you clarify if the shaft should spin freely from the seal? if the seal rusted tight to the shaft will this contribute to the lower pressure?

    thank you

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recommended Resources

Can I go with a larger HP pool pump?

Can I Go With A Higher Horsepower Pump?

The proper horsepower for your pool pump depends on a number of factors.  So before you jump on the bigger-is-better bandwagon,...
Read Now
Parts of a Pool Pump

Identifying Major Pump Parts and Their Functions

A person who has had the pleasure of seeing the innards of a pump (opened by their own hand or glancing...
Read Now

What Is the Correct Pool Pump Motor Wire Gauge?

An important part of a new pump installation is the circuit wire used for the power source to motor connection. To...
Read Now
how to replace a pool pump motor bearings

Video: Poolside Chat Episode #18: Should I Replace My Motor Bearings?

This is Poolside Chat where every week we answer your questions on how to fix and maintain your swimming pool. Poolside...
Read Now

Looking for pool parts?

Shop Motors Shop Filters Shop Pumps Shop Salt Systems Shop Lights Shop Cleaners
Copyright © 2024 INYOpools All rights reserved