Troubleshooting Your Above Ground Pool Pump

Pool pumps are the most important components in the circulation and filtering system of a pool. They push and pool water through a filter medium to keep your pool looking clean and clear. With the many parts involved in making the pump work, as seen in the diagram on the first page of this tutorial, it is no wonder why people commonly encounter problems with their pool pump. Below are a list of common problems and their solutions.

My Pump Motor Will Not Start

The first thing you want to check is your connections. Make sure that your wires are plugged in to the right spots. Loose connections are usually the cause of this problem.

In other cases you may want to check that you are using the correct voltage. Pool pump motors run on either 115V or 230V. You should check to see that your motor is being supplied the correct voltage.

My Pool Pump Motor Is Overheating and Cycling On Off

Overheating is commonly caused by poor motor ventilation. If you are covering your pool motor, you must make sure that the cover has plenty of ventilation holes for the motor circulate cool air. Otherwise the high temperature will trigger the motor's thermal overload protection switch, causing the motor to temporarily shut off and turn back on when things cool down.

Another cause for this problem is low voltage being supplied to the motor. Check to make sure you are supplying the correct voltage to your pool pump. Sometimes an undersized wire may be the culprit. By using an undersized wire to connect your pool pump system to the outlet, you may be providing insufficient amps to your motor. Be sure to use a 12 gauge cord if you need to use an extension.

My Pool Pump Will Not Prime

If you have installed your above ground pool pump above water level then you may run into this problem. Above ground pool pumps are designed to be gravity fed. That means water should be flowing into the pool pump without turning the pump on. Leave your pool pump on the floor and run it from there. Your pump will be much happier from that position.

My Pool Pump Has Low Water Flow

Most likely if you are experiencing this problem, you need to clean out your filter. Check out our filter maintenance pages to find out how to clean your filter properly.

Next section: Winterizing Your Pool Pump