New Whisperflo Trips Breaker

[jzerf]

It seems like it's trying to get up to speed, starts drawing water and then trips the breaker.

[Poconos]

Open the pump basket lid so it can't pump water to essentially unload the motor. The motor should come up to speed and you will hear the starter winding switch click as it opens. When you kill power you should hear it click closed as the speed slows down. The slowdown should take a couple seconds since is isn't pumping. If the starter winding is staying powered that would cause a breaker trip. It's only used to get the thing spinning in the right direction and overcome initial load.
Will be travelling tomorrow and won't be back on the forum until tomorrow evening sometime but may check in real early in the morning.
Al

[jzerf]

So I can start the pump with the lid opened? If the starter winding stays powered do you think it's a defective pump? I really appreciate your help!!

Jason

[Poconos]

Yes...running with the lid open for a few minutes won't hurt anything. You can fill it with a bucket if the basket was totally dry just to wet the seal. If the winding is staying powered then yes, the switch is defective. You'll also hear a somewhat loud hum or groan as the winding is a low impedance and will pull a lot of current. Usually switches fail open because the contacts get cruddy but something could have broke in the spring loaded centrifugal mechanism. Very odd for a new pump.There's a pic of the back end of my Hayward Superpump in this thread. May be of help.
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=4800

Time for bed...long drive home tomorrow.
Al

[jzerf]

Thanks for your help AL. I'll give that a try. Have a safe trip!

[jzerf]

I tried the pump with the cover off. It sounds like it's starting up and then trips the breaker. I do hear a click after a few seconds when power is cut. I checked and the propeller spins freely. Feeling that maybe it's my breaker, replaced it, but that did not improve anything. I actually think it's getting worse each time I try it. I called Pentair to start a warranty claim. Hopefully that will go smooth.

[Poconos]

Could very well be a shorted turn or turns on the running winding. Hope the warranty process goes smoothly and quickly. Would be interesting if you had a clamp on ampmeter just to see what kind of current it's really pulling. Just the curious part of me.
Good Luck and post back to let us know the outcome.
Al