Hi Guys,

I just finished repairing a frozen pipe and check valve, filled the tub and now the circ pump doesn't work.

1998 Tiger River Siberian, Watkins Silent Flow 5000.

The pump hums and seems to pump a little (check valve moves slightly) but not enough to keep the heater from tripping or enough to pull bubbles from the ozonator. I took the pump out and tuned the power on to check it....the impellar spins but also wobbles, it will spin fast if you straighten it out but it quickly begins to wobble and slow down. Could something have been damaged in this pump by freezing that would make the impellar wobble??? Does anyone know if I can just replace the impellar??

Thanks,

Chris

Those things characteristically will always have some wobble when they spin down, particuarly when the rotor goes out of balance. They are generally not serviceable. http://spapartsnet.com/Hot-Springs-Part... 8_1_1.html

When you say "spin down" are you talking about when they go bad or when the power is shut off?? This impellar wobbles (a lot) while the power is on, in fact it will wobble to the point of making a lot of noise especially if the pump is moved horizontally. This is all out of the spa with the pump dry, it doesn't seem to pump water at all when it is hooked up in the spa. I'm guessing that I need to replace it, just hoped someone might have an easy fix.

That thing should never be run dry, especially horizontally.

Anyway, the best way to test it is wet. And unfortunately there is no real quick fix as that is a balanced rotor, and if it has gotten out of round, or developed magnetism in it, it's pretty much a done deal.