Installation HELP

Suggestions that can save you time and also make installation a success.

Heater Element Installation

As seen in the picture, when install the element OR removing, MOST elements have a place on the bottom of the post for an open ended wrench to STABILIZE the post when installing or removing. Reason is the post is VERY breakable or will easily bend. You need to make the post stable and inserting an open wrench as shown both stabilizes the post and stops it from turning.

Its good routine to use such a wrench on the bottom of the heater post.

When installing a new element into an existing housing its important to center the element inside the housing or tube. When you are tighten the new element to the housing that element will tend to pull to and against one side of the housing. The concern is that once you start the spa with water the element will start vibrating due to the water flow and this will cause the element to start tapping against the side of the housing. You can often hear the tapping when the pump is on. This will cause and early element failure.
When you install the element, use no lubricate on the rubber oring. Its easy to distort and damage the oring with lubrication.
Only tighten items to snug.
Its always smart to replace the old orings or gaskets with new.

Pump Assembly

Although some pump/wetend are one unit, most other than circulation pumps are design to make replacement of part(s).
Basically, you have the pump motor or just "motor" and the pump wetend or "wetend". Although often the motor can be rebuild either professionally or by you, we recommend that the motor be replaced.
Fixing or replacing wetends is a dicey decision. When cost is the driving factor and the parts of the wetend are available then it would make sense to try to repair the wetend. Also factor in the possible result is when all installed and spa is full that it leaks. That is why it has always been our standard to at minimum replace the complete wetend or motor if either has failed or better results comes when you replace the pump/motor complete or the whole unit.
Also keep in mind that unless you buy the pump/motor complete there are no warranties other than parts failure that the manufacturer will determine upon inspection. To make it worst, if a rebuilt wetend leaks on a new motor and damages it, there is no warranty for the motor. Most often if you buy the complete its warrantied except if you run the pump/motor dry and the parts overheat.

Steps to build or replace and pump wetend and motor.

Step One

Pump wetend is held in place by 4 long bolts. Loose old pump or nuts to install new wetend but NEVER remove the bolds. They hold the motor components together.

Step Two

Remove four nuts on new motor but do NOT remove the bolts.

Step Three

Install 1/2 of new mechanical seal into body of new wetend. In this example the 1/2 seal section with the rubber boot is pressed into wetend boot. This is the most common style among Jacuzzi pumps. BUT, on some model wetends the seals are installed the opposite and often require silicon to seal the spring half into this boot.

Note: The rubber seal is inserted into the boot of the wetend and the white ceremic ring is exposed to the other half of the seal.

Step Four

Install the wetend and mate to the motor bolts. This is where the 4 long bolts attach to the the wetend.

Note: There are a variety of wetend designs but this example gives you understanding of what goes where and how. Often rather than the discharge facing UP like this, the discharge will point to the right (3 o'clock) or left (9 o'clock). This is all determined by the existing plumbing.

Step Five

Install new second half mechanical seal.

As shown, the flat side of the new seal presses flate against the large face of the impeller. They will be flush. If you are just replacing the seal and reusing the impeller you must make sure you don't leave the rubber seal from the old seal on the impeller. This often happens and if not corrected, the pump will leak.

The flat end of the new seal shown above will press against the other side of the seal with the ceramic exposed.

The spring causes both halves of the new seal to press tightly and seal the wetend.

Step Six

Screw the impeller onto the motor shaft. Righty tighty. If should freely screw on.

You can stop the motor shaft from turning by performing the action in the next step.

Only tighten to snug. Too much pressure can damage a component.

Step Seven

Example of the place you can stop the motor shaft from turning to either install or remove old pump impeller.

Some motors use a hex wrench. Newer model of motors use a slot on the motor shaft you place an open wrench to stabilize.

When installing the impeller it should easily screw onto the motor shaft and only tighten to snug.

Step Eight

In this example there is a white "eye seal" or stabilizer ring. This ring simply sits on the impeller nose. It can be tight or "float". Either way is fine. The larger flat surface of the eye seal will rub against the front of the wetend. This will stop the water from recirculating within the wetend itself.

On many models this component is molded into the front piece of the wetend and you will not have this part.

You will also have a large oring of some type to seal the 2 halves of the wetend.

Step Nine

Install front of the wetend.

This example there are 4 self taping bolts. It may have 4 actual nut and bolts or even a number of screws. 8-10 screws are not uncommon.

When tightening down of the screws, crisscross pattern tightening so the face of the wetend presses down evenly when mating with the other half of the pump.

Done... Success

How To Wire a New Motor

Although some pump/wetend are one unit, most are design to make replacement of part(s) available. Make sure the individual parts are the correct part for that pump. Using a part that "looks like it" can quickly damage the pump.
Basically you have 2 major parts: the pump motor and the pump wetend. Although often the motor can be rebuild either professionally or by you, we recommend that the motor be replaced.
Fixing or replacing wetends is a dicey decision. When cost is the driving factor and the parts of the wetend are available then it would make sense to try to repair the wetend. Also factor in the possible result is when all installed and spa is full that it leaks. That is why it has always been our standard to at minimum replace the complete wetend or motor if either has failed or better results comes when you replace the pump/motor complete or the whole unit.
Also keep in mind that unless you buy the pump/motor complete there are no warranties other than parts failure that the manufacturer will determine upon inspection. To make it worst, if a rebuilt wetend leaks on a new motor and damages it, there is no warranty for the motor. Most often if you buy the complete pump/motor its warrantied except if you run the pump/motor dry and the parts overheat.

110-120v Two Speed Motor

This is a 115-120v TWO speed motor.

a. The RPM tells you its 2 speed. 3450/1725 are the standard speeds for hot tubs but some motors will have similar values.
b. Volts shows 115. The HZ show its made for the US market.
c. Frame 48y. This is a very common size motor frame meaning the diameter of the motor. The wetend must match the motor frame. Current more are switching to the 56 frame size because reports indicate the 56f motor is more efficient and last longer.

We show the motor label and corresponding post connections on the motors electrical.

In order, the motor label from top to bottom shows:
Common-That would be the WHITE wire on your cord.
High-That could be either the red or black wire on your cord. On Balboa systems it would be red. On most other systems it would be black.
Low-The remaining wire.
NOTE: If you get red and black on wrong, the unit will turn the wrong speed on. If you guessed which was right, turn on main power briefly to allow the pump to come on. Operate the topside control. If the right speed comes on at the right button, success. If opposite, turn of power and switch red/black.
White is always common.

230-240v One Speed Motor

This is a 230-240v ONE Speed Motor Label

a. Gives you the HP or horsepower. You can overpower a wetend but not underpower. In other words, you have have a 1.5hp motor drive a 1.0hp wetend. But the opposite will cause the motor to fail early.
b. RPM. 3450 is the standard one speed motor.
c. Volts. Since the motor is only a one speed motor, it can be field wired for either 115v or 230v. So you need to look closely at the label to the right to see how the motor is currently wired. Applying the wrong voltage to the motor will likely damage it. If only one Volts value is shown, that is the volt the motor can be operated on.
d. Frame 48y. This is a very common size motor frame meaning the diameter of the motor. The wetend must match the motor frame. Current more are switching to the 56 frame size because reports indicate the 56f motor is more efficient and last longer.

We show the motor label and corresponding post connections on the motors electrical.
NOTE: As mentioned above, you can see this motor can be field wired for either voltage.

This picture is shown for installation into a 230v system.

Because a ONE speed cord has White/Black/Ground, you can connect either white or black to posts marked LINE.

230-240v Two Speed Motor

This is a 230-240v TWO Speed Motor Label

a. Gives you the Frame Size. Frame 48y. This is a very common size motor frame meaning the diameter of the motor. The wetend must match the motor frame. Current more are switching to the 56 frame size because reports indicate the 56f motor is more efficient and last longer.
b. HP or horsepower. This motor has 2 values: 2-25. That means on HIGH the hp rating is 2hp. On LOW its .25hp.
c. RPM. 3450/1725 is the standard two speed motor.
c. Volts. 230v. That's the standard voltage for most spa motors.

We show the motor label and corresponding post connections on the motors electrical.

In order, the motor label from top to bottom shows:
Common or Line-That would be the WHITE wire on your cord.
High-That could be either the red or black wire on your cord. On Balboa systems it would be red. On most other systems it would be black.
Low-The remaining wire.

NOTE: If you get red and black on wrong, the unit will turn the wrong speed on. If you guessed which was right, turn on main power briefly to allow the pump to come on. Operate the topside control. If the right speed comes on at the right button, success. If opposite, turn of power and switch red/black.
White wire is always common.