Video: Poolside Chat Episode #16 – Pump Motor Making Clicking Sound

• Why is my pool pump motor making a clicking sound?

Now here’s your hosts – Matt and Rob.

Poolside Chat Episode #16 Video

Watch the video it’s easier than reading

“I installed our motor yesterday, the UST1102. It seems to be working, but has this clicking sound and can never completely fill the skimmer basket in front of the motor. What is the problem?”

-Jim from Floyds Knobs, IN

A couple of reasons why this could be happening. The first would be that dual voltage motors, such as the UST1102, are shipped from the factory set to 230 volts. If you install the motor on a 115-volt circuit without setting the volt switch to the proper setting the motor may not start. The lower voltage may allow the motor to spin but not to full RPMs; the clicking sound is the governor/centrifugal switch opening and closing because the motor is not at full speed, 3450 RPMs. The volt switch is either a jumper or a knob style shown in the picture. The notch in the knob selects the current voltage setting.

Another reason why you could hear clicking is if your old motor was a full rated motor and your newer motor is an up rated motor, which means that the full rated motor has a higher service factor; it’s stronger. So when you put an uprated, a weaker motor, on there it’s not strong enough to spin the impeller for a full rated system. So that could also cause the clicking. For a full explanation on uprated and fullrated, read our blog article: Is a 1.0HP Motor the Same as a 1.5HP Motor?

After we helped Jim by explaining the two options he ran through a troubleshoot and figured he had it set on the incorrect voltage. He turned the knob to 115 volts and the motor fired up without a problem. Sometimes it really is the simplest solution to pool problems.