POOLCENTER.com - Swimming Pool Motor Capacitor Replacement

CAPACITOR: The Capacitor is the battery for your pool motor. It provides the energy needed while starting, to reach 3450 rpm quickly. Replace your capacitor when the shaft can be spun freely with a wrench or by hand, and when powering the motor, you hear a 'buzz' or a 'hum' from the motor, but no impeller movement. Replace your old capacitor with an exact match to the 'MFD' number on the new capacitor.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• pool
• motor
• capacitor
• replacement
• swimming
• pump
• repair
• starter

[greekwater]

How do you test a capacitor?

[poolmotorrepairguyFL]

@supressorgrid OR YOUR KID AS HE WATCHES DAD AT ABOUT A FOOT AWAY FROM THE CAP BLOWS UP AND A PIECE PLASTIC POKES OUT YOUR KIDS EYE.

BUT KIDS ARE TUFF THEY CAN GROW A NEW ONE.. avoid hilarity and death .PLEASE BE SAFE .. THINK SAFETY...

OUT OF THE THOUSANDS I HAVE TESTED I HAVE SEEN 20 OR SO BLOW UP. WHEN I TEST THEM I SHORT THEM FIRST WITH A SCREW DRIVER AWAY FROM MY BODY AND SLIGHTLY BEHIND MY BACK. WATCHING ONE BLOW UP ON A FELLOW REPAIR GUY.. PRICELESS ...I HAVE SEEN THE FLY 20 FEET

[CuriousEarthMan]

How are you sure you are reconnecting the leads to the correct terminals on the new capacitor? Does it matter which leads connect to which terminals? I suspect that it does matter. I don't see markings on or near the terminals. Thank you.

[Hanschr1]

@greekwater

you lick it

[ruppb]

@supressorgrid YOU ARE CORRECT. BUT GENERALLY PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT ANY OF THAT MEANS SO THEY CALL IT A BATTERY.

[supressorgrid]

Poolmotorwhoozit is right, these things will bite. Do not short a cap but bleed it off through a proper resistance to avoid hilarity and death.

[poolmotorrepairguyFL]

WATCH THIS GUY PULL ON THE YELLOW WIRE > SHOULD BE UNDER THE CAP SADDLES> ONCE AGAIN DO DO NOT MESS OR FOOL WITH THESE ! they can blow up in your face(BLIND).. AND your 20$ tester is a joke..its a go or no go test.. not a good test !. you can buy one at hobofreight 3.00... pool pump are no joke 6 kids died last year in Florida.... go sell crazy elsewhere.. I'm all stocked up here

[supressorgrid]

A simple check is to charge the capacitor then put your 20 dollar voltmeter across the terminals. This will tell you if the cap is open or shorted inside as there will be no voltage reading. Discharge the cap and put ohm setting of meter across terminals. no deflection, open, deflection but does not drop off, shorted. deflection and then slow drop to zero it is good.

[poolmotorrepairguyFL]

yep you right sept its going to set you back 60+$ for there cheap one

[poolmotorrepairguyFL]

OK tell us how , say its a 161 mfd how do you get this number from a 20.00 multi meter ??

[supressorgrid]

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