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Tip #23: So, Why Did the Contractor Cross the Road ?
When you drain a pool, you've got a flood of water to dispose of. Dump it close to the pool and you chance popping that pool. Get it out to the road and you can dump it there only if city engineering has come to terms with normal rainwater run-off.
But, sometimes you have to push water across a street to get rid of it.
That's when you discover that standard blue vinyl backwash hose can't stand up to vehicular traffic and quickly blows apart. You could try laying 2" X 4" lumber on either side of the hose to protect it but people are funny about what they will drive over and most municipalities have very stringent rules about what you can lay across a public thoroughfare.
And don't even think about running hard pipe across a roadway.
What to do ? Plumb your backwash hose to a section of old canvas fire hose.
Eventually, a 3"X 1.5" reducer bushing was placed inside each end of the hose and secured with a stainless steel hose clamp.
Every car rolling over the hose creates an incredible burst of hydrostatic pressure so glue or clamp tightly all hose and pipe connections.
Tip #24:Basic Motor Diagnostics
There are four basic tools most people carry with them that can identify motor problems; the senses of touch, smell, hearing and sight. (I don't recommend taste much as a diagnostic tool)
One motor problem you will eventually run into are bad shaft bearings.
Larger commercial pool motors have grease fittings and bearings can be serviced without shutting the system down. Residential motor bearings are usually sealed, which means when the lubricant breaks down there's no way to replenish it.
The first sign of bad bearings is a faint, high pitched whistle. You can confirm this problem by placing your hand on the front and rear ends of the motor.
A Safety Note: Whenever you first touch an electric device, a good habit is to brush it with the back of your hand. If there is any errant current present, electricity will cause your hand to clench, jerking it away from the device. If you touch it with an open hand, you may never get to let go.
A healthy motor runs warm, not hot. You should be able to comfortably rest your hand on the front and rear ends of a motor to check both sets of bearings.
If the motor is making a dry rasping noise or worse, sounds like a coffee bean grinder, it's likely the bearings are bad and you can expect a substantial amount of heat.
Replacing bearings before the motor destroys itself is a job most motor shops can handle for around $60 (US).
Neat ideas? Our
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