Plumbing, Heating and Pool Repair Guides

Hayward Power-Flo Troubleshooting & Repair Guide

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The Hayward Power Flo swimming pool pump can be found installed on may above ground swimming pools. Although the Hayward Power-Flo pump is rated as one of the top of the line above ground swimming pool pumps they still will need to be repaired as time goes on. Hayward Pool Products offers a full line of replacement parts for all of the Power-Flo models.Hayward Power-Flo Troubleshooting & Repair Guide

There are three different models of the Hayward Power Flo above ground swimming pool pump. The three models are the Power Flo Standard, The Power Flo LX and the Power Flo II. Even though the models are different and some options will vary between all three of the Hayward Power Flo pumps, the basic repair of this style pump will be the same. For example if you need to change the motor bearings because the pump is noisy or if you have to change the pump seal because it is leaking the repair would be the same for all three of the models listed above.
Hayward Power-Flo Pool Pump
Some differences between the power flo models are options such as different horse powered motors, built in swimming pool timers and off course Hayward has made these pool pumps more energy efficient over the years as well. So if you are having any issues with your power flo LX, II or older model you can use our Hayward repair and troubleshooting guide below to help you get your pool pump up and running again in no time.

How To Turn On The Hayward Power-Flo Pump

Hayward Power-Flo Pool Pump Timer
The Hayward Power-Flo pump comes in many different models and depending which one you have will determine how it will turn on. Some of the power flo’s have timers on the back of the motors. If this is the case you will want to look for the manual on / off switch to manually turn the pump on or off. There also will be two-timer pins that you can set to make the pump turn on and off with the timer.

If your Hayward Power Flo does not have an automatic timer on the backside of the motor then you could just have a single toggle switch that will be located on the bottom of the back plastic housing. If you look on the bottom of the back motor housing there will be a switch that you can push from one side to the other. There also will be small print that says power on or off if you have a power flo with this option.
Hayward Power-Flo Parts Diagram
Not all Hayward Power Flo pumps will have this either. The last option is that your power flow pump could be directly wired into your pool electrical system and you will have to look for the pool timer box to turn in on. You usually will not have this situation and will have one of the two mentioned above.

How To Replace The Power Flo Pump Seal

Hayward Power-Flo Pool Pump Seal
If you notice some water leaking from the motor shaft of your pump you might need to replace the mechanical pump seal. The Pump seal is located between the impeller and the seal housing. You can buy a replacement Hayward Power Flo Pump Seal from many swimming pool stores or even a pump and motor repair shop.

To install the new pump seal you will first need to remove the pump volute. After you remove the volute you can remove the bolts that are located on the flange on the front of the wet end of the power flo(see diagram below). Once you remove the flange you will have access to the Hayward Power Flo impeller. You will not want to unscrew the impeller from the motor shaft.

The next step will be to remove the motor through bolts that connect the pump seal housing to the motor frame. Using a nut driver or small wrench remove the four motor through bolts and your pump seal housing will disconnect. Now that the pump seal housing is disconnect you will be able to remove the ceramic base of the pump seal from the housing. Once you remove that ceramic seal seat you will want to replace it with the new one.

The last part of the seal will be located on the pump impeller. There will be a spring on the impeller shaft with a ceramic disk on the end of the spring. You will want to slide this off of the impeller and replace with the new pump seal spring you have. Once you place this part of the pump seal onto the impeller you can screw your impeller back onto the pump shaft and re-assemble the entire Hayward Power Flo Pump.

How To Prime The Power Flo Pump

hayward power flo pump housing
The Hayward Power Flo pump is generally used in above ground swimming pool filter systems were the skimmer is installed higher then the pump. This will provide gravity feed of water to the pump but what can happen is something called swimming pool pump hydro lock. Hydro lock happens when a pocket of air gets caught between the pump and the skimmer. The pump will then try to prime but will not be able to because of the air locked pump.

The way to unlock the air from the Hayward Power Flo and prime it correctly is to first make sure that the swimming pool is filled to mid skimmer. Once the pool is filled to that level you will want to open the top pf the pump slightly, just enough so air can wisp out of it and once you start to get water you can close the pump lid. Your pump is now primed and ready to start. Always stick around for a few minutes and watch the return jets in the pool to make sure the pump has reached full prime.

How To Clean The Power Flo Pump Basket

Hayward Power Flo Pump Basket
If your power flo pump is not flowing the water enough your pump strainer basket could be full of debris or possibly clogged. You will need to open the pump and remove the Hayward Power Flo pump strainer basket and empty and clean it. The way you can do this is to grab the handle on top of the pump lid. The cover / lid on the power flo will be clear. You will need to turn the cover about 90 degrees until the cover un-locks from the grooves. If you look at the side of the pump housing you will be able to see the notch and grooves that the cover of the pump housing locks into.

Once you have the cover removed you will want to pull out the pump strainer basket and clean it thoroughly with a garden hose making sure it is free of all debris. If you leave any loose debris inside of the pump basket it could get stuck in the impeller and clog it. This will cause your pump not to run right. Also, If you have any cracks in your pump strainer basket you will want to replace it as soon as possible before the loose debris that are traveling through the cracks in the basket destroy the impeller.

How To Unfreeze The Power Flo Pump Motor

Hayward Power Flo Pump Motor
After a long winter or sometimes when you don’t use the pool motor for an extended amount of time and with the right moisture conditions the armature of the motor can form surface rust and cause the motor to “freeze up”. Now, this isn’t the temperature kind of freeze, its more like a “humming sound” that will be coming from your Hayward power flo motor. You will usually hear this humming or jamming sound when you first plug in the pump, if in fact the motor is seized or jammed. Sometimes the frozen up pool pump motor will cause the circuit breaker to also blow.

Most of the time people think that they will have to replace the Hayward Power Flo Pump at this point but you actually can try a small repair technique that sometimes will un-freeze your humming motor. What you will want to do is to get a rubber mallet or small hammer and tap the motor casing all around. This will “free up” the surface rust enough so that next time you plug it in the motor will be able to spin.

If you have tapped the motor a few times and the pump still does not start you will want to have the pump looked at by a service shop to see if the motor can be replaced or you could just buy a new motor for the pump. This method will not make every Hayward Power Flo pump that is frozen up work again but it will work for some pumps. You also could tap the pump a tad harder or if you are handy could take the pump apart and look into the rebuilding of it.

Hayward Power Flo Troubleshooting And Common Problems

Problem: “I can’t get my Hayward Power Flo to pump water”

Solution: Your pump may have something called “hydro-lock”. If this is the case you will need to release the air from the filter system.

Problem: “I plug my power flo pump in but it just hums”

Solution: When the pump hums it could mean that you have some surface rust that has built up on the motor. Try tapping the motor forcefully a few times to “free up” the motor armature.

Problem: “I think the eye of my impeller on my power flo may be clogged, what do I do?”

Solution: You will need to remove the volute and the pump housing cover and will have to clean the eye of the impeller out.

Problem: “I can not find the on / off switch on my pool pump”

Solution: You may not have an on or off switch on your power flo, some models just had the pigtail cord that would just get plugged into the wall or the timer.

If you have any more questions please ask below:

216 Comments

  1. I have a hayward matrix pump and was trying to take out the motor securing bolts when 2 of them just twisted off (felt like they were trying to loosen and then just broke). Any suggestions on getting it apart and maybe still salvaging this?

  2. Left my Hayward 1hp super pump running went to work when I came home it was not running Took a tester and I have power right to the contacks moter spins free and the pump is only 2 years old. what do you think it could be. do these pumps have brushes or do you think it is burnt out. thanks Roger

  3. I went to install my 1hp motor onto the strainer case SPX1600AA one of the nuts is spinning inside the housing, any ideas. I cannot get the bolt back out, I’m going to have to cut it off. I’m thinking I should try and drill half way into the nut and try and secure it that way, any ideas?

    Joe

    • Joe,

      Remove the other three bots and then try to pry the last one out. once you remove the pump housing you then can replace the brass insert with a Heli-coil or a new brass insert,

      Let me know if you need more help,

      Joseph

  4. Hi,
    I have the PowerFlo Matrix with the switch on the back. I removed the cover to replace the power cord. Inside the cover the switch is wired with a blue wire going to the motor and a yellow wire. The yellow wire is attached to the switch but not to anything else so I assumed it became disconnected when I took the cover off. What terminal should it be connected to?
    Thanks for your help!
    Chris

  5. My Hayward pump is less than a year old and it will not suck water into the pump from the above ground pool. HELP need to get it sucking…thanks.

  6. Hello,

    I had my pump running for a few weeks and then it kicked the ground fault plug in. I thought it might be clogged so I took it apart, it was clean, I plugged it in at a different plug in and it ran, while still being apart. When I put it back together and hooked it back up to the outlet at the pool, it continued to kick the ground fault. Before I take it apart again, anybody have any Ideas?

  7. I want to hard wire my power flo matrix pump to my intermatic timer box Is the schematic available somewhere? had instructions and a schematic when I purchased the pump a few years ago and now can’t find them.

  8. Joseph,

    I plugged my pump in this year (is 1 year old, start of 2nd season)and there was a fairly significant leak coming from the pump housing with the water spraying back towards the the motor. I went to the local pool supply store and the sold me a replacement seal kit. After replacing the seals (which were significantly worn)I reconnected everything and it was still leaking?? What can I try now?? I looked over the pump housing very thoroughly to look for cracks and found none. Any help that you might offer would be grealty appreciated.

  9. we have a power flo lx pump and it is about 2 1/2 to 3 yrs old. We plugged it in and it was working fine. It is hard wired into our electrical system. It rained really hard the other evening, about 1 – 2 inches of rain, and when I woke up yesterday morning, the pump is not working. No fuses are blown. My only guess is that perhaps moisture got into the pump? Any suggestions?

  10. I have the Hayward LX proflo model with the on/off switch. This switch needs replacing. How do I connect a new switch.

  11. I have an inground vinyl pool. My pool pump is running but no water is filling up in the basket. I checked around the pump strainer box and pipes to see if there was any leaks and there is water leaking from the side of the pump strainer box. I put silicone on the pipe where the leak is coming from on the side of the pump strainer box. I have let the air out, washed the filter, put water in the pump strainer box and nothing works. Also, because there is no water running , my haward vac wont work. What am I doing wrong?

      • It’s an inground pool. The pump is right out the door only about 15 feet from the pool. The pump is an Aqua Cal. I took the oring to the pool store but they say it’s ok
        The water level is fine
        They say I have a discharge leak. I had a grease valve that was off, but I was able to get it on, cause the old one was stuck inside. I got the old one out and put the new grease valve on. The motor goes on, but inside the pump strainer box basket, the water does not circulate. It is sucking in air from somewhere
        How do you prime a pump. The pool is 10 years old

        • Hi Janis,

          You have a “suction” leak somewhere and probably need to prime your pump with water
          ( open the pump cover add a bunch of water and then close lid, this is priming the pump)

          Check out the following articles and videos I have posted in the past. I think they will help you a bunch, If you need more help after reading and watching these let me know,

          This one is an article called “Swimming Pool Pump Troubleshooting”

          http://wetheadmedia.com/swimming-pool-pump-troubleshooting/

          Also check out this video that will show you the most common places the Hayward Superpump will leak:

          http://video.wetheadmedia.com/hayward-pool-pump-troubleshooting

          The video might give you a better visual on where things will leak and the most common places the pump will suck or draw air in.

          Let me know if you need more help,

          Joseph

      • I’ve primed the pump and when i call the pool service, they keep asking me what i’m doing and telling me what to do and i am trying everything, and very frustrated so I guess i’ll have to call another pool person to come to my house. It cost 75 dollars just to come out and i am trying to save money being out of work, and it’s not working, but I really appreciate you trying to help me. Thank you

  12. I have two problems. 1- My pump works fine after I pump the de filter 5 times and turn it on, but this lasts only for a short time. The psi on the filter starts off at 11, but after a couple hours the return flow of water is weak or nothing at all and the psi is 20. I backwash and backwash, and pump the handle over and over again. With the same results. It works for a while only to have the same problem. 2- Right now, the pump is leaking water from the skimmer gasket cover. It’s locked in so tight, and I can’t open it. I’ve even tried wd-40. What can I do besides just take a hammer and break it open?

    • Hi Mike,

      Problem One:

      What you need to to after you “bump the handle” is to open the back wash valve on the bottom of the filter tank and then turn the filter system on for about 2 – 3 minutes and let all that dirty water and D.E. pump out of the filter tank. Once you have done so, close the valve and then start the filter system back up again, Walk over to the skimmer and add some new D.E. into the skimmer while the filter is running. This is called back washing. You will have to do this often when you first open a pool because it has been sitting for a while. Even if the pool water looks clear there still could be many particles that need to be filtered out. As the pool water gets cleaner the time between back washing will become longer. Also , you will want to run your filter about 6 – 8 hours a day if the water is clear.

      Problem Two:

      You need to just replace the pump cover gasket or o-ring.

      Hope this helps, let me know if you have more questions.

      Joseph

  13. I have pulled the electric cord off my 1-1/2 hayward pool pump and I was wondering how to put it back together there are three wires green which is all ready hooke up and a black and white wire. problem is that I do not know were to hook them back up at

    • Hi Mark,

      The GREEN is the ground and can stay there, The white and black are the power. On the back of the motor you will see L1 and L2 the while and black need to go to each of those posts.

      Let me know if you need more help

      Joseph

  14. hello:

    im trying to make a portable vacuum… i think i have everything set up correctly..
    i have a hayward power flo lx.. and i cant seem to get the pump to properly prime.
    i checked for air leaks, and everything seems ok… i read your section about the pump
    needing gravity to prime properly. (i have an inground pool) is there anything that i can
    do to get the pump to work on deck, or do i have to buy a new pump… (entire back yard is on same level)

    thank you very much…

    • Hi Gary,

      The problem you are having is being caused by the pump you are trying to use. The Hayward Powerflo pump is not a self priming pump, which means the only way it will work to vacuum a pool is if the pump is lower then the pool. If you use a pump like a Hayward Super pump as the external pump, then you can place it anywhere because that type of pump is a “self priming pump”.

      So to fix your problem, you will need to place the pump lower then the pool water or you will need to get yourself a self priming pump.

      Let me know if you need more help,

      Joseph

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