Hot Tub Motor Getting Loud?

What to do when your “Hot tub motor starts to get loud”  First you need to open up the side of the spa where the motors are located.  Usually under the top side controls of the spa.  Do this by unscrewing all the screws holding on the side.  Next push jet one button and listen if that motor is your problem motor.  If the first motor sounds good move on to the second motor.  Once you figure out which motor is the problem one, leave on in order to locate the proper motor.

Once you locate the bad motor you will need a couple key things to make sure you order the right one.  Start with the size of the wet end unions.  On most portable spa your inlet and outlet wet ends are 1.5″ or 2″  Next look on the motors tag and find out what voltage the motor is. Depending on what your spa is powered by is usually the volt your spa motor is running on.  Look for 115v or 220v should be in the middle of the tag.  If your spa motors tag is unreadable or just missing you will need a volt meter. Test the leads on the back of the motor while running or the leads directly off of the spa pack.

Once you determine what volt is powering your motor you will need to figure out the frame size.  This will be written on the tag as well.  Or you can measure the back of the motor.  48 frame will measure 5 1/2″ and 56 frame is 6 1/2.”  Buying the right size frame will help to fit in the spa with less modifying.

Finally look to find the model of the spa.  You can usually find this on the spa pack or on the back side of the panel beneath the top side controls.  When you order a spa motor tell the company which model you have and they will be able to look it up to see what brand is in the spa.  This helps with fitting the new motor into the existing plumbing of your spa, with less cussing.

You will need a pair of pliers to get around a two inch union.  Also a 1/4″ nut driver or wrench along with a pair of needle nose pliers.  Once you get the old motor and pump out of the spa.  you will need to open the back where the power wires are entering.  Unscrew the two 1/4″ bolts and take off the plate.  Look and see which speed the black line wire is on so you may transfer that wire to the proper speed on the new motor.  Then transfer the low, common, and ground over.   Put the plate on the back of the new motor.

Look to see the position of the wet end of the pump on the new motor.  Some times you will need to turn the wet end to match up this the position of piping.  You can do this by loosening the four thru bolts in the back of the motor.  Pull them back just enough to spin the wet end into position.  At which time tighten the four bolts back down.  Set the motor back into place where the old one came out of.  You will want to change out the old union seals before installing the new motor.  Tighten down the unions and fill the spa with water.

Turn the spa on and look and listen to the motor and wet end. You will want to push the button that controls the motor once and make sure the low speed comes on first.  Then push again and make sure it goes to high speed next.  If it goes to high first and its a two speed motor you have the high and low speeds backwards.  Open the back of the motor and switch the high and low speed wires.  If all sounds good and the wet is not leaking,  congrats you have successfully changed out your spa motor.