Hi all- I have a three year old Marathon Impower 3 speed PM motor (1.25hp) that replaced a 220-240V 1.5hp induction motor. It now only defaults to low speed after the 3450 prime cycle, and no LEDs lit. I cannot find parts for this motor and I assume I need new drive electronics. Too bad because it really saved on the electric bill. My old Hayward SuperPump also needs to be replaced and I need to replumb to get everything higher anyway. I want to buy a complete pump/variable speed motor unit but I want to hook it up to my existing Intermatic timer, which also runs my salt cell. The Impower three speed was perfect for this and I want to know what my options are. I can’t use a 2 speed induction motor as I need ~2600RPM for the low speed. Cost is a factor and replacement parts availability is key. My goal is, start at 3450RPM for 2 hrs then kick down to +/-2600. Any thoughts?
Hey…a quick followup to the above. The Badu EcoM3 looks like my pump motor with the same controller (drive) with a private label. Is this a current production model? Are parts available for this motor? Thanks.
Hello Cableguy - We do not have parts for the Marathon Impower motors. However, we do have a great deal on a 1.65HP variable speed pump. It’s the PureLine Prime model PL2605. This pump has a similar body to the Super Pump with an industry standard Century variable speed motor.
Unfortunately these variable speed motors are not meant to be opened and serviced. Therefore, replacement parts are not available. If it fails, the entire motor needs to be replaced.
Does the latest Century 1.65hp motor have the ability to trigger an external load such as a salt cell system (115V@10A max)? If not, it is useless with a salt system. Seems like an earlier model did. What I am asking is…I need a VS motor that can be switched on with my clunky old timer as it turns on my salt system… OR… a VS motor that can switch on my salt system (external load) using it’s own internal timer.
It’s a traditional Intermatic analog, dial-type timer and a Circupool salt system…but that’s a moot point. If the Century VS motor has a built in timer, I want to use it, and as I understand from the literature, the motor requires being powered up all the time so the internal timer can work properly. BUT…If I bypass the Intermatic timer, how do I switch on the salt system? Some motor controllers (including some Century motors as I’ve seen) will allow for an external load (switch/relay for an accessory such as a salt system) to be turned on and off either with the motor or at a time preset by the motor control software/hardware. Is this possible with the latest generation of this Century VS 1.65hp motor?
This wasn’t a problem with the old Marathon Impower motor as it required an external timer, and began it’s sequence from the time power was applied to the motor. The Intermatic switched on the motor and salt system together.
The Century VS 1.65 does not have an aux connection for the salt system. Also, it does not have it’s own timer so you would not bypass your existing timer. I asked what systems you had to determine if the pump and salt system could be wired to the same timer. We have installed this motor with a salt system several times and connected them to the same timer. It sounds like you were doing this with the Marathon motor as well.
This is the Century motor I referred to above. This has a programmable aux load “switch.” Is this an older model? and if so, does the newer model have the same type of programmable aux load capability? Maybe because it is higher HP, it has a completely different controller/drive.
We were discussing the 1.65HP variable speed before. The 2.7HP has a different controller/drive. The 2.7HP does have the timer and auxiliary load capacity.
Thanks for all the good input. With your reply that the Century VS 1.65 doesn’t have it’s own timer is where I went wrong. After reviewing the info available, I assumed that it had an internal timer and required full time power. So the PureLine Prime model PL2605 should work with my external timer?
I just placed the order. Thanks so much for your patience with me. You guys have great customer service and it’s refreshing to get answers to my questions so quickly!