Rebuilding a PanWorld PS 250 - DIY Guide

[milkman55]

I looked around the web thinking it would be a breeze to find out information on rebuilding PanWorld pumps and the parts I would need for the job. Wrong.......very little out there in the way of information and parts. Apparently, the tariff is high on the parts (or at least that's the story) and the replacement parts are pretty much non-existent.

I have three of these pumps now, one brand new I just installed last week and one good backup. I decided to tear into the one that was making all the noise (that prompted me to buy a third pump) and just see how these things are made. I pulled off the impeller face plate and started figuring out how to pull the motor to replace the bearings, which were the suspected cause of the grinding noise. If you have ever cleaned your PanWorld pump, this picture should be familiar to you. If you have never cleaned your pump, then you remove the 6 bolts holding the impeller housing on the pump and you will see how everything just comes off.



Once your get the impeller end removed, take off the three screws on the back end cover and then remove the ventilation fan wheel by loosening the two clamps.



Now you will find a rubber plug in the bottom of the pump and when you remove it, there is an access port for TWO set screws (one on each side of the spindle) which are holding the magnetic drive wheel on the spindle. The 7/64 allen screws are on there tight. Don't try and get them loose with anything but a 7/64 allen wrench and it will take a little muscle.



You can remove the magnetic drive from the spindle by prying gently on the edges with a flat screwdriver through the access port.



Once you get the magnetic drive off the spindle, then remove the 4 long screws holding the back plate on the pump (under the fan cover you removed). Make sure you get the Phillips grooves nice and clean or you can chance stripping out the head as these are pretty tight. You can get the back plate off my tapping lightly with a hammer on the three screw lugs that hold on the back fan cover and the back will separate from the pump.



[Continued in next post - 5 picture limit]

 

[milkman55]

Now that your have both ends open and the magnetic spindle removed, the main drive shaft will come out the back of the motor and you will see two bearings on each end of the drive shaft. Sure enough, the front bearing on my pump was seized up and the back bearing would spin freely. I will replace both while I have it torn down. You have to remember these main system pumps go 24/7 and this pump had been pumping for 3 1/2 years or about 30,000 hours. Its amazing they last as long as they do without maintenance other than cleaning.



You will need a bearing puller to get these bearings off the drive shaft. Don't try and do it with a hammer, get the right equipment. I went down to the rental equipment store that is just a few blocks from my house and I took my drive shaft with me. They let me pull the two bearings right there at the store and didn't charge me as it took less than 5 min. You can see the bearing on the right is discolored. This is the front bearing which is right behind the magnetic drive and closest to the water. I would assume the salt water creep eventually made its way into the seals and corroded the bearings.



I found these bearings (TPI 62022) on Amazon for $18 for a package of 10 shipped to my door in two days. Two $1.80 bearings repairing a $320 pump. I cut off a short length of 1/2" PVC pipe to use to "drive" the new bearings onto the shaft. The PVC slides over the spindle and rest up against the inner race of the bearing, it fit just right. You can't push the bearings on by hand, they are made to be metal to metal tight. A few licks with a rubber mallet on the 1/2" PVC worked just right to seat the bearings. Make sure they are all the way on snug up against the shoulder of the spindle. You can see the sleeve of 8 remaining bearings on the right side of the picture. I am ready if any of my other pumps start to make any noise.



Rather than show you all the reassembly pictures, I just retraced my steps starting by placing the completed spindle with new bearings back inside the case and placing the rear cover back on. Don't forget the wavy washer inside the back cover that keeps the spindle tight inside the windings. Then put on the rear fan and cover. The magnetic drive then goes in the other end of the spindle. The magnet will have picked up anything metallic within its reach so make sure and clean it off good before you place it back in the housing. I needed a 2x4 block to lightly drive the magnetic drive back on the shaft and seat it all the way at the bottom. It should be just about 1/4" inside the edge of the housing. The silver ring goes on next and then the impeller housing and impeller seated with the six outside housing bolts.

Here is the finished project. I just used a hose to feed some water and it started right up and was as quiet as the new one I just purchased. I was very pleased with how the project turned out and at the outset I thought I might just be tearing up a pump to see what made it tick, but it really turned out to be very easy to rebuild. I will not hesitate to take on another rebuild in the future. I wrote the date of rebuild on the outside of the pump so I can start keeping up with the three PS 250's that I have in rotation.

 

[dlplunkett44]

Wow! Fantastic write up!

 

[sp0k]

really cool ...good work..may i post this on my forum?

 

[milkman55]

Sure, I originally posted it on my home town board, but since so little could be found on the subject, I wanted to post it also were more folks could find it.

 

[sp0k]

Sure, I originally posted it on my home town board, but since so little could be found on the subject, I wanted to post it also were more folks could find it.

thanks:thumbsup:

 

[Marc]

I have read your post and followed your directions but it seems the hex size is different from what you have posted, 7/64" hex size. I tried the hex size you describe but it doesn't work. Is it possible this is a metric size hex? Has anyone else had this issue? I have the Panworld 200 PS pump.
Thanks!

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Entirely possible the different pump size dictates a different screw size too.

 

[laverda]

For anyone doing this you want make sure the bearings you get are sealed. This is typically dedignated a -2RS(2 rubber seals) at the end of the part number, but varies by manufacturer. For example 62022-2RS.

 

[Marc]

So upon taken this pump apart it came to my surprise that the Hex nut inside the magnetic chamber is a 3mm not a 7/64". So I had to purchase a Snap On 1/4" drive 3mm socket. The socket part number is TMAM3E. This bit socket is the exact tool that should be used on the 200PS pump for bearing replacement. Also the bearings are steel seals not rubber sealed bearings.

 

[laverda]

The steal is a shield, not a seal. Sealed bearings will last longer.

 

[James5]

Great job!

 

[Marc]

The steal is a shield, not a seal. Sealed bearings will last longer.

Actually that's what originally came with the original pump. It's the exact same bearings. The original bearings were steel shields. Pre greased. I'm running it right now and no noise whatsoever. Been running it for two weeks.

Marc