If you have an electric motor shop nearby, they will have the bearings.

Induction motors are not sealed. Unless they run daily, they will form corrosion and that is cumulative. Ceramic seal sets will also leak and that is what likely took out the bearing.

I won't rebuild a motor under 3 HP. Its not cost effective or reliable to a homeowner. When it fails, it reflects on me.

I hope you have at least a 3" suction and 2.5" discharge on the pump.

Any pump over 2 HP, with the exception of the Intelliflow series, is considered a commercial pump. Yours is no exception. If I were doing a repair on it, I might bring it to an electric motor shop.

Since you pulled the impeller off, change the seal set! Its likely it was the root cause. Also make sure when you put Humpty Dumpty back together, the slinger, a rubber washer on the shaft, is in place so water can't drip and travel the shaft into the motor.

Scott

Scott,
Thanks for the reply... I hope things are going well for you.
Why would the repair not be reliable? I will measure the intake and discharge pipes. I have a funny feeling that A&S screwed this part up too.

Induction motors, 3 HP and below are made as cheaply as possible. You don't get high quality parts.

Sealed, permanent magnet motors are an entirely different matter at this size. For example, the motor in both the Jandy E-Pump and the Intelliflow pumps are the same. Their controllers limit them to 2 and 3 HP respectively. The motors can be pushed to 6 HP and 10,000 RPM, IIRC.

The only way the cheap induction motors can make money for the manufacturers is on volume.

WRT to the Whisperflow, while it's ports are 2", larger and smaller plumbing can be attached within a few inches without much of a penalty. Bigger pipes = slower velocity for a given flow. Smaller pipes yield a higher velocity at that same flow, assuming the pressures generated don't exceed head loss limits. See the head loss curves of any pool pump and the head loss chart for PVC pipe.

Scott

If you replace the motor I'd highly look into replacing it with a variable speed.
Most infinity edges are extremely overpowered and in turn costly, especially if your running it 24/7.

I put a dedicated VS pump on every infitinity edge pump and run them 24/7 on the lowest speed possible.

Natural One... I run mine 3 hours a nite for the skimming action, (just so I wake up to a nice clean pool)and then only when we swim. I originally had a 2 hp whisperflo on it and it did not push enough water to give me the sheet of water coming over the edge, that I was after.
So, the good news... Poolguy was right. I went to an old timer's repair shop and found the correct bearings. For $25! I will also order the gasket kit($25)like poolguy suggested because the carbon spring seal up front was leaking and that is what caused the bearing to fail. The only part that I disagree with Scott is that it WAS worth my time to replace the bearings. Everyone was trying to sell me a $300 motor! Americans are such a throw - away society. And to all of the service techs that told me the repair won't last... the old timer, who has been doing this for 55 years says hogwash! He says as long as that front seal stays good, the bearings will last at least 5 years. I am inclined to believe him, as opposed to the pool techs that are trying to sell me a $300 motor as opposed to a set of $25 bearings. And I bet they would have slapped that new motor on there w/o changing out the defective front seal. Not one ever mentioned it. It took me 10 minutes to put the motor back together, and it will probably take me 20 minutes to slap it back onto the pump.
Thanks for the replies.

Does anyone know if the seal kit for all of the whisperflos are the same? I am only finding one kit.

the important seal is the shaft seal (read all) this mickey mouse pump takes a 1000 mechanical shaft seal, the tank seal can be done with black RTV. cost for both under $15. (Why Will No Pool Shops Repair My Pump Motor? ) the reason is there are fewer mechanics and more technicians, find a repair guy in your local area, as in general they have a wealth of knowledge, and can be quite useful in saving YOU thousands of dollars over the years. Say for instance that 2hp whisperjunk pump motor of yours would cost $85 to rebuild and that comes with a free shaft seal. and a 101 how to take care of it, all you need to do is ask...so search your area for your local electric motor repair shop with free testing and remember to "prime that pump and watch for the wet spot !" Jay

Who the hell honestly needs a 3HP Whisper-flo pump just for a negative edge? Unless it's a 360° infinity, but even then. One would think that a 2HP would suffice, unless it's like a 50,000 gallon pool or more, but I still feel that was just a salesman a-hole move to sell a product that costs more $ so his commission is nice and fat. Did they sell you the salt system too and tell you that b.s. pitch about how soft your skin and hair will feel without any harmful effects of chlorine? Lol, salt-chlorine, after it's used, back to salt it becomes and then into chlorine again. I tell my customers I'll just add salt and run it normally without a couple thousand dollar salt unit, and they'll get the same effects. Every pool I've had with salt units still end up needing a chlorine tablet floater just like any pool that doesn't have a salt cell. It's 110+ on an average out in this dry desert city of Vegas. Even in Ventura CA. Salt was just a way to make $$ for something that only delivers 10-20% of what is advertised. Not to mention about 600$ to replace a cell after trying every way imaginable to fix and/or maintain as the manufacturer demands. Go with a 2HP max Challenger pump. They last forever and are easy to maintain as well as easy on the bank account.

Another know it all Pool Pro! You dug up a four year old thread to bash me for having a salt cell and for having a 3 HP pump for my negative edge? If you read the original post, you would have seen that when first built, a 2 hp motor was used, but, the volume of water coming over the edge was not sufficient enough to break away from the back edge of the wall. The 3 hp does that nicely, The water is now a sheet waterfall, as I wanted. I only run it when we swim and for three hours a night, to help with the skimming of the pool's surface.

I DO have a salt cell, IC40, and I have never had to add additional tablets to make up for the inadequacies of the cell. And I run mine on the 80% setting. And here in NC, we get a lot of hot sun.

"A couple thousand dollar salt unit"? You can find the IC40 for about $450. I do wish they would last longer. Mine lasted for about 5 years before going bad. I never once had to clean it. Every time I inspected it, the cell plates were clean.

As to the original post of replacing the front seal and bearing of my Whisperflow... it is still performing well after my installation of the seal and $25 bearing. Going on year four now.