How to fix an $11 problem for $450

Our pool pump died the other day.  Working one minute, not the next.  Mid summer is the worst possible time not to have a pol pump  You can't circulate the chemicals and algae is quick to take advantage of the situation.

The pump looks like it dates back to the installation of the pool and the house is 25 years old so it was probably due to go eventually.  But, just to make sure it was indeed the pump, we borrowed an electrical tester from out neighbor.. along with the neighbor himself as he is the handy on in the neighborhood. We determined that there was electricity getting to the pump.


We ordered a new pump to the tune of $450.  It came in two days and was quickly installed.  Then...nothing.  Call to the neighbor...  power still getting to the new pump.  I ran up the street and bough a new double circuit breaker only to come home and find that it was the wrong size.  Not the wrong amperage but the actual physical wrong size.

Off to Lowes for a new circuit breaker.  But, since Lowes is 20 miles away, I bought a new $60 pool timer while I was there just in case.  The Circuit breaker was $11.

What we determined after replacing the circuit breaker was that one side of the double breaker had gone bad so the pump was getting juice, just not enough to run it.

So, this is the story about how we solved and $11 problem by spending $450.