How to clean skimmer pump impeller

This article will show you how to check and clean the skimmer pump impeller. Over period of time, depend on the amount of usage / calcium dosing. The ceramic shaft will bond / stuck into the impeller magnetic housing, this prevent the impeller from spinning correctly. If you hold the both end of the impeller with the thumb / index finger and try to spin the impeller, it should spin freely. If the impeller not spinning or you have to put lot of force into making it spin.  The impeller / shaft needs cleaning.

The white shaft should easily be remove from the magnetic housing as well.

Picture 1 – Look at the red arrows, you will see evidence of build up.

Please watch the below YouTube videos to better understand

How to clean the impeller part 1

How to clean the impeller part 2

When the impeller is stuck into the magnetic housing, you can try to push the impeller out by putting one end on a hard flat object and push it.  You might have to repeat the this steps a few times. Vinegar bath the whole impeller should also helped. Once you removed the shaft from the impeller, you can feel and see residue / calcium powder.  You can use sand paper to sand it down or a brush to remove the residue. You want to clean off as much residue on the shaft and inside the magnetic housing as possible.

Once you done cleaning it, place the shaft back into the magnetic housing, you should feel there is no resistance and the shaft should be loose coming in and out of the impeller.  Now try to hold both ends of the shaft and try to spin the magnetic impeller with your finger, the impeller should spin freely.

We suggest that you do this type of cleaning every 4-6 months, this would help extend the life of the impeller and the motor housing.