Another lightning strike another Well Control Box

[EddieWalker]

Two lightning strikes in one Summer!!!! My first line of action would be to install a massive lightning rod.

The few times that I've seen the results of lightning strikes; you could see the path the electricity took. It burned everything it touched!!! I could see where it jumped from one place to another. It does not follow along something; it has so much power that it creates its own path to where it wants to go.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

This is the third strike. I replaced the original box with one that had magnetic switches in it. That was $260. Then it happened again and I tried replacing the capacitor and the capacitor blew so I put a new franklin box in that was identical to the original. The current box which is 1.5 hp not 2 as I had incorrectly stated earlier. This is the new box. I still have not flipped the power back on since putting the replacement capacitor in.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

View attachment IMG_6298.jpg
Forgot the picture. I’m gonna put the cover on and turn it back on. .

 

[WoodChuckDad]

It worked. About 10 seconds after turning it back on, there was another click noise. Kind of a plastic hollow sound but it kept working. The pressure tank refilled. All seems good. I’m gonna keep my fingers crossed. And order another capacitor.

 

[steve tym]

Microfarads are more important than voltage, that capacitor should be fine.
Connection does not matter.
Lightning can hit the ground and travel to the pump.
Lightning can bridge the gap in the circuit breaker.
If lightning want's your pump, it's gonna take it.
They do make lightning arresters, grounding them is key.

 

[grsthegreat]

Man….talk about bad luck. Does the well house panel have a good quality surge suppressor. Lightning not only jumps breakers, it will jump a fuse.

In 30 years i only lost one oven to lightning strike.

Im surrounded by tall trees, so that helps. The lightning is attracted to them over the house. I have several burnt out trees cut down over the years.

If i were you, id but these controls by the dozen…….

 

[steve tym]

The first click might have been the start winding (auxiliary winding), the motor would run with that winding out of the loop, but not long because it is now overloading the main winding. Eventually it will trip also.
Is the motor a 2 hp or 1.5? Capacitors and overloads are sized to the motor.
Interesting you have two overloads in the control box. There used to only be one on 1.5 hp pumps. I don't know when they made the change. I don't get out in the field much anymore.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

So my wife just walked in and asked if I turned turned the pump off again. I went and checked it and just using a voltage tester pen, there was juice going to the pressure switch, then to the control box then out to the pump. That kind of scared me because I figured it meant the pump was the issue. I pushed the two buttons on the bottom of the control box. First one clicked then pushed the other and it started running. About ten seconds in, a click again. The pressure tank is fill but obviously something else is wrong. And I’m sure pushing the buttons will only work for another couple cycle’s before it doesn’t work any more. I have the original control box which is identical to the current one so I’m looking at it trying to understand how it works and the sequences involved.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

Also, to answer the question, it is a 1.5 hp pump

 

[ponytug]

@WoodChuckDad Wow! That is unfortunate. So sorry.

I would agree with @grsthegreat that a surge suppressor at the pump, with its own ground and ground rod is probably in order. You have a whole house suppressor, right? (See post #9 above) A higher kA rating is better, and given how many times this has failed, probably warranted and worth the extra few dollars.

I would add a small caveat to @steve tym's comment about voltage not mattering. I would phrase it as "a higher voltage capacitor would also work". A lower voltage capacitor is going to die quickly. As voltage surges at your well appear to be an issue, if it were me, I would go to a higher voltage as a little extra robustness, and at this point I would definitely put in that EMI snubber.
E.g. Amazon.com: Uxcell AC 115/250V 20A CW4L2-20A-S Noise Suppressor Power EMI Filter : Industrial & Scientific

I hope that this problem turns out to be something small.

All the best, Peter

 

[steve tym]

If the relay (the other component) in the control box has failed, it will keep the start winding engaged and the overload will trip. Sounds like you have a spare.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

The spare needs to be rebuilt. I’m at the hardware store now buying a new miltimeter because the fancy klein I bought is not working properly so I didn’t even have the ability to test the capacitor. I’m going back and test everything.

 

[RayIN]

This is why a successful lightning arrestor cannot be made:Lightning | Voltage, Causes, & Facts | Britannica

When I worked for Westinghouse Electric, at one time they tried to develop a successful home lightning arrester. I've no idea of how many designs were made, but that project was canned after about a year of failures. The shear force of lightning was simply too much to shunt to ground quickly enough to prevent damage.
It was supposed to fit into the entrance breaker panel, which would not have helped anyway with lightning traveling through the ground.
On the subject of lightning, this is an eye-opener.

Home Lightning Protection

Home lightning protection can help reduce the risk of lightning damage and help protect your home.

www.statefarm.com

 

[steve tym]

I tell my customers, lightning is this big (hold arms wide apart) while a lightning arrestor is this big (hold fingers close together).

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I thought I had something to brag about. I sat down with my multimeter and tested the start capacitor that I replaced this morning. 111.8. So that tests good. Then I tested the start and run capaciters on the original control box from several months ago and it both capaciters test good. But the relay shows nothing between 2 and 5. It should be 4500-7000 ohms

I had a spare. It tested at 5140 I installed that in the current control box. Turned on the power and. Nothing. At all. And something clicked but I don’t know what it was. I took it all apart again and checked the components. They test out fine And when assembled, it doesnt do any thing. The pump does not come on. There is voltage to the L1 L2 but almost no voltage to the pump. Overload buttons, start overload tests less than .5. Main overload shows OL.
The inside of the box says that the overload button should show lesss than .5. Could it be down to just the main overload button now?

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I think I fixed it. Came out to the kitchen, made myself a drink and sat down to watch more videos. R C Worst has an entire series about troubleshooting the control box and pump, specifically this brand of box so I watched the video that walks you thru how to test the components and when they got to the part about the overload button they mentioned having to push hard. I had pushed it a dozen times today, including when I would do it so we could flush toilets and even did it so my wife could take a shower. Then I read the comments and at least one person talked about how he had to really lean into the button to get a reset, so I went back in there and pushed it again and it reset. I flipped the breaker and it worked. I started counting and hot past 10 seconds, where the overload usually tripped but it didn’t this time. I measured voltage. 363 v to the pump. That falls in line with what I saw last time I replaced the pump control box.
So a new relay and in the process, the main OL button got stuck. I’m gonna order a spare relay. I already have 2 spare start capacitors and a run capacitor. I still have not resolved the underlying weakness that causes these things to pop. It sounds like lightning does crazy stuff is my answer but i’m gonna be looking at some remediation actions. Thank you everyone for the great suggestions and information. Much better than feeling like I am completely alone out here.

Here is the link for that RC worst video series.

Check out this video, "bad overload button on well box" https://share.google/wbWmD9fTn6MUeIb0x

 

[ponytug]

@WoodChuckDad Congratulations!

I hope that being firm with the reset button solves it for you.

All the best, Peter

 

[grsthegreat]

R.c.worst

Located in my town. They have helped solve many issues for me over the years. A fine bunch of people.

 

[grsthegreat]

Speaking of lightning. We had a whopper of a lightning storm come thru tonight. Got about 1.5” of badly needed rain and about 1.5 hours of constant lightning. Some were REAL CLOSE to me…..closer than i like. Glad it was raining real hard, as we dont need any more fires. We've had our share of fires this year. Never lost power.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

RC worst is where I ordered my submersible pump and they were very helpful in getting the properly sized control box and all the wire and everything else that I needed, back in 2021 when nobody else had pumps available.

I can relate on the needed rain. That storm dumped more than half an inch on us and the next week has more rain in the forecast. I am hoping it comes, just more gently.

Wife and daughter have already stress tested my work. The dishwasher was going at midnight and the laundry started around 5 am. Everything is holding steady.