Well problems

[paulharvey]

So, talked to local well guy. He confirmed that if a two wire pump is getting power and not coming on, it's the pump with over heat or whatever tripped. He said if he could drive right up to it, pull it, drop new one in; it's $1000. I asked how much the pump was, he said the ones he uses are $500-600.

I see them online at TSC, Home Depot, Lowes, etc starting around $330 for 1/2 hp 10 gpm. I'm seriously thinking about trying to pull and replace my self.

 

[MarkF48]

If you should do the job yourself, inspect the wire carefully as well for abrasion. If they aren't provided with the pump, you'll need a couple of waterproof crimp splices.

Find out what brands of pumps the pump guy sells. I looked at what the Lowes' and Home Depot's sell and read the reviews and left me with the feeling I didn't want to go with either of those. My present pump is a Gould's.

Pic below is the wire that was from my own pump when it failed last fall. I have torque arrestors on the pipe, but it evidently still rotated in the well and wore the wire through. My own pump is at 280'. I've pulled it in the past in my younger days, but now prefer to pay someone that has the right equipment to take care of it.

 

[greenmojo]

Just don't drop it!

Neighbor does his, and built a clamp to hold the PVC while he readjusted his pick point on the pipe. Very similar to the ones that the professionals use, at least the guys who installed mine.

~Moses

 

[turnkey4099]

This probably isn't your problem but I found out about it when my pump seemed to be failing. Water pressure would decline to zero when hydrant opened and then a long delay until pump kicked in. Pressure would then build to way over the normal cut-off.

Problem was the 1/8" riser pipe the pressure switch sits on was plugged up. The first time it happened it was plugged so tightly I had to use a drill to get it back open.

My well pumps very fine black powder and I have to clean that pipe about every 10 years.

Harry K

 

[MarkF48]

Just don't drop it!

Neighbor does his, and built a clamp to hold the PVC while he readjusted his pick point on the pipe. Very similar to the ones that the professionals use, at least the guys who installed mine.

~Moses

The guys that do my well work have a rig like this >>> Well Pump Puller . Brings up 280' in a pretty short time. One guy operates the the puller and another guy pulls what comes out onto the front lawn.

When I put the pump in many years ago I attached a poly safety rope to the pump and its tied off securely to the well head.

 

[drajj5]

If you should do the job yourself, inspect the wire carefully as well for abrasion. If they aren't provided with the pump, you'll need a couple of waterproof crimp splices.

Find out what brands of pumps the pump guy sells. I looked at what the Lowes' and Home Depot's sell and read the reviews and left me with the feeling I didn't want to go with either of those. My present pump is a Gould's.

Pic below is the wire that was from my own pump when it failed last fall. I have torque arrestors on the pipe, but it evidently still rotated in the well and wore the wire through. My own pump is at 280'. I've pulled it in the past in my younger days, but now prefer to pay someone that has the right equipment to take care of it.

View attachment 429549

Mark is spot on, You most likely have a rub in one of your wires and that is the source of you issues. One wire nearly rubbed in two will cause the same problem as you have described. hard to start and run a pump with 20 gauge wire for long without it overheating. You can prove your pump is good before pulling by measuring resistance with your meter. Disconnect power and read between each wire and see if you have a short at the pump or broken wire. However if you read resistance you have a good pump and the problem lies in the wire itself.

 

[RobertBrown]

If your pump is like mine, your switch is wired to a controller (gray box says "Franklin electric" on it) and the controller supplies the motor. There are 2 relays in the box.
One might be hanging up.
Because your tank was out of air or low on air. Your pump may have been short cycling when reached the high pressure cut off point. This is likely if your motor is 2 hp.
Short cycling will make your motor hot and your controller should protect this with 2 circuit breakers. if either of these is bad. It could cause a problem similar to what you are describing.

 

[chopped]

I wasnt aware that there was a regulator with a low water shut off. like this
Amazon.com: Square D FSG2J21M4CP 30/50 PSI Standard Pressure Switch with Low Pressure Cutoff: Home Improvement
Ive been using the standard ones at a 15 dollar cost. With this cost of the low cut off. I think in the future Ill be buying this one.

 

[greenmojo]

I blew up a $2000 pump controller, because I forgot to ground it and was running it from a generator when we first had it drilled and pump installed.

I moved the generator, lost connection to the earth, and *POOF*... Pump installation guys were awesome, called the manufacturer, told them what happened and they shipped me a new one at no charge and sent an RMA for the one I smoked.

~Moses

 

[paulharvey]

Ok, 100 ft of pipe out of ground (not the 80 ft marked on well tag). New pump in hand; and a dump thought comes to mind. 2 wire 230v; is it just any hot to any hot; or can you run it backwards by accident? Pump comes with black, black, and green.