Well pump issues

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Tony B

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This has been a goatrope from the beginning. My pump from 1992 finally died. I got a new Franklin 1 1/2hp motor with a Berkeley pump. A very solid setup. I rented a well pump pulling machine that uses three tires and an electric motor to pull the pump. With a lot of help we pulled 500ft of 20' gray PVC pipes and installed the new pump and motor. This time I put a steel cable on the pump and sent it back down. Flipped the breaker and waited............. no water. I checked the power connection at the well head and there is an electric draw so I can assume that the pump is pulling power. There is a check valve about halfway down the pipe and one as soon as the pipe comes in the house. After reading the post about multiple check valves I'm wondering if that isn't the issue. Possibly the valve in the middle of the pipe is frozen closed and not allowing the water past. My thoughts are to somehow use the steel cable and pull all the pipes back up again to the check valve, take it off, and turn the pump on and see if water geysers out. Any thoughts? Also, any advice on how to use the cable to get the pump out? I am trying to think of a way to do this myself without asking for my 'crew' to come back and help. After all that work the first time I'm sure they are hesitant to help me again. Thank you for any thoughts or advice you may have.
 

Reach4

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Tell us about the pump. Did you wire in the pump through a control box, as you would do with a "3 wire" pump (which comes with 4 wires when you include green)?

How did you select the new pump -- same HP and GPM as the old pump?

It is OK and desirable to have a check valve as part of the pump and a second one below water near the pump. If you had excess check valves, they would not cause this symptom, unless you put one in backwards.

If you remember, how much is the electric draw?
 

Tony B

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Yes. I used the same Franklin control box that was already installed in the house. The only connections I broke were the connections at the top of the well and at the pump. I triple checked all my connections before I sent the pump back down. The motor is the new version of the old motor. The Berkeley was different. It was a Goulds last time. All the specs were the same.
 

Reach4

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A new start capacitor or a whole new control box would make sense. The start capacitors will degrade.
 

Tony B

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I had a buddy, who is an electronics guy, check the control box components and he stated they were all working fine. I could change the box without a problem but what if I'm in the same boat after that?
 

Reach4

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Did your guy measure the capacitance numerically? The start capacitor is a non-polarized electrolytic. They will go bad with time. There may be other parts of the control box that could be causing a problem.

If you change the box, and that does not help, you will pull the pump. I am not suggesting how you do that.

Measuring the currents with a clamp-around ammeter about a second or two after turning the breaker back on could help diagnose. Low current in the start winding would would suggest the start cap. I would not leave the breaker on for more than a few seconds since the pump is not starting. A wire with no current could point to a broken wire.

I am not a pro.
 

Valveman

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A 1.5HP is an 11.8 amp motor. If it is drawing 11 amps, the pipe is broken or has come loose at a coupling. If it is drawing much lower amps, a check valve could be stuck close or the pump intake screen is clogged. A clip around amp meter will help figure out the problem.
 

Tony B

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Before spending any money, I'll check the controller box components and amps at the well head. Thank you for the advice. I'll be sure to update you with what I find.
 

Reach4

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There are three current-carrying wires plus green ground.
 

Valveman

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I'm at 10.4 - 10.5 amps.

It is probably a 2 wire motor. Those have max amp draw of 13.1. So I do believe it is restricted. At least we know for sure the pump is running. The problem is the pump is 500' out of view, and you really won't know what happened until you can see it.
 

Craigpump

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I've seen PVC screwed into checkvalves so far that they wouldn't open.

I wouldn't pull that pipe by the cable alone...... Use the proper pump puller and be safe.
 

Tony B

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There are three wires. Two of them have 10.4 amps. There is a pressure switch that seems to be working when I turn the breaker on sending power to the pump. I guess I'll be pulling the pump again. I should probably rent the pump puller again.
 
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Reach4

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There are three wires. Two of them have 10.4 amps.
The third wire has how many amps 1 second after the power is applied? Does that then drop to zero as would be expected from a start winding? This seems to confirm the diagnosis. Don't run it long, because there is no flow, and therefore no cooling.
 

Tony B

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I can't really check it that quickly. I have to flip the breaker then go to the other side of the basement to where the power goes through the wall.
 

Reach4

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You could get a helper, or record the meter by taking a movie.
 

Tony B

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