Pump runs then all of sudden stops

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Franzenel

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i was taking a shower today and lost all pressure in my system. I noticed the water filter was really clogged so I changed out the filter and turned back on the water instantly it filled up with sediment again. After work I connected a hose to the line just past the pressure tank. I turned off the breaker and ran the water until the system was empty I turned back on the breaker and did this a few times. A lot of sediment got flushed out. But all of sudden the pump just stopped. So I turned off the breaker and checked it a few more times. The pump would run for a while (clear water from what I can tell) and then all of sudden I would hear a faint click and no water like someone turned off a valve. It wasn't the pressure switch I checked this and the contacts were still connected. My pressure gauge doesn't work so I put one one the hose and watched it. After awhile the gauge would all of sudden start going up. It also seemed like the house lights would dim a little when this happened. What do you think is causing this to happen? What else can I do for tests before I call a well guy out to look at it.
 

Franzenel

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Just a pressure switch far as I know. The wiring comes from the break to a small grey pressure switch then the wiring from there goes outside along side the black pipe.
 

Craigpump

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Sounds like it's overheating, locking up, cooling off, running, overheating.... But need an Amprobe to be sure.

Lots of sediment leads me to believe that's what's causing the pump to bind up & overheat. I'd want to know what the static level is in the well, whether the well is running dry... Maybe you need a SubK seperator to keep the sediment out of the pump.
 

Franzenel

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I will grab and amp probe from work today and try and check it out when I get home. There is some stuff printed on the bottom of my well cap so I will go out before I leave for work and get that info. Hopefully it will say on there.
 

Franzenel

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This is what is printed under the well cap.
 

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Franzenel

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OK I took an amp reading on each leg and I am getting around 8-8.5 amps. Then nothing when it stops. After about 2 to 3 mins it is back up and running again. The Cap says the well is 530 feet deep. it seems like the pump is running hard for the time it is running. I have thought of a few things and tell me if i am dead wrong.

1. The 3/4 hp pump is a little under powered for being 400 - 500 feet down.
2. The pump is bad
3. We had something like this happen last late winter/spring. But I thought it was something else and it corrected itself. so could it be...


We haven't gotten much snow and it was a pretty dry year last summer here in Maine. Could the water level in the well gone down enough to cause the pump to run harder and that is causing it to overload? The well/pump is only about 10/11 years old.

I really don't know so let me know if I am way off base here.
 

Craigpump

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I was expecting to see a higher amp draw, maybe 25-28 amps. Are you sure the clamp on the amp probe was closed all the way?
 

Franzenel

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About 21 amps and get to about 18.5 amps as it gets to 60psi. It took about 30 seconds for the tank to go from 42psi to 63psi. With the sink upstairs running. Right now I am only having trouble when I have a high flow like the 2.5GPM shower going and it can't refill the tank before the pump trips.

*This was on the black wire only.
 

Valveman

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21 amps is not good for a 8 amp motor. It is tripping the overload in the motor. If it is a 3/4HP, 10 GPM pump, it would run out of poop with a water level of about 200'. If it is a 3/4HP, 5 GPM pump, it still runs out of poop at about 400'. So if your water level has dropped low enough that the pump cannot reach the shut off pressure of the pressure switch, you probably have a bad thrust bearing in the motor.
 

Franzenel

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It's a Franklin 2445079004 pump

Ant it will get to the PSI to shutoff if nothing is running in the house or if just one low flow sink is running. It just can not fill the tank if I have something running at 2 GPM or higher.

when I replace the pump should I have them install a 1 HP pump instead of the 3/4 HP pump i have now?
 

Reach4

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I have a Franklin 3/4hp 2 wire. Model 2445079004
That is the motor half of the pump assembly.

You should know the static water depth before selecting a pump. It is depth of the water surface below the house that determine the pump you need.

How long was the existing pump in service before it started failing? If it worked nicely for 17 or 30 years, it is probably a good size.
 

Franzenel

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It has been in the ground for about 10 years(well and pump). We just bought the house 2 years ago and we had a pressure problem last late winter early spring but it went away. But we haven't gotten much snow or rain this year so I was wondering if the water level has dropped enough to cause the pump to be overworked.
 

Reach4

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It has been in the ground for about 10 years(well and pump). We just bought the house 2 years ago and we had a pressure problem last late winter early spring but it went away. But we haven't gotten much snow or rain this year so I was wondering if the water level has dropped enough to cause the pump to be overworked.
Running out of water makes less amps. I think you should call your pump guy. People often post that 8 or 10 years is about average for a pump, although many last much longer.

Stay out of his way while working, but note that you will be able to see the water level as a mark on the pipes. I would take pictures of the old and new pump as well as the pipes.

This is from the Franklin V series book. Others are similar. If my static water level was 140 to 250, I might opt for a 7 GPM 1 HP pump. If the static level was 100 to 180, I would lean toward a 7 GPM 3/4 HP pump. Note that each of those pumps can pump from deeper levels if the water level dropped, but they would pump slower.

img_5.png
 
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Franzenel

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But when the pump stops I get 0 amps and the water just stops. If I was running out of water wouldn't the pump still run?
 

Reach4

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But when the pump stops I get 0 amps and the water just stops. If I was running out of water wouldn't the pump still run?
Maybe... but when the water is down, the cooling goes down. So if it were drawing 80% of regular power and drawing about 80% of regular current, the pump would get much hotter than if the pump was pumping water at 100% of regular power and current. This is for two reasons. 1. less cooling. 2. Pumping water turns energy into useful lifting work vs all energy is turned directly to heat if the pump is not pumping water.

The deal is that if the pump is pumping fine, and then runs out of water, the current would go down some before the thermal overload reduces the current to zero.
 

Valveman

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Yeah but if the pump has been running with the water too deep to lift, then the thermal overload is now tripping before you pump the well dry. And it is probably not pumping the well dry, it is just lowering the water level so low the pump can no longer lift it an get to the pressure switch cut off point.
 

Franzenel

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Ok. I dropped a string with weights on the end and I hit water at 25 feet and it stopped at 100 feet. So I am guessing the pump is down 100 and I have about 75 feet of water above it. I have no idea why they drilled 530 feet if the water is that high.
 
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