Well pump going bad.

[Mikebarone]

My parents are on a community well along with three other families. The well has a 5 horse power pump that is down around 600 feet. They do not have a storage tank and a jet pump; it just pumps against 4 bladder tanks and then out to the homes.
The pump has been bring up sand and silt for some time, and it is now tripping the main 30 amp breaker. I took amp meter reading just below the breaker, (when it was popping about twice a day), and I was getting 31 to 33 amps during a cycle, (that is set at 30/50).
I called some pump companies in the area, and some suggest that the problem might be a bad run capacitor, but they are almost sure, (because of the sand and silt it has been bringing up for quite some time) that the pump is bad.
If the pump is bad, would it be a good idea to get a smaller replacement pump, and install a storage tank and jet pump? In getting a smaller, less volume pump, I would think it may cause less turbulences, and there fore sucking less sand and silt through the pump.

Thanks much,

Mike

 

[Gary Slusser]

Sand problems are usually caused by something with the gravel pack and/or well screening etc.. I don't know what amps would be 'right' for a 5 hp.

 

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[Valveman]

Max amps for a 5 HP is 27 amps. I think a bad running capacitor could be the problem but, since you said sand, it is most likely a worn out pump. A smaller pump may draw less sand but, will deliver less water. From that depth, you may need the 5 HP to supply 4 houses. Sounds like you are going to have to pull the pump anyway. If you don't find a hole in the drop pipe, the sand is probably from a screen or gravel pack problem as Gary said.

Even with 4 bladder tanks, a 5 HP pump is probably still cycling on and off a bunch. This can also stir up sand in a well. Changing from a system that cycles on and off, to a system that draws water steady from the well, as when using a Cycle Stop Valve, has been known to reduce the sand problem. It all depends on what is causing the sand problem.