well pump tripping breaker

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Johnnyf0614

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Had work done recently. Had pitless and adapter replaced, and new check valve replaced at pump. Pump worked fine for a few days. Unfortunately it's tripping the breaker now. I have a 3/4 hp 2 wire pump, on 2 15amp lines. Well guy came back out and said that pump is starting at 20amp+. He thinks its time to replace pump. He says not coincidental and related to recent work that was done. Anyone have any suggestions?
 

Reach4

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I would get the Franklin AIM manual and read about wire sizes and breakers.
 

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Johnnyf0614

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Yes I'm doing lots of research online in regards to that. Just very strange that I suddenly have tripping issues, and never had 1 issue with that in the past.
 

Valveman

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Average life of a submersible is 7 years. But it depends on how many cycles on/off as to how long it will really last. Then they don't give any problem until they quit. One minute you have water, and the next you don't.
 

Johnnyf0614

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Yeah I understand. Just frustrating to think that this is all coincidental with the work that was done, and now suddenly the pump is tripping. But I guess it is possible.
 

Reach4

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He says not coincidental and related to recent work that was done. Anyone have any suggestions?
Is that what you meant to write?
Just very strange that I suddenly have tripping issues, and never had 1 issue with that in the past.
It sounds like you are trying to make a point. Do you find it strange that things worked great for a few days after your recent work?

You could try isolating the wires and check the resistance of any pump wire to a water pipe ground. If a wire got scuffed, it could be shorting out to a ground. You did not say if the breaker always blows immediately, sometimes blows immediately, always blows after 10 seconds, or the pump works fine most of the time but blows the breaker at random times.
 

Johnnyf0614

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Is that what you meant to write?

It sounds like you are trying to make a point. Do you find it strange that things worked great for a few days after your recent work?

You could try isolating the wires and check the resistance of any pump wire to a water pipe ground. If a wire got scuffed, it could be shorting out to a ground. You did not say if the breaker always blows immediately, sometimes blows immediately, always blows after 10 seconds, or the pump works fine most of the time but blows the breaker at random times.

Sorry for the confusion... Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to determine any consistency. We've never had any tripping until this morning, when it happened twice. Plumber only stated that at the startup, I was at 20+amps. He's sending an electrician over to take a look, but hasn't gotten there yet.
 

Reach4

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Locked rotor amps on a 3/4 HP motor is about 40 amps without taking the limiting resistance of wire into account. The current drops considerably during the start. The breaker has some delay built in. Is your breaker on now, or did you leave it off after the second time it blew?

I would be trying a new breaker, and I am guessing that the electrician will do that.
 

Johnnyf0614

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Locked rotor amps on a 3/4 HP motor is about 40 amps without taking the limiting resistance of wire into account. The current drops considerably during the start. The breaker has some delay built in. Is your breaker on now, or did you leave it off after the second time it blew?

I would be trying a new breaker, and I am guessing that the electrician will do that.

The breaker is off right now. I haven't been home to check it out as of yet. Plumber checked it earlier after the first trip. After he left, he ran the pump twice with no problems. About an hour later, it tripped again. And we haven't turned it back since.


Is 20+amps startup uncommon for a 220 3/4hp pump?
 
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Valveman

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What is common is for the 20 to 40 amps it takes to start that pump to quickly drop to 7 amps when the 3/4HP gets running. After about 7 years of average cycling the little pieces of the bearing are floating around in the motor. The encapsulated windings have also been hot and swollen. The swollen stator and little pieces of bearings are gumming up the works and the motor will lock down.
 

Reach4

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Is 20+amps startup uncommon for a 220 3/4hp pump?
I can readily say no. However I cannot say how long that lasts and whether an average clamp-on meter would see that. I could try mine, but somebody with experience will probably know of the top of his head. Plus, maybe my clamp-on meter is not average.
 

Johnnyf0614

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All I know is that he said it was drawing 20+amps at start up and running @7.5. Unfortunately I'm not too educated with electricity...
 

Reach4

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All I know is that he said it was drawing 20+amps at start up and running @7.5. Unfortunately I'm not too educated with electricity...
I think those numbers are fairly close to normal. Breaker I think.
 

Craigpump

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You didn't say what motor you have, but Grundfos motors are notorious for high start amps, but they drop right off after a second or two.

I'd change the breaker and see what happens.
 
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