Crazy Well pump, Crazy Me

[BDR]

I am hoping one of you well pump gurus out there will be willing to solve what is a puzzle to me. Seems it should have been a really, really simple normal wear & tear problem, ...but it's got me really, really beside myself. So here goes...

Bought the house 13 yrs ago. House built in 1973.
First 10 yrs = No problems with water.

2016 - Original pump (during my residence) began having problems. Initially, I would occasionally be without water... pump not running, but after a half an hour or so we would have water again. Problem got worse, more frequent "outages" until a month later the pump would never come on. Diagnosis... dead pump. I removed the pump with much trouble as it has an older type adapter and it was at the end of galvanized pipe. Anyway, finally got it out (1/2hp, 3 wire), bought and installed new pump from Menards (Simer). Ok, water works again. Hunky Dory. Very proud of myself.

Until only 2 years later, 1st Replacement Pump began to have same problem exactly. Buzzing sound in control box but pump would not start. Pump seemed to be timing out (from reading online I understand it is actually an issue of overheating?), but would eventually start again and work for 2-3 days. Problem got worse until dead. By the way, during the troubleshooting phase of the problem, before I replaced the pump the first time, I replaced the control box. Did not help the problem. Also could hear the bearing in the pump going... at least that is what I gather from reading online is the reason the pump is clearly audible and vibration can even be felt at the wall the pipe is coming through into the house. Well somewhere I had come to the understanding that sometimes these pumps can be defective. So I decided my workmanship had been, well, stellar, and I would go ahead and call it a defective product, and install a new pump (much easier this time with the PE pipe. I was still in the warranty period so got my money back. This time, though, I decided I would replace everything, you know, for good measure. New pressure tank, new pressure switch, new pressure gauge, new check valve, new pump, new torque arrestor, new control box, new pump. Ok. This time we are shiny all the way around. Pressure on tank - set per instructions and good. Cycle time - seems good. I am feeling good.

Ruh-roh. 2nd Replacement and only 11 months this time. Now I know I have an issue, obviously, but I don't have time. Put another one in right away. 1 hour switch out. but I did not replace anything else, not even the control box. Flip the breaker on for five seconds before putting it back into the well to make sure it runs. Yep. Back into the well it goes. Breaker on... no pump. Yikes! So I put the new control box on and it runs. But even that same day it cuts out. Yep new pump with issue from the get-go. Anyone know what is going on? Is it obvious. Could I have my wires crossed?

3rd Replacement Pump on its way out. Buzzing control box, pump timed out, vibration while pump runs etc.

GURUS, PLEASE HELP!!!

Now, one thing I need to get straight right off the bat. Suppose I did not use heat shrink on my ground wire splice at the pump, which I did not. It does not seem to me that this would cause a problem, as the only time (well I am not going to attempt to explain why I think it is Ok, because you guys are the experts. Just let me know if that would cause the problem. I am nearly certain that the first time I replaced the pump I did install heat shrink on all four wires.

Much thanks in advance!!

 

[Boycedrilling]

No it’s not the lack of heat shrink on the ground wire. The ground wire just goes to the case of the motor. Some ground wires just have a crimp on eyelet attached to the wire and are attached under the bolt on a motor stud. The ground wire doesn’t even need insulation. It literally could be an uninsulated bare copper wire.

So it’s not the ground wire. I might suggest purchasing a better quality pump and motor.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Cacher_Chick]

I agree, the best quality pumps are only lasting 10 years now if we are lucky, the lower quality ones are only good for a couple years if they are kept from cycling. With the work and risk that exists when pulling and setting a pump, it is best to shop for quality instead of price.

 

[Valveman]

I don't think even the brand name pumps are built as well anymore. You need to figure out what is causing the problem before you can fix it. Inspect the old pumps. See if the motor shaft is still sticking up 1.5" as it should. See if the motor and/or pump will turn by hand.

 

[BDR]

Thank you for the responses everyone. Sounds like my issue is probably product quality. I just hate to purchase an expensive pump and have it fail prematurely if my workmanship is faulty. I did not mention that the pressure tank I installed was larger than the old, and surely the pressure switch I installed couldn’t be the “wrong one” could it?

Doesn’t seem to me either of these should be causing my grief?? And even if they are contributing to my problem, they certainly shouldn’t cause the bearing to go, right? Btw, I have 5.7A on the Yellow wire, 5.9A on Black and 0.03A on Red. At this point my pump is out for a couple of hours a day.

Thanks again!

 

[Valveman]

You know what they say about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? I doubt you had three pumps in a row go bad. You are pumping the well dry, cycling too much, or the pump is not getting proper cooling flow. Break one of the old pumps down to check the stick up height of the shaft and see if the pump will turn by hand.