Goulds J10S Humming

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Jfharper

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I'm on a well and my booster pump is humming when the pressure switch is engaged manually. I recently replaced the starting capacitor, even swapped in a new spare to test, same hum. Pressure switch is new as well. Power went out last night in the neighborhood, this morning, I went to manually trip the booster, and it hummed. The breaker was not tripped and the pressure switch did it's job by not engaging at low pressure. I can freely turn the motor from the back. Is there anything else I can check? Someone mentioned the starting switch in the back burnt or stuck in the run position...I don't know what the starting switch looks like. Odd that this happened after a power-out.
 

Jfharper

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Ok, found the switch, the points contact surface were worn to an angle. I have another old J10S that I tried the points off it, since these didn't have a wear angle, sanded them down just a bit to remove burrs and such, but same hum happened. Each time I engage the pressure switch handle, it looks like the motor is trying to turn, just a hair, but won't continue. The motor turns freely, all the way around so it is not being inhibited. If I can rotate the motor, does that mean it is not burnt? Like are there brushes inside that maybe worn down? Is there a way to test or bypass the points just to see if that is really the problem, in which case I could try and locate new ones. I'm trying to understand why the points are needed.
 

Jfharper

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OK, I think I figured out what the points do. They make contact when the motor is off, then when the motor starts and turns quickly, the weight on the centrifigual part disengages the points.

So, I checked for continuity with my points and they are making contact when the motor is off (and power off). I haven't checked resistance though...does this mean my motor might be bad?

BTW, how do you get that spring thing off the shaft to remove the impeller housing...do you use a press or gear puller?
 

Valveman

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When the pump is off the points are closed, so when the pump is energized the start cap is engaged. As soon as the pump is up to speed the switch opens and disconnects the start cap. So if the switch is making contact and the motor is just humming, either the start cap is bad or you only have 115 volts instead of 230 volts. You could also have a burned motor winding, but it usually will do nothing or throw the breaker if this is the case.
 

Jfharper

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Yeah, it's acting like its not getting enough volts. I've tried two start caps, one was brand new, but both do the same thing. There are two wires from the pressure switch feeding 115 volts each. I'll try testing some components inside the back of the motor today with my volt meter. Any recommendations on what to test? Thanks for your help.

BTW, it is not tripping the breaker and it is not doing nothing...it acts like it wants to turn, but doesn't have enough umph...it moves just a bit and hums with the pressure switch manually engaged, so your logic about not enough volts seems like a better path than the broken winding.
 

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You need to make sure you have 230V between the two lines, not just 115V on each line. You could also check for a short or an open leg in the motor with an ohm meter.
 

Jfharper

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OK, it has 241V between the two wires at the pressure switch input. I'll check for the open leg next.
 

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You can also check with a clip around amp meter on one of the wires. If you are giving it 240V and it is just humming, low or no amperage would mean you have an open winding. High amperage would mean there is a dead short or there is still something wrong with the start switch or capacitor.
 

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OK, Ill try that too. Currently researching how to test the motor for an open winding.

Disconnect motor wires from control. Set ohm meter on Rx1 scale. Touch a probe to each motor wire. If you get a reading the winding is not open. If there is no continuity then there is a broken wire in the stator.

Set ohm meter on Rx1000 or highest scale. Touch one lead to a motor wire and the other to the motor housing or ground. If you don't get any continuity then there is no short. Continuity to ground would mean there is a short in the winding.
 

Jfharper

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OK, here is what I got so far.

Disconnected red lead on starter switch

L2 to A = 1.1 Ohms
A to Yellow on overload protector = 1.1 Ohms

Red lead on starter switch to yellow overload protector = 7.5 Ohms
Red lead on starter switch to L2 = 7.5 Ohms

Is this similar to your first test above?

I think I have to check for a short per your instructions above.
 

Jfharper

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OK, I disconnected the black at A and red and starter switch (I think these are the two motor wires, got 8.8 Ohms.
I got open field between each of these wires and the motor housing.
 

Reach4

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Does the pump pump water? I presume not, and I guess you figure that went without saying.
 

Reach4

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I recently replaced the starting capacitor, even swapped in a new spare to test, same hum.
If I read correctly, you have tried 3 starting capacitors. Can you check the current through the starting capacitor? Clamp-on ammeters can make that easy if the wire is accessible. If that current was zero, that would point to maybe a broken wire in that starting circuit.

If your household water depends on this, I would think that it is probably time for a new pump. If you then fixed this pump, then you would have a spare pump.
 

PumpMd

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I would find someone with a capacitor tester like the one in my picture because I have shown up to jobs before saying it's brand new and I go to test it and see that it is out.
 

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