No water after freezing

[Leetamus]

Hi!

I'm worried my pump may have burned out and wonder how I would troubleshoot that?

The Scenario:
My well is around 130' deep, submersible pump. It feeds directly to a cistern which is fed back to the house and is controlled by a float in the cistern. We had a super cold spell this week and I noticed the cisterns were not filling up. The line connecting the well to the cistern is easy to check and seemed to be empty so I assume the well head was frozen. I could also hear the pump running even through no water. I turned off the pump at the breaker and set up a light at the well head to help keep it warm. As of last night the temperature has come back up a few degrees above freezing.

This morning I turned the pump back on and I can again hear it running, but no water... The pump was replaced last year and I REALLY hope it's not fried from running while the lines were frozen, not sure how long that was happening... I am blown away there's no safetey mechanism to kill the pump if the lines are blocked.. maybe there is.. Any suggestions on steps to try to get this thing working? Is my pump damaged?

EDIT: Wanted to add that when the well pump is running there is also a trickle of water coming out of some sort of overflow/pressure pipe at the top of the well. Yesterday when I tried the pump it was just a drop occasionally, today it's more of a very light stream.

 

[WorthFlorida]

I cannot answer your questions but please provide pump model or how many wires to the pump? Do you have a clamp volt meter?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Leetamus]

Thanks, this is the pump and related components:

11-FRANKLIN SUBMERSIBLE MOTOR 0.5HP
115V 3W 1PH (214 5049 004-S)

10-0.5HP 10GPM FRANKLIN PUMP END ONLY
J CLASS SERIES (96341000)

02-FRANKLIN 2.0HP MAX, 115/230V, 16AMP
MAX, INLINE JET PUMP CONTROL

 

[Bannerman]

You didn't mention a pitless adaptor, and as you suspect the line at the wellhead to be frozen, it is likely your system is not equipped with a pitless adaptor.

If the water in the pipe at or after the wellhead was frozen solid, the water inside the pipe may remain frozen for considerable time after the surrounding temperature has risen above freezing.

Suggest temporarily removing the pressure relief valve that is currently leaking, to allow a higher flow rate from the pump. I anticipate the fact that some water is flowing will be beneficial to cause the remaining frozen water in the line before the valve to more rapidly melt fully. As long as more than 1 GPM is flowing from the pump, then there should be sufficient flow over the pump motor to prevent the pump motor from overheating. Removing the relief valve should provide less flow restriction, thereby allowing greater flow from the pump.

The reason the relief valve is leaking, is likely a result of the water line after the relief valve also being frozen solid and therefore preventing flow to the cistern. Perhaps most of that line is buried at sufficient depth to prevent freezing, so the affected frozen section maybe near to the well head where it may be exposed or too close to the surface.

A device to protect the pump from damage caused by insufficient flow is shown at the link below. The Cycle Sensor continually monitors the amount of power consumed by the pump. When the flow rate is too low as a result of either insufficient water within the well or a blockage in the line, the pump will move less water and will therefore consume fewer amps/watts which when below the programmed threshold, will cause the Cycle Sensor to shut off power to the pump.

https://cyclestopvalves.com/pages/cycle-sensor-pump-monitor

 

[Valveman]

Like Bannerman said the pressure relief at the well head if popping off because the pipe to the house is still frozen. The pressure relief valve can also freeze. Check the amps of the submersible. Anything less than about 10 amps means the line is still frozen and the pump cannot make any water. A Cycle Sensor looks for low amps and shuts the well off, which can happen when pumping a well dry or if the lines are frozen.

There are lots of safety mechanisms like the Cycle Sensor and the Cycle Stop Valve to make pumps last longer. But you are not going to find out about those from the pump manufacturers as they don't like pumps to last longer.

 

[Leetamus]

Thanks for your insights! I went out this morning to give it one last try before popping the release valve and it is working as intended so yay!

 

[Valveman]

When the lines thaw out it will go back to working as long as the pump didn't melt down in the process.