Pump motor not coming on

[Dorlando13]

Hello, I have a Flotec 1.5 HP for my well. This morning I watered the front yard fine and when I went to water the back the pump would not come on. There is no humming or anything. I waited 30 minutes and same thing. I did notice a little smell near the pump but can't say for sure that something is burning. Is there anything inside the motor that I can look at or do signs point to a bad motor?

 

[Valveman]

If you have been letting it cycle on and off it may need a new starting capacitor if you are lucky. If your not lucky you may already need a new pump. Check the volts and amps.

 

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[Dorlando13]

After further review, it is humming for about 3 seconds and then the breaker trips. Could this still be the capacitor? It does get really hot after trying to start so I guess it is auto shutting down

 

[Valveman]

You maybe lucky enough that a capacitor might fix it this time. But a blown capacitor is just one of the first signs of too much cycling.

 

[Dorlando13]

Thanks. The capacitor looks visually fine but I'm going to replace just to check.

 

[Valveman]

Low voltage will do that as well?

 

[Dorlando13]

New capacitor didn't change anything

 

[Valveman]

Voltage??

 

[Dorlando13]

I need to have a friend come over and check the voltage. For my own education, the pump is 6 years old, has been working fine and worked fine on the cycle right before this happened. what could have happened all of a sudden with the voltage?

It does cycle on and off at least 3 times each time I water, which could be an average of 3 days a week. i have to cycle it manually so sometimes it can be more than 3 times because the distributor cap doesn't move to the next zone.

 

[Valveman]

Most common problem is the pressure switch. No matter how many times the pump starts, with each start the points in the pressure switch closing and opening causes a spark like an arc welder. There are 2 sets of points in a pressure switch. When cycling causes enough spark to burn one side of the switch, you only get half voltage. Half voltage causes twice the amperage, and the overload trips.