pump sounds locked up.

[Tickridgescott]

I have a submersible pump inside of a 300 gallon holding tank at my spring. It's been in for 2 weeks and was running fine until today. It now makes a loud sound and comes on for 20 seconds and then shuts off by itself (obviously the thermal overload protection). I am going to have to go down there tomorrow and pump out the tank so I can pull the pump and see what's going on. Any ideas as to what may be happening?

 

[Tickridgescott]

oh one more thing..... when i hear the motor come on it is loud but not pumping any water.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Rancher]

Sounds like maybe a broken shaft/impellers, did you use a flow inducer sleeve?

And why do you have to drain the tank?

Rancher

 

[Sammyhydro11]

I would check to see if there are any valves between the pump and the tank(if there is one) that are maybe closed.

SAM

 

[Tickridgescott]

yes i have a flow inducer sleeve.

No there are no valves after the pump.

Basically, this pump pumps water (when called for per float switches) up to a 5000 gallon cistern up top at the house. Under normal circumstances, the pump comes on and runs for 20-25 minutes, draining out 125 gallons in the holding tank near spring, and then shuts off (float switch).

 

[ecpgroup]

if you need to drain the tank to remove the pump its a bad installation. sounds like capacitor or start windings have gone. test motor with insulation tester. is it a ballrace motor? if so maybe grease dropped out of bearings and seized hence locked rotor. clamp on an amp meter and check runing current. all the best max

 

[Speedbump]

is it a ballrace motor?

What is a ballrace motor? I've never heard of one.

What brand pump is this cistern pump? What horsepower, pumpend? Is it a three wire or two wire?

bob...

 

[Rancher]

http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/bbmotor.html



Rancher

 

[Speedbump]

Suffice it to say ball bearings instead of sleeves. As long as I've been working on motors, that's a new one on me.

bob...

 

[ecpgroup]

sorry when i said ballrace what i was meaning is a standard ballbearing motor. intreasting idea that ballrace motor pity it has no use.

i dont know if you have worked out i am from the uk! some terms and wording are very diffrent from usa to uk.

cheers max

 

[Speedbump]

Ah that explains it. That ballrace motor Rancher linked to is interesting too. Too bad it can't be used for anything but show.

I'm sure there are a lot of terms that differ between us. But that's what makes the world an interesting place. It's the same with Engineers, they speak a different language than the rest of us do.

bob...