Submersible pump tripping breaker

[Cherylrae]

Hi,
The wiring between my panel and well pump shorted due dampness and a corroded staple that worked it's way through the wire insulation.
Not knowing that was the problem at first because the wire was hidden and stapled down along the wall plate on top of block foundation I replaced the pressure switch and tee from the the air tank since there was a known leak there. I've had issues with that before and it was looking pretty rough so seemed like a logical place to start.
Eventually saw the short and damaged wire.
I've replaced both the breaker and the wire from panel to pressure switch > pressure switch to control box removing all extra junctions.
New control box.
Everything is new including plumbing from panel to control box. Still trips immediately. Tried higher amp double pole 40 amp breaker I had available.
With higher amp breaker it still trips, but the pump actually runs for about 5 seconds and pulls water before tripping.
It has always run on a double pole 15 before.
Amps coming into control box are 230.
Testing ohms on well pump side tests correctly in range for a 1/2 horsepower pump, but I don't remember what size motor it is. The well is only 80ft so 1/2 hp seems reasonable.

One more important note....I had all 220 breakers in the panel off as a precaution pluys it was obviously already tripped, but when I cut the damaged wire it was live!
Could the original short have caused a short from control box to pump?

 

[Reach4]

Staple could have shorted to 120 volt circuit. Otherwise, if the 2-poll breaker powering the pump were off, the wire would not have been hot. Maybe it wasn't, and you used some indicator light that gave a false indication.

Like a voltage tester, high-impedance voltmeter can also indicate a voltage with no actual short.

 

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[Valveman]

Use an ohm meter and check for a short.

 

[LLigetfa]

One more important note....I had all 220 breakers in the panel off as a precaution pluys it was obviously already tripped, but when I cut the damaged wire it was live!

There could be a fault on the neutral or protection ground in the panel and so the circuit to ground is being completed through the pump wire. You should probably get an electrician to check it out.