Submersible pump with no tank shutting off at well switch

[twistedDNA]

I have a 1 horse submersible pump that I have to turn on at the box much like a breaker. Been using this for years, noticed it would quit pumping water more and more but today it wouldn't pump at all. Stayed at the power box flipped the switch and noticed it was making a lot of noise then it just quit. Do I need to replace the breakers on it or the whole well power box? Its not flipping a breaker at the main power box I have that controls all my power. This setup has no holding tank.

 

[Reach4]

Stayed at the power box flipped the switch and noticed it was making a lot of noise then it just quit.

The switch was making a lot of noise? A switch making a frying noise is bad.

Is there another box between the power box with the switch -- I am thinking about a pump control box that contains a starting capacitor.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[twistedDNA]

I have a 1 horse submersible pump that I have to turn on at the box much like a breaker. Been using this for years, noticed it would quit pumping water more and more but today it wouldn't pump at all. Stayed at the power box flipped the switch and noticed it was making a lot of noise then it just quit. Do I need to replace the breakers on it or the whole well power box? Its not flipping a breaker at the main power box I have that controls all my power. This setup has no holding tank.

Just took another look and the box is just 2 breakers no other connections like the last pump that had no box included with the pump itself like this new one has, so does that mean I just need to replace the breakers in that box?

 

[twistedDNA]

The switch was making a lot of noise? A switch making a frying noise is bad.

Is there another box between the power box with the switch -- I am thinking about a pump control box that contains a starting capacitor.

Just making noise then shutting off. No control box I believe the pump has one in it, unlike the old one.

 

[twistedDNA]

The switch was making a lot of noise? A switch making a frying noise is bad.

Is there another box between the power box with the switch -- I am thinking about a pump control box that contains a starting capacitor.

This pump has its on control box in the pump. The new pump wouldn't work connected to the old control box had an electrician come out a few yrs back to tell me that and he disconnected the old box and just used the switches/breakers to run it.

 

[Reach4]

If the breaker is on, the voltage across the two screws labeled A should be zero. Same for B. If one has 240 volts, you could replace just that one bad breaker if available.

 

[twistedDNA]

If the breaker is on, the voltage across the two screws labeled A should be zero. Same for B. If one has 240 volts, you could replace just that one bad breaker if available.View attachment 34443

So check it with the main breaker from the house on and flip the well breaker on too?

 

[Reach4]

So check it with the main breaker from the house on and flip the well breaker on too?

Yes.

 

[twistedDNA]

If the breaker is on, the voltage across the two screws labeled A should be zero. Same for B. If one has 240 volts, you could replace just that one bad breaker if available.View attachment 34443

I checked both have power and not sure how the meter works but both show the same amount of power.
Tried turning it on again and it pumped water fine then stopped turned off then on again and the noise returned like shaking then turned off, the breakers never flip unless I do it manually

Yes.

I checked it and posted about it

 

[Reach4]

I checked both have power and not sure how the meter works but both show the same amount of power.
Tried turning it on again and it pumped water fine then stopped turned off then on again and the noise returned like shaking then turned off, the breakers never flip unless I do it manually

Voltage is measured between two places. For the A measurement, I expected you to put the red probe on the top screw of the breaker and the black probe on the bottom screw of the left breaker. If the breaker is on and the breaker is good, there should be effectively zero volts. If the breaker is on and you have 100 or 200 volts or so between those screws, the breaker bad if it is on. Same for the right.

Now if you are measuring the voltage between screws on different breakers, that is different than what I was trying to describe. In that case , you would expect to measure 240 volts if the pump is a "230 volt" pump.

 

[twistedDNA]

Voltage is measured between two places. For the A measurement, I expected you to put the red probe on the top screw of the breaker and the black probe on the bottom screw of the left breaker. If the breaker is on and the breaker is good, there should be effectively zero volts. If the breaker is on and you have 100 or 200 volts or so between those screws, the breaker bad if it is on. Same for the right.

Now if you are measuring the voltage between screws on different breakers, that is different than what I was trying to describe. In that case , you would expect to measure 240 volts if the pump is a "230 volt" pump.

I did the test with the red and black leads right but not sure about reading the meter it showed on the top scale 10 and I had it set at 250 AC here's a pic

of the meter

 

[Reach4]

Top scale is ohms. When measuring in the 250 VAC scale, top scale 10 would be about 65 volts... because you use the numbers down.

However the "zero" on your meter is off. With no probes connected, that needle should line up with the left side of the scale where the 0 are. Try to adjust your needle using that clear screw in the bottom center of the clear area.

OK... did you read that same on the left (between the two yellow arrows on my mark-up) as you did on the right, across the two screws on the right? With the breaker handles "on"? That sounds very unexpected, and would mean both breakers failed. Probably I should have labeled the screws in the picture differently. When you are measuring the two A screws, I am expecting one probe on one screw hooked to a white wire, and the other probe touching the other screw that is hooked to a white wire.

One bad breaker is a lot more likely than two.

While your meter may be a little off, you should have the same voltage on the top and bottom screws of a breaker (when on) as you have with the probes not touching anything: zero.

 

[twistedDNA]

Top scale is ohms. When measuring in the 250 VAC scale, top scale 10 would be about 65 volts... because you use the numbers down.

However the "zero" on your meter is off. With no probes connected, that needle should line up with the left side of the scale where the 0 are. Try to adjust your needle using that clear screw in the bottom center of the clear area.

OK... did you read that same on the left (between the two yellow arrows on my mark-up) as you did on the right, across the two screws on the right? With the breaker handles "on"? That sounds very unexpected, and would mean both breakers failed. Probably I should have labeled the screws in the picture differently. When you are measuring the two A screws, I am expecting one probe on one screw hooked to a white wire, and the other probe touching the other screw that is hooked to a white wire.

One bad breaker is a lot more likely than two.

While your meter may be a little off, you should have the same voltage on the top and bottom screws of a breaker (when on) as you have with the probes not touching anything: zero.

I can't get the needle to move no matter which way I turn the clear screw there is also a wheel on the side I tried turning that too. That battery must be good? It worked when I probed the the screws on the breakers.

I thought you said to put one probe on the right side up and down and check the other breaker the same red on top black on bottom?

Sorry I'm getting a little mixed up, it seems so many things are going wrong this week for me, my mower my phone my pump etc

 

[Reach4]

I can't get the needle to move no matter which way I turn the clear screw there is also a wheel on the side I tried turning that too. That battery must be good? It worked when I probed the the screws on the breakers.

Time for a new meter.

A mechanical meter like that does not use the battery in volts mode -- only in resistance (ohms) mode.

I thought you said to put one probe on the right side up and down and check the other breaker the same red on top black on bottom?

I was afraid I did not explain well. I should have used 4 different labels for the screws.

 

[twistedDNA]

Time for a new meter.

A mechanical meter like that does not use the battery in volts mode -- only in resistance (ohms) mode.


I was afraid I did not explain well. I should have used 4 different labels for the screws.

Maybe if I get some good sleep we can get this straightened out tomorrow?
Thank you for your time

 

[twistedDNA]

Finally got the pump pulled and put in a barrel of water it turns on for about 20-30 seconds then shuts off. It says UtilitechPro made in USA on top bottom says Franklin Electric made in Mexico.
My brother thinks the pump is no good to just replace it.
Haven't had water since May.

 

[Craigpump]

Haven't had water since May? Are you kidding me? My wife would have me in divorce court after 2 days!!!

Replace the pump AND wire.

 

[twistedDNA]

Haven't had water since May? Are you kidding me? My wife would have me in divorce court after 2 days!!!?

Replace the pump AND wire.

Its for irrigating my garden and yard. I'm also on city water but I filter that with a whole house filter but only inside. I don't want chlorine and toxins in the plants I eat. So I had to buy another filter that you attach to a hose.

My neighbor has generously let me use her well as hers improved significantly after mine went belly up.

Now replacing all of the wire, well no rain in months and the ground is like cement and I'd have to dig at least 4o ft and who knows how deep the well was put in decades ago.

My brother seems to think the problem lies in the control box on the pump otherwise it wouldn't run at all or one or both breakers would trip to tell me its the wiring?