vented well head

[Runekey_69]

hi

So I recently put spray foam on top of my wellhead because it had gaps in it and it also rocked the pump back-and-forth as it turned on and off. Within the past week my breaker has tripped twice due to the well pump so I figure that I created a pressure difference. I contacted a local professional and he said that it doesn’t matter if the wellhead is airtight or not. Also, I’ve seen people on this forum saying that. But as I found out today, that isn’t the case. I cut a hole in the top of the foam so that the well head has room to breathe, and when the pump ingauges and disengages There is a lot of air movement out the top. So I think I found my problem.

I just didn’t think it would be a problem to seal it off completely because my well back in Wisconsin didn’t seem to have a vent.. Maybe something with a pitless adapter I don’t know. But here’s a picture of my wall in Florida now.

Can anyone suggest a vented well cap for this setup?

 

[Reach4]

To answer to your question, what is under the foam? Is that a 3-inch PVC pipe, or what? And what is at the bottom of the drop pipe... is that a foot valve (combination check valve and strainer)?

When you put on a well seal on with a vent, the vent will have a screen that excludes insects.

I am not confident when a vent is needed or if lack of a vent can blow a breaker. I would be wondering if you could use a submersible pump with your well. Those draw a lot less power for a given amount of pumping. They don't need priming.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Runekey_69]

that is a 4.5 inch pvc. im not sure if it is a casing and it goes down all the way or if it is just on the surface for protection. then there is the 2 inch drop pipe which i think goes all the way down to bottom with a foot valve or maybe just a strainer... ill try to find out more.

 

[Chucky_ott]

I'm (very) far from being an expert but my guess would be that sealing the well head:

1. Is not allowing air in the PVC pipe as you're sucking water out. The pump may not be able to overcome the resulting vacuum.

And/or

2. Is affecting the recovery rate of the well. Your PVC pipe may not refill quickly enough because the displaced air has nowhere to go. And then the pump is encountering a run-dry condition.

But those are just guesses based on what I imagine would happen if I tried sucking on a straw inside a glass of water that was sealed.

Not sure how either of those conditions would affect amperage draw and resulting breaker trips. I'd have assumed the thermal protection on the pump might have tripped.

 

[Bannerman]

A well casing where the pump is located directly at the well head, will typically be equipped with a well seal, similar to this:

Where the white plug is shown threaded into the well seal, is where a screened vent would be installed, similar to this:

For wells utilizing a pitless adapter, a vented well casing cap similar to those in the photos below, would be often utilized:

I recently put spray foam on top of my wellhead because it had gaps in it

Spray foam normally requires protection from sunlight, as most foam is not UV tolerant. This will also apply to the PVC pipe shown in the photo you posted.

 

[Valveman]

As was said, a well needs to vent in and out as the water level goes up and down.

 

[Runekey_69]

dang it my breaker is still tripping even with the now vented well. this is the third time that it has happened since i originally sealed the thing. is it possible that my well pump got damaged by my sealing the well before?

here is a picture of the breaker for the pump. the first picture is from the home inspection i had before buying the house. the second picture is after having a surge protector installed 2 months ago. i dont know why the electricians did this, but they cut the wires short then spliced them back together....

its always a perfect storm with these things i never know what causes anything....

maybe i just need a new well pump though?

 

[Valveman]

hi

So I recently put spray foam on top of my wellhead because it had gaps in it and it also rocked the pump back-and-forth as it turned on and off.

Starving a pump for water will make it draw low amps, not high amps and will not trip a breaker. However, "turning on and off" (cycling) will overheat and destroy a motor, making it trip a breaker. Might try a new start capacitor before changing the pump/motor.

 

[Reach4]

Why does one photo show a breaker with a white ellipse to highlight it, and the other shows a different breaker? Or is it the same breaker after some changes have been made?

1. Are you sure the pump is wired for 230 volts?
2. Does the breaker trip after the pump is already pumping for a while, or when it kicks on?
3. How many amps pass through one of the hots for the breaker powering the running pump? Use a clamp-around ammeter.
4. How many amps is the breaker?

 

[Runekey_69]

Why does one photo show a breaker with a white ellipse to highlight it, and the other shows a different breaker? Or is it the same breaker after some changes have been made?

1. Are you sure the pump is wired for 230 volts?
2. Does the breaker trip after the pump is already pumping for a while, or when it kicks on?
3. How many amps pass through one of the hots for the breaker powering the running pump? Use a clamp-around ammeter.
4. How many amps is the breaker?

the white shows before and after someone was in my panel...

the pump is wired correctly

5 amps through breaker when pump runs

breaker is adequate.


i just installed a new pump and seal and it tripped again last night. but it seemed fine when i took a shower and did some wash before.

i think the problem aside from sealing the well off making the pump work harder... may be that the wiring outside was double tapped, and the splices in the breaker box photo were kind of loose.


i hope it doesn't trip again tonight

 

[Reach4]

1. What is the pump motor... model number or at least HP?

2. How many amps is the breaker? Even a 230 v 1/2 HP that draws 5 amps would normally still get a 15 amp breaker.
EDIT: I now see the breaker is 20 amps.

 

[Runekey_69]

breaker tripped again.. there comes a knocking from the breaker panel before it trips.

the pump is a Everbilt 1 HP Convertible Jet Pump DP550C

breaker is a 120/240v

Is it possible that I have my pressure tank calibrated wrong? Could this cause circuit breaker trips? when my tank is empty it reads 28 psi, the tank reads 30 at cut on and 50 at cut off. i dont have a pressure guage attached to my system at all i was just using a pressure guage manually held to the air valve at the top of my pressure tank…

i calibrated the diaphram on the pump power to achieve this. i dont think i need the guage in…

 

[Runekey_69]

OK I just lost all water pressure in my house. And I checked the pressure tank and it read 25 psi… Which is as I’ve said well below the cut in as well as the empty pressure..

 

[Reach4]

I would expect a 1 HP 230 volt pump to draw more than 5 amps when running.

So new symptom now... pump is running but not developing water pressure, or the pump is not running.
1. What is the voltage between terminals 1 and 4 on the pressure switch?
2. What is the voltage between terminals 2 and 3 on the pressure switch?

Also note that you can readily get a garden hose thread pressure gauge, and put it on that spigot at the pump. The gauges are often available for 0-200psi although 0-100 is better if you have the choice.

 

[Runekey_69]

im not getting any volt right now. but at the breaker it says 240. i didnt check amps yesterday the electrician did.. he also said that the disconnect was doubletapped and removed from the fuse to splice them.. heres photos i get 230 v here

 

[Runekey_69]

im not getting any volt right now. but at the breaker it says 240. i didnt check amps yesterday the electrician did.. he also said that the disconnect was doubletapped and removed from the fuse to splice them.. heres photosView attachment 100192View attachment 100193 i get 230 v here

well tech support said i might have blown the start capacitor… wouldnt i still be getting volts at the pressure diaphram though????

 

[Valveman]

Don't look for problems with the pump, especially a new one, until you get the proper 230V to the motor terminals. Sounds like a wire or breaker problem, not a pump problem.

 

[Runekey_69]

yes i had volts last night. but had electrician over before and he conveniently told me he wanted to run a new line to the pump. i wonder if he took a spade to the line last night :0

 

[Valveman]

Anytime a spade goes in the ground, it seems to be able to find the electric line.

 

[Runekey_69]

problem???? lol this is right after the disconnect…. how tf