RockfordPI
New Member
Trying to ascertain if I have a well issue, a pump issue, or BOTH.
200' well, drilled 2 years ago. Was getting around 7 GPM when driller left. Well was not used for 6 months after drill.
I have 1 HP three phase pump with an Adjustable Speed Drive running the pump. Pumping into a non-pressurized 3000 gal tank. I am at the far right hand side of the pump curve for the motor and pump. Motor is really too big, but still barely on the curve, and I can control that by adjusting the speed.
Pump end is Franklin 10FV1S4-2w230.
Currently I am getting about 1-2 GPM (if that) from the system.
The behavior is like well is going dry. Have a good stream, it pumps down to a trickle, stops, comes back to a trickle, then back to full stream. I can run it until it stops, turn it off for a while, then turn back on to full stream. All the signs of low water in well.
However, when I started the well back after the 6 month delay (same pump, motor, drive, etc) I noticed the ASD indicating pump was pulling 5.2 amps when rated for 4.0 amps. I adjusted the speed down to 42 HZ and amps fell back to around 3.5 and 42 HZ produces plenty of water when it is pumping.
So I have two things going on, low water production AND high amps on motor.
Is it possible that the pump itself is failing and the well is not running dry, the water level is just dropping below the ability of the damaged pump to move the water up the pipe? Can one or more stages in the pump fail without the entire pump failing?
I could be well running dry AND a motor issue I guess, but most of the time two problems together are not a coincidence.
If I were sure it was a low water issue, I would just call a driller and try to get on his schedule.
Short of pulling the pump, any good way to test whether this is pump, well, or both?
200' well, drilled 2 years ago. Was getting around 7 GPM when driller left. Well was not used for 6 months after drill.
I have 1 HP three phase pump with an Adjustable Speed Drive running the pump. Pumping into a non-pressurized 3000 gal tank. I am at the far right hand side of the pump curve for the motor and pump. Motor is really too big, but still barely on the curve, and I can control that by adjusting the speed.
Pump end is Franklin 10FV1S4-2w230.
Currently I am getting about 1-2 GPM (if that) from the system.
The behavior is like well is going dry. Have a good stream, it pumps down to a trickle, stops, comes back to a trickle, then back to full stream. I can run it until it stops, turn it off for a while, then turn back on to full stream. All the signs of low water in well.
However, when I started the well back after the 6 month delay (same pump, motor, drive, etc) I noticed the ASD indicating pump was pulling 5.2 amps when rated for 4.0 amps. I adjusted the speed down to 42 HZ and amps fell back to around 3.5 and 42 HZ produces plenty of water when it is pumping.
So I have two things going on, low water production AND high amps on motor.
Is it possible that the pump itself is failing and the well is not running dry, the water level is just dropping below the ability of the damaged pump to move the water up the pipe? Can one or more stages in the pump fail without the entire pump failing?
I could be well running dry AND a motor issue I guess, but most of the time two problems together are not a coincidence.
If I were sure it was a low water issue, I would just call a driller and try to get on his schedule.
Short of pulling the pump, any good way to test whether this is pump, well, or both?