Well pump (temporarily) didn't pump

[Bluemoon2k]

Ok I have a steel bladderless tank with a Square D 40/60 pressure switch.

We had no water. I go out to check the system and the pressure switch was closed (on). But no water in tank and no pump running.

I check the breaker and checked for power and all was well.

So I then pull the switch back, it re-closes and the pump kicks on. After this, it seems to be running fine. I have ran numerous refill cycles.

I'm trying to figure out the culprit.

Can the pumps shut themselves off if a switch fails? If so, since the tank was empty and the switch was closed (on), I'm assuming it filled fine, but the switch never released, so the pump shut ITSELF off, then water was then drained from the tank.

If the pumps can't switch themselves off, then it seems this might be a problem with the pump and re-setting the switch "jolted" the pump back on.

Any ideas?

 

[Reach4]

Is this a 2-wire (plus ground maybe) pump or 3-wire pump (with a control box)?

Also, did you measure 240 vac to the pump (typically terminals 2 and 3 on the pressure switch)?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bluemoon2k]

Is this a 2-wire (plus ground maybe) pump or 3-wire pump (with a control box)?

Also, did you measure 240 vac to the pump (typically terminals 2 and 3 on the pressure switch)?

2 wire....and as it is now, yes 240 on 2 and 3

Not sure what voltage was before when the switch was "on" and the pump wasnt running

 

[Reach4]

Could be the pump. Could be an intermittent splice. But the pump going out seems more likely to me. I am not a pro.

If it happens again, you could hold the pressure switch open with a bread clip or two, and measure resistance.

 

[Valveman]

Typical failure of a submersible pump. The pump has cycled on and off as many times as was built into it. The overload in the motor is tripping, which will auto reset after a few minutes. But it is tripping because of the damage to the pump caused by cycling on and off too many times. When you get the pump fixed, make it last several times longer by eliminating the cycling with a Cycle Stop Valve.