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Well pump fuses keep tripping, can't figure out why
Asked Oct 15, 2011, 02:10 PM
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19 Answers 100 ft well. 6 weeks ago the 2 15Amp breakers started tripping periodically. Came to a head a few weeks ago when resetting breakers did not restart pump. Assumed (incorrectly I believe now) that the pump was bad, replaced with help from neighbors, 3/4 HP utilitech pump, 2 wire franklin motor. Had to fool with the pressure switch to get it to start but start it did, but would blow the fuse about once a week. Pressure switch went bad last Sunday, though I would get smart and call a plumber, he replaced 30/50 with a 40/60. Nipple leading to the switch was pretty jammed up, had been there for quite some time. New pressure switch blew the next day (Monday) plumber came back out to replace (another 40/60). THAT switch blew up the next day, another plumber came out and replaced with a 30/50, advised call an electrician. Electrician was out Wednesday. Measured amps at breaker. Seeing variable startup surge, anywhere between 10 and 30 amps. Electrician was not sure if that was normal or not, everything I read indicates it is but I certainly don't know. He did replace the 2 individual 15 Amp breakers with a dual breaker. Went out to the well head and discovered that the grounding wire coming up from the pump had come out of the wire nut. Re-did that. Pump and all has been fine for 3 days, laundry showers etc. Fuse tripped again today. Only thing I can think to do is pull the pump back up re-wire with a new wire. At wits end with this! Any ideas? |
19 Answers
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| Matt, are you using buried cable? If so, then turn your breaker off and unhook the cable from the switch. Make sure the wires are not touching. Turn the breaker back on. See if the breaker throws. If it doesn't, then the problem is after the switch. Sound like an above ground pump. Correct? If not, then did you replace the cable going to the pump in the well? | ||||
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| Speedball, the electrician did use an amp-probe and we saw anywhere from 10 to 26 amps on startup, only long enough to flash across the meter (much less than a second, at least while we were watching it.) That's normal isn't it? I'm wondering if it's pulling that longer the times the breaker trips (when we're NOT watching it). | ||||
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| jlisenbe, I would tend to agree. The circuit initially tripped (for the first time in ~6 years) while we were on vacation (naturally). Was told by the neighbor that there had been a nasty storm the previous night. Possible the wire down to the well is damaged? | ||||
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| Before pulling pump, I would run a new cable (above ground) from switch to well head. If problem goes away replace cable to well head. If problem does not go away pull pump and replace wire down the well. Sounds like a lightening strike from six years ago is finally catching up with you. | ||||
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| Everyone, thanks for all the input. I think I may have overlooked something pretty obvious: The pump is short cycling. Just flushing the toilet (~3 gallons, right?) the pressure will drop from 50 to 30, and the pump will cycle, and a few more pounds will run off. The tank appears to be a 36 gallon (should hold ~15 gallons of water?) so clearly it's waterlogged or something(pressure was topped off when the switch was replaced. Would this cause the motor to overheat and throw the fuses? | ||||
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