Submersable Pump - 220 volt - Capacitor Overheating - Pump Shutting Off
My 220 volt submersable well pump stopped working. We took the capacitor in to be checked one day and it was fine. The next day we took the relay in and it checked out. The following day I pressed on one of the wires that goes to capacitor and the well came on.
The wire was old so I knew it should be replaced. I went out to get the wire and saw that the capacitor was blown. Liquid dripping and a hole between the prongs.
I then went into town and got a new capacitor and replacement wires. I installed the capacitor and wires to the diagram that I made two years ago (and re-affirmed it was correct before taking the parts into town).
We run the well off a generator. I started the generator and waited a couple of minutes and then flipped the switch and the well started pumping. I can tell because the engine bogs down when the well comes on. After 2 or 3 minutes the well went off (there is no pressure in the tank). I shut everything down and found that the capacitor was very hot.
After it cooled down we flipped the switch again and I went and listened by the relay. It was clicking like crazy.
Why would the capacitor get so hot and is the relay supposed to click a lot?
I do have 240 volts coming from the generator and going to the well.
Thank you. I would really like to take a shower (I'm probably not the only one that wants me too).