Hey all!

I have been having these water problems lately and can't seem to figure it out.
It seems that after this second pressure switch I bought, the lead connections and wires melt so that they can not reach far enough to connect. I have had 2 people come out and replace the pressure switch, but it seems to keep happening. When the connectors dislodge, there is no water or power to the pump. We also got a new gage as well. The switch is set for 20/60. It's the 2 center connectors that melt. I am not good at this kind of stuff so let me know if you need any other info. Thanks for any help!!


Tim

Are the conductors under those connections aluminum? Are the screws torqued down correctly?

Loose connections get hot when there is significant current through them. Melted wire nuts are great examples.

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Originally Posted by 12kokki

Hey all!

I have been having these water problems lately and can't seem to figure it out.
It seems that after this second pressure switch I bought, the lead connections and wires melt so that they can not reach far enough to connect. I have had 2 people come out and replace the pressure switch, but it seems to keep happening. When the connectors dislodge, there is no water or power to the pump. We also got a new gage as well. The switch is set for 20/60. Its the 2 center connectors that melt. I am not good at this kind of stuff so let me know if you need any other info. Thanks for any help!!!


Tim

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Thanks for the reply!!

I am not sure if the conductors are made of aluminum. Looks like copper actually and it doesn't give info on the box or instructions. Also the website is under construction, as the pressure switch is a Parts2o brand. And yes the screws are torqued down correctly. But, one wire can not connect to the load connection because the wire melted back. On my last pressure switch, where there are 4 screws, it melted the plastic frame on the load screws. Hmm... would that mean there is a problem with the motor since the connectors for Motor Leads since the plastic around the Load Connections is melting? Thanks for your help!!

What I meant to say is, "could it be the motor since the Motor Leads(from the motor) and plastic around the Load Connections(2 inside screws) are melting?" Sorry...

You don't need a plumber. You need an electrician. It certainly sounds like either your pump is drawing too much current, or your wiring is possibly too small to carry that much load.

I am not aware that you can still buy aluminum wiring, but old wiring could certainly be aluminum.

Thanks for the reply!!

That sounds about what I was thinking. I will get an electrician here to look at it then. I will post back what happens in case someone else has this same problem. I hope it can hold out for a little bit till I can afford it. Thanks!!

You might want to move this post to the electrical board.

Do let us know how it works out. It can be helpful for future posts.

Hey!

Sure let me know how and I will move this post. Yeah, once I find out I will definitely post back. Thanks again!!

Speedball, would it be advisable for him to move his post? If so, how would he do it?

Due to the troubleshooting that is needed, this is exactly what I would recommend:

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Originally Posted by 12kokki

Thanks for the reply!!!

That sounds about what I was thinking. I will get an electrician here to look at it then. I will post back what happens in case someone else has this same problem. I hope it can hold out for a little bit till I can afford it. Thanks!!!

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Loose connections can overheat and melt wires. Aluminum wires are safe when used with co/al connections. Have someone check the amperage of the motor when it is running. For this to happen twice makes me believe that it's not the switch, but the wiring or the pump motor at fault.

Thanks again for the great info!

I got someone coming tomorrow to look. He is going to check the pump motor since it that what it sounds like to him. I will post back when I find out more. Yeah, the switch seems to work fine, it just seems to be the current running from the motor leads to the load, as that's where the plastic is melting including the wires. Also this is the second brand new power switch in a month. Maybe the pump motor got shocked by a power surge and is going crazy, since I do live in Florida, hehe. Well, I'll let you all know, thanks!

How many amps does the motor draw? What is the amperage rating of the switch? What size circuit is it? Even with a failing motor I would expect a properly rated switch to last long enough for the properly sized breaker to trip.

Hey all!

Sorry for taking so long to post back. I wanted to make sure everything was in order before I gave my solution.

Well it seemed I got a hold of 2 bad pressure switches. I thought it seemed weird that I was getting a type of meltdown, yet the breaker never switches. So, I guess I had a bad stream of luck at the store I bought them at. So if anyone has the same sounding problem as I have, take the switch back and get a different one from a different store as it could be a bad batch. Thanks for everyone's help! I greatly appreciate it! Happy Holidays!!

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Originally Posted by 12kokki

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Well it seemed I got a hold of 2 bad pressure switches.<snip>

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That is REALLY strange. Especially if they are from a reputable manufacturer.

I once thought I got 2 bad gas water heater control modules, turns out that the "bad units" (they were the mfgrs replacement for the original part# with all the same connections) could not be wired up the same as the original unit. It was only a subtle wiring change, but I had to read all instructions and do the required changes in order for the 3rd one to work. A DIYer most likely would have had to call a professional to fix that one. I am not proud of the fact that the manufacturer got 2 ruined units returned as faulty, but I didn't catch it until I was on my 3rd one.

Make certain you understand exactly what you are doing when you do repair work like this.

My tag line applies to me too.