pump trips breaker

showcrop · Dec 18, 2008

I got home today and found out that after six and a half days my electricity was back on. After awhile though I noticed that my water pressure was down from what it was when I first got home. I checked the breaker and it was tripped. I reset it and it tripped after about three seconds. If I take the neutral off the pressure switch the breaker holds but with the hot on it trips. I don't see that it could be anything but the pump motor. The pump is a submersible about 85 ft. down. Any ideas?

buickanddeere · Dec 18, 2008

120 or 240V pump? Do you mean neutral or ground wire, some people mix the terms for the two different items.
Does the motor run and pump water with the alternate connections?
Is it single phase with a starting relay? The relay could be burned open or shorted closed.

showcrop · Dec 18, 2008

It is a 2 wire 240 V installation with no relay, just the pressure switch. Single phase.
I did not try alternate connections. I just tried it with first just the white and then just the black. Thanks.

HENRY E NC · Dec 18, 2008

Limited in electricity but knowledgeable with pumps.I would first sat that unless you have a 3 wire connection, there is no nuetral on a 240 as both legs are each 120. Seems as if one leg is grounded to throw the breakeer. the breaker. Seem to me you are either 120 or there is a wire missing

buickanddeere · Dec 18, 2008

As Henry said. If that is really a 240v pump. Both the white and black have 120 to neutral on them. And 240V between the white and black wires.
The bare copper should be connected to the switch's metal frame/body.
Time to megger the pump motor and find out if it's shorted to ground. Then use an ohm meter to check for shorted windings.
A high voltage surge or spike while lines fell on each other may have damaged the motor.
Odds are the pump will have to come up.
New pumps have a simpler/more reliable three phase motor down the well. And a variable speed drive that converts your hydro service's single phase to three phase at the top of the well for the motor.

dave guest · Dec 19, 2008

Showcrop, if I read you right, you have 2 wires, 240 volts, pump motor in well and pressure switch to stop and start. There is no neutral and pump probably is bad as you have determined. However if any other wiring or controls is used it would make a difference. Please post with full story when solved.

Jim H SW-PA · Dec 19, 2008

If that has two starting capacitors it may have one or both bad and trying to run on starting windings. with the extra drag causing the breaker to kick out.

JDemaris · Dec 19, 2008

240 volt pumps come two ways,and most have Franklin motors. Some have the starting capacitors in the house and some are down the well. If your's are down the well, it's time to pull the pump. If your "start box" is in the house, check it first.

Assuming you've got a well that was put in after 1960 (or around that time) - you've got a pitless adapter which makes pulling the pump easy. Just reach down with a long piece of threaded water-pipe, thread it into the pitless adapter, and pull the pump and all the pipe up. Make sure your pipe has something big enough on top to prevent it from falling into your well. Usually 1 1/2" or 2" pipe. I've pulled many by myself that were 200' deep. Not very heavy except for all the water in the pipe.

john *.?-!.* cub owner · Dec 19, 2008

Sounds like you have a short to case of your pump, or a damaged wire below the water level,either one will take one side of the 220 back to ground and trip the breaker. either way you will have to pull the pump.

pump trips breaker

showcrop

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buickanddeere

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showcrop

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HENRY E NC

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buickanddeere

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dave guest

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Jim H SW-PA

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JDemaris

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john .?-!. cub owner

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