Well pump dead need advice:

I have a deep well pump that is dead this morning.
The control was replaced a few months ago because of a lightning strike.
Today the pump is dead again.
The control has 5 posts. 2 for 240 power
1 for start and 2 for the motor.
Can anyone tell me what ohm readings I should get across the start and motor leads ?
I have a call in for repair Monday.

Thanks

For my 1/2 hp. submersible I have this:

using Y(Comm) for both readings...

Y - B= ~5 ohms

Y - R= ~20 ohms

where B= (Main) Run winding
and R= Start winding

Your down lead wiring could add a little ~2 ohms...depending on the length.

Anything way off of these values is not good.

Report back your findings.

Check this manual (scroll down to the trouble shooting section):

http://www.franklin-electric.com/aim-manual.aspx

My readings are all over the place and not the same each time.
I take this to be not good news. I have the pump that pumps
creek water for the garden hooked up to take care of toilets
and bathing. I'm sure the pump service will be in touch Monday.
Thanks for your replies.

Tom

tsb wrote:My readings are all over the place and not the same each time.
I take this to be not good news. I have the pump that pumps
creek water for the garden hooked up to take care of toilets
and bathing. I'm sure the pump service will be in touch Monday.
Thanks for your replies.

Tom

You would get bad readings depending how they are taken.

I didn't think of this till now, but the readings need to be taken independent of the control panel...take reading on wiring electrically removed from control circuit. Mine here does get electrically removed as soon as I remove/open the cover to access the wiring...yours may be different.

chances are one of the wire broke
if you take the cap off with help you could lift out the pump.
When the repair is made make sure they install extra anti torque supressors
The pumps starts and twists in the hole after 6 year with out enough anti torque the wire breaks

The pump is at least 20 years in the well. The well
is 340 ft deep. It's on steel pipe. They have to tripod yank
the pipe and pump. It's going to be a big expensive job.
It could just be the control, but I doubt it.

tsb wrote: The well is 340 ft deep.

Well ,now that's a deep subject. I have one myself, and hate to think about having to remove it. When something goes bad ,I like to take care of it myself, but that is one I would need assistance with.

I would isolste at least one lead to the pump motor, check resistance to each lead and each lead to ground. Each motor lead to ground should be very high. Resistance between the two leads shoul be boht 5 to 8 to ohms. If you aren't kicking breakers it is unlikely there is a shorted motor. Is tbe pressure switch working? I can tell you how to check but we are playing with 240.

CS Garber will be here by 10:00 this morning.
Yes it did kick the breaker.
Thanks for your help.

Again silly obvious thoughts. These days plumbers sometimes put in M4 units to protect the pump from sucking too much water. When a minimum pressure has been reached a spring opens the relay. Just restoring power or whatever does not turn the water on you need to hold the spring closed until the water pressure reaches 30 pounds or so. You take off the cover to the relay and watch it happen and see that the contacts stay closed. This puzzled me for hours until as a desperate last resort I read the instructions. Really stupid as I originally bought and installed the thing for that reason. Of course you have thought of this one.

If you have New York plumbers be next to the fainting couch when you get the quote. You can remove the pump by hiring two Teramites ( or by borrowing two tractors with loaders) for a day. Details on request.

coalnewbie wrote:If you have New York plumbers be next to the fainting couch when you get the quote. You can remove the pump by hiring two Teramites ( or by borrowing two tractors with loaders) for a day. Details on request.

I used a loader on one pump pull. Pipe wrench was brake. (Kids don't try this at home)
On another pull, I used a engine hoist. That went slow, but we got it done.

Pump was dead. 21 years is not too bad.
Should be out and back in by the time I get home today.
Price ? Probably going to be a Youch !

I used a loader on one pump pull. Pipe wrench was brake. (Kids don't try this at home)
On another pull, I used a engine hoist. That went slow, but we got it done.

One loader is OK but slower. The best way is to have hot and cold running servants to do it for you as in my case it was 5F and I was more than a little anxious for it to be completed...... Nobody knows the trouble I've seen..... then my local idiot helper at the time as plowing the upper riding ring and backed the cletrac into my water water shut off valve and it started spouting out of the ground and I had to dig down 6'and fix it. Things were better then as the temperature had soared to 9F. I was thinking of jumping off the roof but it was too icy to get up there.