Pressure switch issue? or something else...

18031 Views 8 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Plumber101, Jul 11, 2009

rp4985

Discussion Starter · Jul 10, 2009

Hello,

We recently had a plumber out to check why our well pump would short cycle and would run even though there was no water use. We have a 1/3 hp 115v 2-wire submersible pump (according to the control box) with a 110ft well. We have no other information for the pump without pulling it. The house was built in 1966 and everything is original, never been replaced.

The plumber said it was the control box (capacitor and relay were bad), pressure tank (waterlogged), and pressure switch (not really sure), among other pieces/parts. I thought everything was fine until the pump would trip the circuit breaker (15A) when there was a large demand for it to run (laundry, shower, etc.) Every other demand was fine. The new tank is a Well-X-Trol 202-XL with a precharge of 38 psig. The control box is a Franklin 115v 1/2hp #2801044915 and the pressure switch is a Square D 9013 FSG-2, 40 on/60 off

They told us the pump itself is bad and "pushed" (to say it mildly) to come out and replace it for their "special" price. I have heard after he came out about some issues with other customers in the past.

It seemed a bit fishy the way they were doing things, so I decided to do some research myself and found that the pressure switch he installed was different (originally a 30/50 of the same type) and the settings were way off. He had it set 22 on (if the breaker doesn't trip), 40 off with this switch. The control box originally was a Franklin 1/3hp 115v 8.9A #2801020103. The original tank was unknown, it was corroded beyond recognition.

Would any of these issues cause a breaker to trip? I didn't have access to an amp meter, but I was planning to pull the pump and replace it myself this weekend if it is needed, but wanted to cover all other possibilities before I go for it.

Thanks!

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Gary Slusser

· #7 · Jul 11, 2009

rp4985 said:
Hello,

We recently had a plumber out to check why our well pump would short cycle and would run even though there was no water use.

The plumber said it was the control box (capacitor and relay were bad), pressure tank (waterlogged), and pressure switch (not really sure), among other pieces/parts. I thought everything was fine until the pump would trip the circuit breaker (15A) when there was a large demandfor it to run (laundry, shower, etc.) Every other demand was fine. The new tank is a Well-X-Trol 202-XL with a precharge of 38 psig. The control box is a Franklin 115v 1/2hp #2801044915 and the pressure switch is a Square D 9013 FSG-2, 40 on/60 off

They told us the pump itself is bad and "pushed" (to say it mildly) to come out and replace it for their "special" price. I have heard after he came out about some issues with other customers in the past.

When a pump runs when there is no known water use, there is an unknown water use; commonly called a leak.

It can not be caused by a pressure tank and it can only be the switch IF the points are stuck closed AND, the pressure is higher than what is supposed to cause the points to open and shut off power to the pump. Does that make sense?

So there is a leak, shut off the water past the pressure tank, watch the pressure gauge for 5-10 minutes and see if the pressure falls, if it does the leak is between the tank and the foot valve or check valve in the well' jet pumps have a foot valve , submersibles have a check vlave in or on their outlet. If there is a check valve at the pressure tank, the above will not work because that check valve hides a leak between it and the check or foot valve. That's why there should be only one, and it should be in the well.

Do not hire plumbers that are not willing or capable of pulling drop pipe and/on submersible pumps, and only few are. A pump guy or well driller is best. And never replace anything without proof that it is bad and the cause of the problem.

Your power cable may be undersized for the size of the new pump or, shorting out or, there may be something wrong with the shrink warp he used to connect it to the motor pigtails (they must be water proof) and something is shorting out. Or a bad motor.

You need someone to do the proper ohms, conductivity and amp tests before you do anything.

Get a multimeter and amp gauge and roam around here:
http://www.franklin-electric.com/business/WaterSystems/service/AIM/page-45.aspx

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