electricity to water pump?


  #1  
Old 10-10-01, 06:49 AM
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Hi!
We have a drilled well with a submersible pump and storage tank in the house. We've had problems with it pumping when we use the water... generally, flipping the breaker to it kicks it on. We've had no luck with that method yesterday or today and now have no water. We turned the power off to it and removed the Motor & Control box by Franklin Electric which has apparently been bypassed by a previous owner. Now the electricity goes directly from the submersible pump to the tank in the house. It seems that no electricity is moving through. Can we re-route it through this box?
Thanks so much for any advice you can give!!
K & A Johnson
 
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Old 10-10-01, 07:50 AM
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Now when we flip the breaker back on, the electricity meter outside spins like crazy and the breaker flips itself back to the neutral position?!?
Thanks again!
K & A Johnson
 
  #3  
Old 10-10-01, 09:57 AM
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K & A,
Apparently, you have a hot-wired pump that you turn off and on with the breaker to it?
You may have nothing more than a loose or corroded connection, or a bad breaker, or ?
What type of breaker does it have? Single-pole or double pole (has to do if the pump is wired for 110v or 220v)?
The pressure switch, which is controlled by the pressure tank, has apparently been by-passed for some reason.
If it is on a single-pole breaker, the pressure switch and pump motor are 110v, and you should have a hot (positive) black wire, a neutral (negative) white wire, and a bare ground wire (goes to green screw on pressure switch).
If it is on a double-pole breaker, it is 220v, and both the black and white would be hot (no neutral with 220v).
Do you have an electrical tester (voltage meter) and know how to use it?
If you do, test it out, let us know more info, and we'll try to help you.
Mike
 
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Old 10-10-01, 01:11 PM
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Hi, Mike!
We only used the breaker to turn the pump on and off when we used lots of water and it didn't turn itself on.
We're not sure if it is 110 or 220. Coming in from outside are three wires: red, black and yellow. They seem to go to the breaker, from there, to the pressure switch. My husband bought a voltage meter today but we can't seem to get power long enough to test. The longest test he got showed 105. We can hear and feel the power going to the tank when we flip it on, but it pretty quickly flips the breaker back to neutral.
Thanks again!!
Andrea & Kevin
 
  #5  
Old 10-10-01, 02:52 PM
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Based on your posts, I highly recommend that you call a plumber or electrician to properly (and safely) repair your problem.
You can watch what they do, ask questions, and learn (that's how most of us did it).
Good Luck!
Mike
 
 

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