Water Pump Control & Switch Leaks & Wiring Failures

Water Pump Control Switch Leaks
Water Pump Control Switch Wiring Failures

Overheating / Melting Electrical Wires at Pump or Pump Control Q&A

Diagnose & fix overheating submersible pump control box - melting the wire

My submersible control box relay for s 1.5hp is heating up such that it's even melting the cable, but the pump is OK.

Wwhat could be the problem?On 2018-10-13 by Davies

Solution by (mod) -

Davies: melting electrical wires often means that very high (dangerous) levels of current (amps) are being drawn on your pump circuit.

First, despite your comment that you think the well pump is OK, a well pump motor that is failing, perhaps with bad bearings, drawing excessive current

Or high current draw might be one of the following:

A control switch relay that has welded contacts

A loose wire or connection

Low voltage supply to the system - the pump will draw more current if it's not being supplied with adequate voltage.

Less common in residential well pump installations: current imbalance among the three legs of a three-phase electrical circuit powering your pump

or of course something else I've not thought-of

See this Grundfos Pump Co. Article: What should be done if the pump motor's current exceeds full load current? [Website]

Water pump is smoking and smells funny

Water pump is smoking and smells funny like burned water. Similar to when your car overheats.

I have blown a least 6 fuses and I'm beginning to think that it is something simple like a cap or valve.

Well pump and tank are housed inside of a shack and behind the shack is the following spigot. Water is spurting out of the faucet thingie which I'm assuming is a release mechanism. Anyways I need water and can't afford to buy another pump On 2018-04-18 by Jayhayden311

by (mod) -

Jay

Your description sounds like your well pump motor has seized though shorted pump wires can also blow fuses.

Watch out: Do not keep replacing fuses - you risk an electrical fire or fatal electric shock.

You need help from a licensed electrician on-site. S/he can measure the pump current draw and can check the wiring for a short circuit or damage. Then we'll know if the repair is to the wiring or if you need a new pump.

Daniel Friedman

Pump Pressure Control Switch Water Leak FAQs

LEAK at pressure control switch for the water pump

We have a well for the first time, yesterday saw a leak where a thin rubber hose (like a gas line on a mower) connects to the pressure switch. Cut a piece of the hose off and reattached thinking it was a split in the hose but it kept leaking. It has a nipple on the the bottom of the pressure switch that seems to be plastic ?

Not knowledgable about these at all but work on my cars and mower all the time along with running electrical basics so I`m not scared to do it but do I need to replace the whole switch or is that part on the bottom the only thing ? Its a trailer cottage up north but water sure is handy to have ! Appreciate any help. (Feb 21, 2012) gary

Reply:

Gary, the leak you describe is probably at a tube that allows the pressure switch to sense water pressure, thus controlling turning the water pump on and off. if the leak can be repaired by gently tightening the fittings at either end try that. If the leak is in the tube itself or its fittings won't stop leak then those parts need to be replaced.

In that case you'll need to turn off the pump, drain pressure from the system, remove the parts, stop by your local plumbing supply house and show them what you've got so that can obtain easily-installed repair parts.

Details are at

• WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL REPAIR


• WATER PUMP PRESSURE SWITCH INSTALL / REPLACE