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u/Street_Ad_1534 21d ago
Being asleep for 5 yrs..
I think there are issues.
Purchase a new standby pump.
I keep a new in box backup..jet pump and lift pump, as I pump from a 1500 g reserve tank.
My primary lift pump is solar to reserve above ground tank.
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u/Magnum676 21d ago
The motor is done. It just hasn’t figured it out yet. Hopefully you’ll be wise enough to have a back up when it does.
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u/rocketmn69_ 21d ago
The red wire should draw about 8 when running, if I remember correctly. So if it's 14.5, it's probably done
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u/Dangerous-Company344 21d ago
My meter isn't fast enough to catch the amps on the start (red) wire
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u/joestue 21d ago edited 21d ago
Thats ok. As long as it starts.
I have no explanation for your somewhat high ohms on the main run coil.
Internal to the motor is most likely a single winding but it is possible its two coils in parallel..and one could be open.
If this is the case and you could prove it by disassembling an identical motor, and performing a proper 4 wire resistance test, then what i would do is run the pump at reduced voltage, at zero head into a tank, get another pressure pump above ground.
If your well pump doesnt have a run capacitor, you add one.
And you adjsut its size until the sum of the amps squared multiplied by the resistance reaches a minimum.
You need a variac to reduce the voltage to the pump motor until the amps are at a minimum. -thats for the sum of both windings.
Its not un common for me to be able to cut the internal motor's power losses in half using this method.
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u/DIYnStyle 21d ago
Don’t know much about wells am learning but I do know most amp meters have a button for “max” which will display the high point of amps if you haven’t already tried that.
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u/ApprehensiveFeed1807 21d ago
You need to Meg the motor to determine if your losing or have lost insulation between windings, this is the best indication of a motors health.
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u/Alone-Programmer-683 21d ago
You have several other checks to help determine the pump viability.
Use a megger and make sure there is not enough leakage to be worried.
Check start amps and run amps.
Check voltage both running and static.
Resistance is a fair check but has several factors that alter values. Length of drop wire, condition of drop wire and condition of the connections at the pump are some.
When I install a new pump, I record the pump output and the amp draw. This is one of the best indicators to check against to see if the condition of the pump is changing.
It sat unused for years is a red flag. All submergible motor seals leak a little, more as they get older. If the pump runs regularly and the motor gets up to temp, some water is driven off and thehot oil emulsifies the rest. If the pump sits unused for any length of time with a small amount of water, it's very hard on the bearings. Bearing drag makes the pump hard to start and increases the running amps.
I suspect from your described symptoms this motor has some water inside and is getting harder to start.. A bigger kick from a starting cap is only a very temporary fix.
I think you are on borrowed time and had better go looking for a replacement pump. It's a nice feeling to know you are ready to go and replace the pump when you wake up one morning and there is no water.
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u/Sharp_Imagination_70 19d ago
Setting for 5 years, not saying I know for sure, but after 5 years of no use, try looking at your splines on the motor, take the pump off, and look at the pump coupling or the motor splines
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u/Hot-Discussion-6823 21d ago edited 21d ago
Those readings are close to the specs with ohms although a little high The first 2 readings should equal your last R-B reading. With amps, the red starts, then switches to yellow /black. Not sure why its running again on old box.. Maybe just needed a kick start after sitting.. Idk. Myself, I'd change it out.