Irrigation well balky starting

Karl, You don't mention if it is 3phase or not.... if it is single phase, would there be a centrifugal starting switch inside the motor that needs work.... Ken.

Thanks for the advice.

I'll get me all new capacitors tommorrow.

I'm out of apples too. I left for FL for six weeks. The kid forgot to check the cooler and everything froze when it got down to -30 for a week. I can't eat those store apples - bananas and oranges for me till August.

Karl

Yo! Karl,

$$$ Five grand you say? This advice isn't gonna be free. You ready? Aw, what the Hell, here it is anyway. Just send me a sack of apples next year. And my advice is:

Assuming the pump ran OK when you got it all bumped up, do this: Replace the start capacitor first; then the run capacitor if it is still sluggish. It may be only the start cap is failing. but depending on the design, the run cap could be involved also. Replace the start cap and see what happens.

Most likely problem and easiest/cheapest to diagnose via R&R.

Hi, Karl.

Easy to just replace the caps, but here is a test method that might come in handy :

Personally, I also would check for voltage drop at the pump service mains on start up, you might have a bad connection somewhere in the branch feeder wiring or elsewhere.

Once its properly running again, you might use a clamp-on ammeter and write down your start and run current readings on a piece of paper, date it and stick it within the controller box for future reference.

Cheers,

Never. Remember, these things are under X hundred feet of water. As far as I know, they are all 3-phase motors, and use essentially a static phase converter to run them, with a little derating. I know I've seen some with Cedarburg converters, exactly the same as you might use on a Bridgeport.

Jon

Ok, Jon, I'm not familiar with them. However, as someone else mentioned, there is probably some type of potential relay to disengage the start caps when up to speed - so I would "suppose" it's entirely possible that the potential relay is NOT making good contact at the tips, therefore not placing the starting caps in the circuit. Thanks. Ken.