Pump Motor Hums

I have a 1/2 HP Myers RC5 pump on top of a 20 gallon pressure tank.

Recently I've noticed that the water pressure in the house would just stop and then a few seconds later it would be back strong.

I observed in the well house that when the water is being used the pressure slowly drops to 20 the pump then begins to hum and will sometimes kick on a few seconds later and pumps up to 40.

I can see the fan blades on the motor start to turn when the humming starts its like the fan will move about 2 inches and stop then another 2 inches and stop until the pump either kicks on and starts pumping or it gets hot and shuts down for a few minutes.

I searched the forum and found out about capacitors. I took one in to be tested and he said it was good and wondered if there was another capacitor
somewhere on the motor. The capacitor that I found was in a plastic case on the outside of the motor. Does it sound like a capacitor or am

I way off?

Oh I ment to say that when the pump starts to hum...the pressure which was dropping slowly SUDDENLY drops to ZERO.

Sounds like you need either a whole new pump-motor setup, or a replacement motor. Sometimes a motor costs more than the entire pump-motor. The pressure is dropping to zero because the pump didn't start and the bladder tank has run out of water, it will go from it's bladder pressure (2psi less than the cut on pressure) to zero in a second or less.

Rancher

Humming

This really bites...I had a myers pump for 20 years with no issues until it starting leakin out the seal. This one's only been in for 3 or 4 yrs.

That's why the average life of a pump is 7 years, it averages out... sucks sometimes.

Rancher

You said you have a Myers but called it an RC. This is the Big Box store version of a Myers, callet the Water Ace. It uses the cheapest motor you can possibly find. Your lucky it lasted that long.

You might want to check the bladder in your Big Box tank too. It's probably what took out the motor.

bob...

So by bladder, do you mean the air bladder in the tank? if so...it's ok I added air thinking I needed to and then wound up removing air and I got no water out of the air nozzel. The pressure switch seems to be cutting in and out where it should. When the motor starts humming and trying to start I sometimes unplug it and then plug it back in and it will sometimes start quicker this way.

If I have to go so far as to replace the motor then I'll probably just borrow some green and get a submersible 1HP...my wife wants more water pressure than the 20/40 we have now.

If you have a well larger than 2.5 inches you can go with a submersible pump. Submersible Pumps
A 1/2hp sub would give your wife all the pressure she needs and then some. If you really want super pressure get a CSV, it will give her constant pressure all the time the pump is running. Cycle Stop Valves
Adding air to your tank and taking some out is not really going to solve anything unless you know how much to add. The fact that water didn't come out of the valve stem does not necessarilly mean the tank is still good. To read more about how bladder tanks work go here.
bob...

No Moe Hummin

took the back cover off that covers the fan, checked wire connections to the 115V / 230V switch and all other electrical connections inside the capacitor box, removed a loose screw that was laying in the box and wha la...
no moe hummin. I'll keep an eye and an ear on it for a few days though to make sure it doesn't revert back to the dreaded hummin.

I don't know if the fan was hitting the cover or an electrical connection wasn't making contact but I'm having a beer.

You should have left the loose screw in, it's part of the quality control that is built into every one of those offshore pumps.

bob...