Pump motor only hums

[JChad]

I am not sure if this is the right place to ask a motor problem, so advise me if not.

I have a water well with a vertically mounted 1.5 hp motor on top (jet pump). The motor was replaced a year ago at the cabin, so being where it is, it is not used very much. In a visit, I found that the pump was not working. For full disclosure, I will let you know that the circuit breaker is along the coast so corrosion is common, and I found that only one wire of the 240v was active. When I flipped the breaker off and on, both were active. However when power is switched on at the pump, the motor only hums. I removed it from the well and determined that the shaft turns freely, but again it only hums when power is supplied even with no load.

I understand that this type of motor is also commonly used on pool pumps. It has a capacitor in the "head" of the motor, along with some other wiring goodies - one item looks like a thermal breaker.

Anyone have an idea of what to do with this? Any tests to perform, or should I just buy another and hope that it lasts for more than a year?

 

[Reach4]

Step 1 is to replace the capacitor. That is a "start" capacitor. If that does not do it, replace the pump. I am not a pro.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bgard]

there is also a start switch in the end bell of the motor, it will have two copper looking fingers with contact points at the ends, if corrosion is a problem they are most likely corroded and not making the starting circuit closed, slide a piece of emory cloth between the contacts and clean them up and then spray with contact cleaner to remove grit from emory cloth

 

[JChad]

Step 1 is to replace the capacitor ...

there is also a start switch in the end bell of the motor ...

I have seen those finger contacts. Haven't done anything with them yet.
I swapped out the capacitor but when I tested, I found that there is now a short somewhere/somehow.

I will backtrack and continue to investigate.

 

[Reach4]

I will backtrack and continue to investigate.

Take some photos while you are in there. If you successfully fix this, you may decide to post one or two later. Pictures could be useful to somebody in the future.