Well pump continues to run?

I am new to this site, but have a question for you experts out there. I have a standard 2500 gal poly tank for storage. I have a 500' well, with a 1 hp pump. The pump is powered up by a float in my tank, which in turn picks up a contactor in my panel. This contactor then feeds power through a Franklin Pumptec and Franklin CRC capacitor start/run controller.

The well is a very low yield well, about 1 gpm. I am using this well again, only because my water table has dropped, causing my primary well to cycle. I am not generating enough water on my primary to meet my daily needs, so I have reserected this old well.

My problem is that the well pump continues to pump about 1/2-1 gpm. Even with the new Pumptec, the pump will not shut down. Is the 1/2 gpm still meeting the motor load requirements of the pumptec, so it thinks the motor is still okay? Should I put in an additional timing relay? Thanks, Terry

As long as the pump is pumping water the Pumptec will not cut out, it is operating normally.

Is the pump not shutting off when the cistern gets full?

Rancher

Rancher, thanks for the reply. The pump does shut off when the water level reaches the tank float. I confirmed this by manually reaching in to the tank and lifting the float up. I was concerned about the pump running along with only about 1/2-1 gpm of water flowing through it. The pump is obviously pumping whatever water is flowing in to the well. I turned the pump off last night, even though I only had 1000 gals in the tank. I was afraid I would hurt the pump running all night with only 1/2-1 gpm going through it? I cranked her up this morning again. I have never had the pumptec shut down the pump, so I guess I can just leave her run, and see what happens. Probably costing me a lot of $$$ to only be pumping 1 gpm constantly?? TerryV

TerryV said:

Probably costing me a lot of $$$ to only be pumping 1 gpm constantly??

Click to expand...

I'm guessing that's all the capacity the pump has at 500', so since it's only a 1 GPM well, I'd say the pump is sized correctly, or has worn out so it only pumps that much. It's better to have it run continously, than to have it cycle on and off using the Pumptec, or at least that's what the people claim.

Rancher

It is only good for the pump to continue to run if it is sized to pump only 1 GPM or is restricted with a valve to pump only 1 GPM. If the pump is capable of 5 or 10 GPM at that depth and pressure, and is only pumping 1 GPM because that is all that is coming into the well, the impellers will quickly destroy themselves among other things.

The Pumptec should see a low amperage at this low flow and shut down the pump. Then it should time out and start the pump again. If the Pumptec is adjusted while the pump is only producing 1 GPM, it will not shut off. Set the Pumptec after the well has recovered for a while and the pump is putting out more water. You may have to be quick if the well quickly pulls down.

I think I have figured out part of my problem. I jumpered out the "Run" capacitor that is in my Franklin CRC box, and left the start capacitor in. With run capacitor out, it appears to be working now. I guess the run capacitor was keeping the power factor high even the pumps current was dropping off? The high power factor was not allowing the pumptec to work correctly.

If the run cap isn't bad, I wouldn't pull it out of line. It saves you electricity by being in line with the start winding. I would adjust the PUmptec to trip when the pump gets down to or near the 1 gpm and let the well recover for an hour or so.

After the well has recovered, does this pump put out a good stream of water at first?

bob...

The water volume after an hour wait is only 15 gallons total! It does start out strong and tapers off like you would expect. If I keep the run cap installed in the control panel, the pumptec will "not" shut off. I called Franklin Electric today, and he said that the power factor with the cap on line inhibits the pumptec from seeing the drop in current somehow? I pulled the run cap out, and sure enough the pumptec started cycling. At least now, with the pumptec operating correctly, I will see how much water this well will actually produce over night for the first time. If I am only getting 15 gals every 75 minutes, this gives me a whopping 288 gals in 24 hrs. This will at least help me out, my other well I have feeding this tank is just slightly better off then this one!! Time to start witching another spot for a better well I guess. Terry