submersible motor control box

**mjudyl** · 11-13-2007, 07:34 AM

Ran out of water on Saturday - plumber finally arrived and replaced the control box - put brand new one in right out of the cardboard box. Water back. Sunday morning at 7:30 am(?!?!?) plumber rang doorbell with a control box in hand to "change" box he had put in. Me half asleep said Okay. Later, me not trusting - check "new" box. Doesn't look new (dented on top) but only difference I can see is old had capacitor and relay and this one just has capacitor. Received bill today for $75 w/o labor. Should I question equipment and is there a difference in control boxes?? Thank you.

**speedbump** · 11-13-2007, 08:42 AM

That's kinda strange. Why would he come back with a another box?

All control boxes have a cap and a relay of some sort. They have changed the relay on the Franklin boxes four times that I know of. But it has to have one. The price is not out of sight but the dent would raise an eyebrow.

bob...

**mjudyl** · 11-13-2007, 10:31 AM

thank you for your quick response. I took the box off the wall and looked at it carefully. The Date is M87 - obviously old. There is no relay but it does have a Solid State Start Switch - is that the same thing - worse - better??
I want to get my info and language in order before I confront the plumber.

judy

**Bob NH** · 11-13-2007, 10:50 AM

Here is a possible scenario:

He probably had a new box on the truck that he put in the first time to get you going. He took your old one and repaired it. Then he took an old one from a previous customer that he repaired in his shop and cleaned the dirt from and replaced the new one that he sold you the first time.

Now he has the new one that he sold you the first time to sell to someone else, and the one that he took from your place the first time has been repaired to use in the next switch-out.

**speedbump** · 11-13-2007, 11:16 AM

The Solid State Switch was Franklins third attempt to cheapen the relay. Electronic instead of electricanical. (Some word huh?) The first relay which is black plastic about 2" X 2-1/2" square was the best and is the replacement from most shops like mine. The Solid State Switch wasn't encapsulated. This allowed frogs, lizards etc to crawl behind them. When the power came on, the frog was electrocuted and the relay burned up.

If this guy charged you for a new box, I would ask for it back. The Solid State Switch as far as I know was replaced by an encapsulated switch that is also electronic which made the SSS obsolete. This means you have used parts in your box.

bob...

Rancher · 11-13-2007, 03:28 PM

Did you pay for the new pump control box when he installed it?

It could have been that he had a control box (new) that wasn't for your horse power of pump, but it would still work. He then had a repaired one at his shop that he charged you $75, and perhaps the one you had wasn't repairable.

Ask him what he did, and why?

How much was the labor charge.

Rancher

**Raucina** · 11-14-2007, 01:07 AM

Perhaps the first box was a cap start cap run and the next was cap start only, accounting for the lack of an item in the box. Just ask the guy straight on what was the deal.

How the hell do you get a frog in a box that has to be screwed shut in order to operate? You got micro frogs in that humidity of Florida? Knockouts knocked out and nothing in them?

**speedbump** · 11-14-2007, 05:08 AM

You would be amazed where these frogs can squeeze themselves into. The little ones are almost all gone to be replaced with a slightly larger one that has been imported from South America. They kill the small ones.

Frogs, Lizards, Roaches and Ants are the biggest reason for service calls in this area.

bob...

**mjudyl** · 11-16-2007, 07:35 AM

thanks for all your comments. I called the plumber on Wednesday morning - the woman in the office said it was her understanding that the first box put in was a 3/4 HP and he came back to change it to a 1/3 HP. When I questioned why it was a used one (date on box M87) she hemmed and hawed and said the plumber would call me. So far (2days) no call.

The labor charge was $85.00. I live in the northern mountains of NH.

Can I buy one of these boxes at a store and return the used $75 one to the plumber? I haven't paid the bill yet

judy

**speedbump** · 11-16-2007, 07:49 AM

I don't see why you couldn't return it since it's not new. I would be glad to send you a control box, but the smallest one we carry is one horse. Actually they are all the same up to 1.5hp if they didn't come with run capacitors and overload protectors. It depends on the age for the most part.

bob...

Rancher · 11-16-2007, 12:26 PM

You can buy a 1/3 HP control box from www.grainger.com

They go for $70, plus you'll pay shipping, although the old box went for $30, it shows limited availability.

You need to pick the right one, either 120 or 240 volts.

If it were me, I'd let it slide, and if it fails make him replace it for free, or report him.

Rancher