Turning water on trips fuse

**Dauwiz** · 07-17-2009, 11:07 AM

I have a well and use the water from the house on an outside faucet to fill water tanks for my horses and water gardens etc. When I turn the water on it trips the fuse in the house that is also connected to my water heater. I may get 5-10 gallons before it trips. When I reset the fuse in the fuse box the water comes on fine. Sometimes it is full pressure sometimes a little less.

I now can't get through a 5 minute shower without it tripping. Again when I reset the switch it is on full pressure or a little less.

I replaced the pressure switch and the pressure tank seems fine (holding pressure, no condensation lines.)

I am not sure where what to do next to troubleshooting this issue. I called a well company out and all they did was empty my well water charged me $400. Any ideas?

Many thanks!

Dita

**Gary Slusser** · 07-17-2009, 12:17 PM

Since your pump and (I assume an electric) water heater are on the same fused circuit, I suspect the heater comes on when the pump is running or the other way around and blows the fuse. The cure would be to separate the two high amp loads to their own circuits and put them on breakers instead of fuses but...

You don't "reset" fuses, you have to replace a fuse when it blows and shuts off whatever is on the circuit. So what do you actually do, replace a fuse or rest a tripped breaker?

As to the driller's charge, what did they actually do, saying "empty my well water.... what does that mean? What water did they empty, what was in the pressure tank?

If you replace a fuse or reset a breaker, and this problem just started after years of having no problem like this, then there is something drawing too much current or shorting. And it sounds as if the driller didn't find or fix the problem. If true, IMO they owe you the difference between their service call and the $400.

IMO, calling a pump guy is usually better choice than calling a well driller, or a plumber. A pump guy usually charges much less and most plumbers don't know pumps and well water systems.

And as you see, popped breakers or blown fuses have nothing to do with the switch or pressure tank. It's gotta be something with the power cable or pump motor, and all drillers or pump guys know that and should have checked them out...

**Thatguy** · 07-17-2009, 01:43 PM

What hp is your pump rated at?
What kw is your water heater rated at?
What amps is your breaker rated at?
A CB holding for 5 minutes is a very mild overload.

The water usage after the first 5 to 10 gals does not trip the CB?

**upper** · 07-17-2009, 02:06 PM

I think that by answering That guys questions,You will then see Gary is correct.......Upper

**Dauwiz** · 07-17-2009, 04:58 PM

Thanks for your replies and clarifying questions. As you can tell I am a newbie at this but really want to get informed.

We are reseting the breaker (not fuses) to the water pump not water heater.

The driller ran the water from the faucet of the well until empty. He did this until he didn't get any more water. I think this was to measure the rate of gallons per min. and how much water was being held in the well.

I am not sure about what was in the pressure tank. I don't know what IMO means. Please clarify.

What hp (horse power?) is your pump rated at? I went under the house and found a box that has this on it:
5gal 1 hp
6gpm Dole
Valve in well

What kw is your water heater rated at? The "water pump" breaker is a double that has 30 on it. So I assume it is (2) 15 amps.

What amps is your breaker rated at?
A CB holding for 5 minutes is a very mild overload. What is a CB? I assume Circuit Breaker

I don't know how to find this out.

The water usage after the first 5 to 10 gals does not trip the CB? I don't understand this question. Please clarify.

We have been getting really awful lightning storms all Spring and so far this summer. Maybe that has something to do with it.

I really appreciate your help. Thanks again.

Dita

**upper** · 07-17-2009, 05:43 PM

I fyou turn off the breaker to your pump,does your hot water heater also shut down???Upper

**Dauwiz** · 07-17-2009, 05:59 PM

I really don't know. How can I check? I have a pretty good labels on my breaker box and I don't see the water heater listed anywhere so I assume it is. But I rally don't know.

Dita

**upper** · 07-17-2009, 06:18 PM

Whatever you do don't starve your hotwater heater of water it will fry the element.Can you shut off your heater???Upper

**Thatguy** · 07-17-2009, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by Dauwiz

We have been getting really awful lightning storms all Spring and so far this summer. Maybe that has something to do with it.

You in FL or the Ozarks? See Fig. 8.1, below
http://books.google.com/books?id=SYh...esult&resnum=4

I misunderstood about the connection between your water heater and your pump.
Is it true that the pump circuit breaker trips after 5 to 10 gallons, you reset it, and cycle repeats?
If so, it sounds like your pump is drawing something over 30A (assuming your pump runs on 220v) or is intermittently shorting.
You need to find someone who is comfortable measuring the circuit breaker current with a clamp-on ammeter.

**upper** · 07-17-2009, 08:24 PM

What are you trying to teach us? GeeeeeeeeeeeseeeUpper

**Gary Slusser** · 07-17-2009, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Dauwiz

The driller ran the water from the faucet of the well until empty. He did this until he didn't get any more water. I think this was to measure the rate of gallons per min. and how much water was being held in the well.

If the pump didn't trip the breaker, maybe your water heater is coming on and there is a shorted element... have you run out of hot water at all o rnoticed the water doesn't get as hot as it used to?

IMO is in my opinion.

That Dole valve is a flow control and means you don't get more than 6 gpm (gal/minute), I wouldn't like that, and you may not either.

The well folks should have done electrical checks, here's a link to a manual that if you roam around there, it tells you how to do them and what readings you should get (PAGE 45). You'd need a multimeter and amp meter.

http://www.franklin-electric.com/bus...M/page-43.aspx

**Dauwiz** · 07-17-2009, 11:04 PM

This thing is fickle. It could trip as soon as I turn it on or run more than 10 gallons. But lately it is tripping all the time. Tonight we had to reset it three time to get water in the barn. 20-25 gallons.

I don't know how to tell if the water heater can be shut off or not.

Dita