Gould Pump Governor

Daniel Bancroft · Aug 13, 2013

Governor keeps sticking open, leaving the points in contact, causing the pump to overheat and shut off. First governor lasted 20+ years, second lasted 3 months, third lasted two weeks. What is causing the governors to stick open?

Tom Sawyer · Aug 13, 2013

Take it off and clean out the pipe or tube it's mounted on.

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

LLigetfa · Aug 13, 2013

What exactly are you calling the "governor"? It is confusing when you say "sticking open" and "leaving the points in contact" in the same sentence.

I suspect that you are talking about the centrifugal start/run switch on the end of the shaft. If so, my guess is the start windings on the motor are shorted and drawing too much current, welding the points closed.

Daniel Bancroft · Aug 13, 2013

The centrifugal start/run switch on the end of the shaft is exactly what I'm talking about. When the pump starts, the "weight" is thrown outward. However, when the pump needs to stop, the springs are not pulling the weight back in to disengage the points. All I have to do is touch the weight with my finger to have the springs pull it back. Why is the weight getting stuck in the out position?

DonL · Aug 13, 2013

Sounds like a pressure switch and the contacts welded shut or it is not getting water pressure.

May have a pump or well problem and you can not get up to the cut off pressure.

Did you install the same type of Governor ?

LLigetfa · Aug 13, 2013

Daniel Bancroft said:
However, when the pump needs to stop, the springs are not pulling the weight back in to disengage the points.

I think you got that bass ackwards. First off, the centrifugal switch is not a governor, it simply disconnects the start windings once the motor is up to speed. It holds the contacts open while the motor is running. When the motor stops, the springs are supposed to pull the contacts closed to engage the start windings for the next time energy is applied to the motor leads.

That said, what you describe is a mechanical malfunction that I can only surmise is a quality control issue.

DonL · Aug 13, 2013

Daniel Bancroft said:
The centrifugal start/run switch on the end of the shaft is exactly what I'm talking about. When the pump starts, the "weight" is thrown outward. However, when the pump needs to stop, the springs are not pulling the weight back in to disengage the points. All I have to do is touch the weight with my finger to have the springs pull it back. Why is the weight getting stuck in the out position?

You may need a pro to help you.

Putting your finger on the moving and electrical charged parts is not good.

You may have a bad start Cap or a bad motor causing the points to stick.

Be careful playing with electricity.

Daniel Bancroft · Aug 13, 2013

I think you are right. My theory was quality control too. I was just checking other ideas. I'm going to buy a new one from a different dealer and try it.

Daniel Bancroft · Aug 13, 2013

P.S. I took the original one to the local hardware and the guy gave me a new one with a string tag on it that said "governor". Go figure.

Gould Pump Governor

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