Need some help on well pump capacitor wiring.

[Sarg]

I've got a well that's been in "mild- seasonal" service for over 40 years.
Today it just quit and I noted the capacitor box was "humming".
So my first guess is the capacitor needs to be replaced.
It is a Mallory 59-71 MFD with a part number of 275461-108.
My issue is I find plenty of the capacitors but none have the 3 wire ( blue , black & red) which are directly wired into the capacitor ..... they show only 2 tab connectors as shown in 2nd picture..
Question is >>> How would I wire a replacement ?

 

[Reach4]

I expect that capacitor has both a start capacitor and run capacitior in the same package. So one wire will be in common between the two capacitors.

Start capacitors are typically non-polarized electrolytic capacitors, and run capacitors are not electrolytic. It is the electrolytics that will go bad with time.

How about the control box-- brand =Franklin, or what? Model number?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Fitter30]

Have the starter box wiring diagram? Take a pic. Mallory was bought out by Cornell Dubilier 800 345 6873
Brand and numbers off starter box see if the company still in business. Have any idea what pump you have? Call them for a starter box.

 

[Sarg]

The motor control box is a Franklin Electric #2801050103.
I see total replacement controls at Supplyhouse & others but I would prefer to replace just the capacitor in case my true issue is a croaked well pump.

 

[Sarg]

This is the inside wiring

 

[Fitter30]

Don't think one exists. Specap.com is a cap specialist. That part number isn't found in their vast knowledge. Ebay had one listing which was sold. Being three wires and in a start cap housing have no idea especially without a diagram. A motor rebuilding shop might be able to help if you bring the whole starter box to them.

 

[Reach4]

Your photos are out of focus.

It is possible that the Malory was a replacement. It could even have been that two of the wire leads could have been wired to the same place to be used as a single capacitor with a capacitance that is the sum of the two parts.

 

[Sarg]

No need for answers ....... I just ordered a new Red Lion control box from Supplyhouse.

 

[Reach4]

No need for answers ....... I just ordered a new Red Lion control box from Supplyhouse.

Good move. The problem could have been the relay, and this way you have it covered whatever the problem was.

 

[Valveman]

Sorry for the delay. That is a really old capacitor. That is actually the overload stuck in the top of the capacitor housing. It is OK to just replace the box with a new one if the pump is not as old as that box. But back when that box was made that is where they put the overload, not in the motor like they do now. If your motor is old enough to not have a built in overload, you will need to add one the same way the old one was wired. You can probably even use the old overload.

 

[Sarg]

As usual I'm confused. I read that the "do-dad" on top of the capacitor in the housing is a bleeder resister.
The pump is vintage ..... probably 5 decades ......... so what will happen if I install the new control box ........ will the pump function ?

 

[Valveman]

Bleeder resistors are on the new capacitors, but don't require and extra wire. That is an auto re-setting overload. The pump will work fine without it. Just the first time there is a problem the motor will melt down instead of tripping the overload. Nothing to shut it off on high amperage.

"5 decades"? Making me fell old just to know this. Lol.

 

[Sarg]

@Valveman
More questions ....... I installed the new control box and initially the pump ran up to switch pressure .... about 57 psi (40/60 switch)
Then I turned the hose on and the system worked until the switch hit the start pressure and the pressure dropped to zero. No more function.
Pump dead or pressure switch ? If I turn the power on and if I meter test the posts going to the control box and they show power ... does that point to the pump being bad? The confusion comes from the fact the pump started up initially but then would not start again....... Temperature related at the pump ?
I'll be checking the power at the switch & control box and looking at a possible clog in the ¼" nipple at the switch.

 

[Reach4]

Pump dead or pressure switch ? If I turn the power on and if I meter test the posts going to the control box and they show power ... does that point to the pump being bad? The confusion comes from the fact the pump started up initially but then would not start again....... Temperature related at the pump ?

Your pressure switch has a lever. Most people recommend against that.

If you have such a switch, you need to hold the lever during the initial start, and again after use of all of the water during a power failure.

Plus if the air precharge is a bit high, the switch can get a low-pressure cutoff where a regular switch without a lever would have given water with a probably-unnoticed stutter in pressure. If you are getting cut-offs for no apparent reason, consider dropping the air precharge pressure.

 

[Sarg]

This switch has no lever and the tank precharge is at 37 psi. I will drop it a couple psi.

 

[Reach4]

If no lever, then dropping the precharge will not help the no-restart symptom.

Is it possible you miswired? I don't know if it is possible to start even once if miswired, but it seems possible.

You can confirm the right wires. R to B should be the highest resistance and Y to B should be the lowest. The differences are small however.

Any doubt as to what HP the pump is?

 

[Sarg]

The original control box stated ½ hp.
I just got done replacing the pressure switch and still no luck.
There's 220 at the switch but no reaction from the pump.
I've called the area "pro" who replaced our house pump & I imagine I'll be buying a new pump .... which is expected . That pump must be very near 5 decades in service ... but only through the warm months.
Seems the $80 I paid for the control box was a waste.

 

[Reach4]

If you wanted to discuss further ohmmeter tests, we could, but getting the pro out for your home drinking water makes a lot of sense. https://terrylove.com/forums/index....-3-wire-pump-resistances-with-unknowns.67706/ (wire pump winding resistance) is what I had in mind.

If the pressure switch was supplying 240 v to the box L1 to L2 then the pressure switch was doing all it could do. You could check the L1-L2 voltage in case it is a broken wire... unlikely, but easy to check.

 

[Sarg]

Well..... once again I'm embarassed. Looks like I did not need to replace the control or the switch ........... my local pro tested all the equipment and measured the water depth in the well and advised ............. "You just ran out of water. You're drawing faster than it can recover" .
Pump at 60 ft. .... water at 30 ft. ........... leaving about 45 gal. in the pipe.
Still concerned there's an intermittent issue with the pump .... because there were instances when the pump would not start after a lengthy dwell time.
( Reach4 === Thankyou for the guidance )

 

[Valveman]

Running dry is not good for the pump. A Cycle Sensor would shut the pump down before there is damage.