Well pump issue - NO WATER!

[trader4]

Agree! There is a lot here that doesn't sound right. Like this:

"At about 280 feet, they approached me and said that there was a break in the wire, and that they could either fix the break in the wire AND replace the pressure tank, and control panel for $2800 total. OR they could do the whole thing (go down the extra 120 feet, pull the pump out, replace the pump, wire, control panel and water reservoir all for $4900 total. "

WTF? Why would they quote replacing the pump without FIRST determining if it needs replacing or not? And what's the big deal about just pulling another 120 ft of pipe to get to the pump? And what morons would even consider NOT pulling the whole thing at that point. Like, how about they splice the bad spot and there is bad spot on the wire another 50 ft down? Bottom line, once you start pulling the pipe and pump, to do the whole thing is what? Another

1/2 hour of labor?

I live in NJ which isn't known for low prices. Just had a new 50 ft complete well drilled, including 1hp submersible pump, 23 gal pressure tank, 50 ft of trenching, permits, etc. Total cost: $3900 So, why should it cost $2800 to replace a tank, controller and splice a wire? And why does it cost $2100 additional to pull 120 ft of pipe and replace the pump? He doesn't say how many GPM, etc, but for a domestic 400 ft well I bet you can find a typical pump for $1000. Some googling should confirm it.

[Harry K]

Ya, they proposed replacing every part from the bottom of the well to the exit from the pressure tank. Surprised they didn't stick him with drilling a new well and replacing all the pipe in his house and out to the well.

Harry K

[willshak]

on 11/10/2009 11:40 AM (ET) [e-mail] wrote the following:

My well is 25 years old and still has the original pressure tank. The well pump (325 feet down) has been repaired or replaced twice. The first time, a pigtail on the pump had broken. Of course the whole thing had to be pulled from the ground to repair. The pigtail was replaced and the same pump replaced in the ground. The second time, a lightning strike near the well fried the pump. Both times, the labor and parts were at, or below $600. The well pump went for about $300 at the time. If the pump fails, it has nothing to do with the pressure tank or control panel. Luckily for me, my daughter recently married a guy who is a home construction contractor, so the prices will surely drop for me.

[Tony Hwang]

Hmmm, Caps could go bad, of course. A broken wire can cause so much lateral damage? They only did pin point the broken wire. Rest is mystery to me. I hate that kind of problem solving. Maybe OP needs a second opinion. Thank goodness my well is arteisan. Even this day and age there are good service people who does not do shot gunning as preferred method of fixing problems. I am always go down to component level, if part is not readily available I redesign the circuit because I can.

[Pierce Kiltoff]

Just two cents from a pump/drilling professional:

We don't stock capacitors/relays for these units in our service trucks because it's generally cheaper for everyone to pay us to replace the entire unit that it is to complete diagnostics on the unit & rebuild it (based on the fact that in my area, 90% of pumps are 1/2 HP to 1 HP in size).

For example, a 3/4HP control box takes 5 minutes to complete the diagnostic (including finding the specs for that box), and 10 minutes to disassemble and repair it. At a labor rate of $120 per hour, that's $20 (based on our residential rate in the greater Seattle WA area - maybe a lot higher/lower than the rate you pay in your locale). Now the parts; the manufacturer charges us more for the individual components as a rebuild kit, than they do for the whole units - so let's say that we replace the capacitor - list price is $45. Replacing the capacitor: total cost was $65, plus applicable taxes, service call fees, etc. The list price for that entire controller is $78 - that would have included new jumper wires and a relay, along with the new capacitor - and 30 seconds installation time, since the front lid is where all the controls are for the 1 HP & smaller panels.

Can I buy capacitors from other sources? Sure, if I had the time to stock 50 more items in my inventory, I might do that. Believe me, I've looked into it, multiple times.

For controllers of 1.5 HP or larger pumps, the above isn't always true, and in those cases we do sometimes replace individual parts. However, I'd say that in 99% of situations, the controller is so corroded it's not even worth trying to save any of it.

I'm not trying to defend that companies pricing. I have a similar contractor in my area who likes to get into projects, then throw out ridiculously high pricing. Their rationale is that they can sell

1/3rd of the number of jobs and make 2 times the money. I suppose that's good for them, but I don't see that as sustainable.

The only methods for completing a diagnostic from the surface is to complete a line continuity test, an amp draw, and a voltage reading. If the pump can actually move water, then we can do some pressure testing & flow testing. If it makes pressure & flow - there's no reason for us to be looking at it. If there's no flow/pressure, and no continuity, or there's continuity in the circuits to ground, there exists an electrical issue/short - the only method for finding it is to pull the pump. High/low amp draw also goes a long way for leading to solutions to symptoms.

Someone said that pressure tanks can't kill pumps - which is absolutely incorrect. If a pressure/bladder/captive air/diaphragm tank has no air charge in it, the pump will begin rapid cycling, which doesn't allow it to cool properly. This can and will fry controllers, wires, pump motors, etc. I'd say it's probably the number one killer of pumps.

I usually check the incoming voltage, and trace it all the way to the point where the wire goes down the well. Then I'll check the pressure switch, the continuity in all the circuits, check for shorts to ground in the pump, shorts to ground in the wire/circuit between the main breaker and the well house/controller location.

The best advice I can give to anyone - Murphy's law says that if you're going to install something 500 feet underground, and you're going to go with the low bid - it'll break in fantastic & expensive ways! I'd go with someone you trust who appears to do clean work & knows what they are talking about.

Pierce K

PS

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