Well, maybe you need to watch your step (by step) for better footing
A tripped breaker happens when an electrical fault could damage the circuit.
Your well pump circuit breaker could trip due to electrical shorts and other causes.
The problem could be mechanical, electrical, or due to something else entirely.
A thorough professional inspection can reveal hidden issues.
Everything isn’t exactly well and good when you’ve got a perfectly good well but the well breaker keeps tripping. An occasional tripped breaker isn’t a huge cause for concern if resetting it fixes the issue. If the well pump circuit breaker is tripping frequently, though, you could be looking at a bigger problem. Run through some of the most common causes of a tripped breaker and possible solutions to get your well pump working normally again.
Bad weather can sometimes cause a breaker to trip. If you’ve recently had thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, or other major weather systems, they might be why your well breaker keeps tripping. A lightning strike can overload the circuit with a sudden surge of voltage. Rain can cause problems if you’ve got a flooded pump or worn-down seals.
It’s easy to tell if a breaker is tripped. You’ll find a series of thick switches inside your home’s circuit breaker box. They should be in the “on” position. One of these switches is associated with your well pump motor. You’ve got a tripped breaker if the switch is in its “off” position. Some circuit breakers show a red or orange tab when a breaker is tripped. To reset it, flip the switch all the way “off” and then all the way back “on” again.
If simply resetting the breaker doesn’t work, the bad weather may have permanently damaged your wiring or other components. Call a licensed electrician near you to conduct a closer inspection.
Like other household appliances and electronic devices, how much electricity a well pump uses can vary. A typical 1/2 horsepower water pump motor will use about 900 watts to run, but it can take as much as 3,000 watts (3 kW) to start. A larger pump with 1-1/2 horsepower will use 2,500 watts (2.5 kW) to run and up to 7,500 watts (7.5 kW) to start. That can be a fair bit of power.
If you run other high-load appliances at the same time, like your clothes dryer, you may overload the electrical circuit in your home. The wires can overheat and lead to a tripped breaker because you’re using more electricity than the circuit can handle. Your water pump might also be pulling more power than it should, causing the well breaker to keep tripping. In this case, you could use the help of both local well pump repair companies and electrical companies to address the issue.
Whenever plumbing is involved, as is obviously the case with supplying your family with well water, leaks are always a possibility. A leaky water pump may be another culprit worth scrutinizing if your well pump breaker is tripping frequently. The water pump itself may develop a leak. You might also notice a leak in the water pump housing, dripping water onto wires and other electrical components.
When this happens, they could short-circuit the system and trip the well pump breaker as a result. The underlying cause of the leak could be degrading sealant, incorrect coolant, or a loose connection. Preventative maintenance can reduce the chances of leaks from forming in the first place, but fixing leaks is one of the more common well pump repair jobs.
The well pump motor itself may be defective straight from the factory, or it may have become damaged or faulty over time. If it is defective and still under warranty, you may be able to skip the cost of replacing your well pump. This might mean returning to the store where you bought it or dealing directly with the manufacturer.
The average homeowner typically lacks the training and experience to diagnose a problematic well pump motor on their own. A professional technician can take a closer look to see if there is something wrong with the pump’s motor and whether this can be fixed. The issue may be with the pump motor, or it could relate to any of the wiring that leads to the pump.
A propeller has blades that spin around to propel air or water in a certain direction. An impeller works in fundamentally the same way, except it pulls air or water when it rotates. The impeller is a critical component of a functional submersible water pump. This is what pumps the water into your home’s supply lines.
Over time, the impeller can get clogged with floating debris and other materials. These are normal well pump problems that arise through regular wear and tear. If your water pump is making a grinding noise and the well breaker keeps tripping, it might be a clogged impeller. Try removing any debris around the impeller to get the water flowing normally again.
Often, what causes a breaker to trip is a short circuit in the wiring. This problem might not have anything to do with the well pump itself. Rather, there may be a fault in the electrical wiring. They could be fried or short-circuited, losing power intermittently and triggering a tripped breaker. Other times, the wiring just might be connected securely.
You always need to be extra careful when working around electricity. While you can perform a visual inspection of the electrical wiring relating to your well pump motor, call a professional electrician to fix any problems that you might notice.
A short circuit can also come about because of pests who have found their way into your home. Mice, rats, and other rodents can chew through the wiring, both above ground and below it. If they chew right through it, they’ll cause a break in the electrical connection and prevent the current from reaching your well water pump.
Even if they don’t chew all the way through, they could fray or damage the wiring, causing your well water to stop working. Insects and other pests may also form nests in your pump, causing other electrical problems that keep tripping the circuit breaker.
The well pump pressure switch is what triggers the well pump to turn on and off. It measures the pressure in the water system, and if the pressure drops below the cut-in threshold, the well pump will start filling the tank. When the pressure exceeds the cut-out limit, the well pump stops pumping water. That’s when it is working normally.
If the contacts on your well pressure switch have degraded or corroded over time, the switch may not work correctly anymore. Bad or burnt contacts can cause the system to draw too much amperage and this can trip your circuit breaker. A visual review of the pressure switch is usually included in the cost of a well inspection by a licensed technician.
