A submersible pump is a sealed motor and pump that hangs inside the well casing below the water. It pushes water up to the house, which is why it's the usual pick for deeper household wells. Most testing happens at the surface first, at the switch, control box and wiring, so the pump only comes out if it really needs to.
Call (321) 220-9883What goes wrong
- No water, pump silent. Power, switch, control box or motor.
- Breaker trips on start. Often a shorted motor or damaged wire down the well.
- Weak flow. A worn pump, a split drop pipe or a falling water level.
- Pump never stops. A leak in the well, a failed check valve or a pump that can't reach cut-off pressure.
- Sand or air in the water. Can mean a well problem or a pump set too low.
Check the control box first
Three-wire submersibles have a control box near the tank with a capacitor and relay. When one of those fails, the pump stops. It's a fraction of the cost of a new pump, so a good contractor checks it before anything else.
Pulling the pump
If the pump has to come out, the pump, pipe and wire are lifted out together. Deeper wells usually need a hoist or pump truck. With it out, the contractor should check the wire splices, pipe and check valves too, so nobody has to pull it twice.
Where we see them
Rural homes around Fellsmere, Vero Lake Estates and Micco are where household wells, and so submersible pumps, are most common.
Common questions
How is a submersible pump tested without pulling it?
With amp draw and resistance readings at the surface. If the motor reads shorted or open, it needs replacing.
Why does my pump trip the breaker?
A shorted motor, damaged wire in the well or a bad control box. Don't keep resetting it.
Can a submersible pump be repaired?
The pump itself is sealed, so a failed motor usually means a new pump. The wire, pipe, valves, control box and switch can be repaired.