A relative called to ask about their water well yesterday evening. They said they had low pressure today, and wondered why. I told them I would have a look, and went to examine the well.
When I arrived, they pointed to the ground around the well, and stated it looked like it was leaking below the discharge line to the tank. I noticed the well wasn't running, and there was no pressure. Since we just had a heavy shower, and an examination of the points on the pressure switch showed it should be running, I told them I would go for my multi-meter and check the voltage.
After I returned, I checked the voltage at the switch. There was none, so I went to the breaker box. There was no voltage on the load side of the breaker, so I flipped it off, turned it back on, and checked again. Still no voltage. I flipped the breaker a few more times, but it didn't have a sharp click when flipped. So, since it was so late, and finding a breaker would mean a long trip to a box store, I told them I would pull it in the morning and find a replacement.
I found the breaker this morning, replaced it, and checked the well for operation. It pressured up, so they have water again. As far as the low pressure they had, it was the tank emptying, and the air bladder allowed a little pressure before the pressure went to zero.
It's rare to have a breaker fail, but with the thunderstorm yesterday, we had a power blip, which probably killed the old breaker. It's a Square D, and not the Homeline series. They usually last a long time, but some don't; especially if they're used as a switch on a circuit that usually isn't turned off.
Good job.
ReplyDeleteI wish I understood more about a/c circuits to that level of troubleshooting.
My family had electricians, but I really don't remember where I learned what I know, except it was self-taught due to money considerations.
DeleteIt" s nice that you can help family without spending a bunch of your own money.
ReplyDeleteWith today's costs, it helps them with their budget.
DeleteEver since we'd moved into Rancho Snakebit (and the 70+ yr-old house) we had trouble with one leg of 220 only on a few breakers... Bad connections to the dryer and well mostly.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was just bad corrosion..because 70 yr-old box and all that even NolOx would stop.
So I got the Co-op to get me a new main beaker (because it was integral in the old box I wanted to change). They gave me an entirly new pole and service drop with a 250 Amp SqD breaker box.
I trenched a new supply from the pole to the new box at the house and when I got next to the house- I pulled up the UG romex feeding the well.
One phase had the insulation completely stripped where I imagine the old backhoe bucket hit it when the redid the septic.
I once owned a house that had the water well fed by a direct burial wire. It survived one repair, when my ex-wife cut it with a post hole digger. Eventually it failed, and I spent a long day digging, and burying, a new cable. The original wire wasn't made for underground service. I imagine water finally penetrated and shorted the wire. I knew it was gone when one leg of the breaker tripped and couldn't be reset.
DeleteA friend had a breaker fail
ReplyDelete10 minute job. She called me that night to complain. No power to the house at all! 'Well. How about the neighbors?' Uh...
It's inconvenient, and on some obscure older panels, the breakers can be pricey due to the lack of supply.
DeleteGood save! I would have automatically assumed I would need to have a new well dug. Not sure why I always think worst case.
ReplyDeleteI dreaded the job a little. Last time I was involved with a little leak, the tank had to be drained, raised 4 inches, and new piping installed.
DeleteNice catch, and yes, good save there!
ReplyDeleteCalling an electrician would have cost much more than the $40 for a new breaker. They have limited finances and I'd felt bad for not helping.
DeleteOnly house I've ever had hit by lightning was in Texas.
ReplyDeleteI had lightning hit my propane tank, travel into the dryer ( which was the only thing using propane) jump to the washer, through the washer into the hot water heater, into the wiring, fry a microwave, and blow a circuit breaker out of its socket. I fixed the damage, which included replacing the breaker, the wall plug, replacing two appliance cords, replacing the high temperature pilot in the dryer, and the pressure regulator on the propane tank. All costs were less than my insurance deductible. My ex-wife was jittery for awhile. She was in the house when it happened.
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