Well guys...I need some guidance about a well. I am feeling quite defeated.

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
How'd he think to look for a break in the insulation. Did he perform a test?

My money goes on he checked continuity at well head, finding an open circuit. Then he physically ran his hands along the wire till he felt abrasion in insulation. The break was located where insulation was worn away. Add in a crimp on butt splice and problem solved. Above ground, the sides of the break connected against each other, but when dropped down the well, the weight of the wire below pulled them apart.
 

petebucy4638

Pete
Corporate Member
I did. No matter how many times you tested "CONTINUITY" of the circuit you would not find a leak to ground in either leg or the circuit. If you tested the continuity of each leg from breaker to pump - same thing. There was CONTINUITY and a SHORT to ground. I think you would have needed an ammeter to compare the legs - but might have spotted a problem if you had measured each leg against the ground as the shorted (submerged and exposed) leg might have given a different result from the unexposed leg - not certain of this at the moment.
If one leg of a 240 volt circuit is shorted to ground, an ammeter should display different current draws for the two legs. Another simple test for this sort of problem would be to disconnect the conductors at the wellhead and test each leg separately for continuity to ground. If a conductor has sound insulation, then there should be no continuity to ground. (Assuming no ground failures at the pump itself.)

Most continuity tests would assume that the conductor has an intact insulator. Depending on how the motor was wired, performing a continuity test on a submerged conductor would be difficult to impossible.

This is a situation where someone could have easily been electrocuted.
 
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spartyon8

Peter
User
If one leg of a 240 volt circuit is shorted to ground, an ammeter should display different current draws for the two legs. Another simple test for this sort of problem would be to disconnect the conductors at the wellhead and test each leg separately for continuity to ground. If a conductor has sound insulation, then there should be no continuity to ground. (Assuming no ground failures at the pump itself.)

Most continuity tests would assume that the conductor has an intact insulator. Depending on how the motor was wired, performing a continuity test on a submerged conductor would be difficult to impossible.

This is a situation where someone could have easily been electrocuted.
The plumber disconnected all power when he performed his test. He sent a signal down one leg and nothing returned. That is how he explained it to me. It made sense because we pulled the pump, found the cut in the insulation, crimped and sealed a new connector and we were in business again.
 

Gotcha6

Dennis
Staff member
Corporate Member
The plumber disconnected all power when he performed his test. He sent a signal down one leg and nothing returned. That is how he explained it to me. It made sense because we pulled the pump, found the cut in the insulation, crimped and sealed a new connector and we were in business again.
Kudos to the plumber for having the patience to find the break and not replacing the entire wire for an upcharge.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
The plumber disconnected all power when he performed his test. He sent a signal down one leg and nothing returned. That is how he explained it to me. It made sense because we pulled the pump, found the cut in the insulation, crimped and sealed a new connector and we were in business again.
EXACTLY as I explained in my earlier posts! Too many years of experience!
 

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