How to Repair the Electrical Control Box for a Submersible Pump
A submersible pump for a well system uses an intricately connected assortment of devices for supplying water to a household. The submersible pump remains under the well water. A specialized electrical wire extends from the pump, up the well's wall, and connects to an above ground electrical control box.
Things You Will Need
- Screwdriver
- Multimeter
- Wiring Diagram
This control box allows the electricity to flow from a building's main circuit breaker box to the submersible pump. However, the electrical control box may develop problems that require simple repair techniques (See Reference 1 & 2).
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Inspect the wiring extending from the box. Make sure that one wire attaches to ground. Another wire should connect to the pressure switch. Also verify that the power wire connects securely into the main circuit breaker panel.
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Replace any of the electrical control boxes' internal fuse has blown. If the fuse is not blown, make sure it is the manufacturer recommended fuse size and value.
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Open the electrical control box with a screwdriver. Visually inspect the printed circuit board. Make sure that the starting capacitor has not blown. A blown component will be obvious on the PCB by a charred spot on the board and an intensely bad smell.
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Test the incoming positive and negative electrical leads for voltage. Connect a multimeter's negative lead to the boxes' ground wire. Attach the multimeter's positive lead to the wire supplying electricity from the main circuit breaker panel to the control box. If no voltage reading displays on the multimeter's display, the electrical control box is not receiving any power. Check the circuit breaker panel for a tripped breaker.
Tip
Most PCBs cannot be manually repaired because they use specialized components that are attached with machine precision. If the control boxes' PCB has a blown component, the entire board must be replaced.
Warning
Electricity can fatally injure a person. Consult a licensed electrician if you are not familiar with working near electricity. Keep hands and spare tools away from live wires.
References
Tips
- Most PCBs cannot be manually repaired because they use specialized components that are attached with machine precision. If the control boxes' PCB has a blown component, the entire board must be replaced.
Warnings
- Electricity can fatally injure a person. Consult a licensed electrician if you are not familiar with working near electricity. Keep hands and spare tools away from live wires.
Writer Bio
Writing professionally since 2010, Amy Rodriguez cultivates successful cacti, succulents, bulbs, carnivorous plants and orchids at home. With an electronics degree and more than 10 years of experience, she applies her love of gadgets to the gardening world as she continues her education through college classes and gardening activities.
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