Troubleshooting, Service, and Safety/Regulatory Compliance
Diagnostic order
Work from the source outward. For no water, check for voltage at the pressure switch line side, then the load side, then the control box, capacitor, overload, and finally the motor. A breaker that trips instantly suggests a short or ground fault; one that trips after a delay suggests overload, binding, or high current. Rapid cycling points to a waterlogged tank, failed check valve, or a pressure switch differential that is too narrow. Low pressure suggests worn impellers, wrong rotation, a partly closed valve, a clogged screen, or a suction leak on jet systems.
Safety and compliance
De-energize and lock out before opening any control, and never pull a pump with power connected. Cap or seal wells, treat open wellheads as confined spaces, use proper lifting technique, and wear electrical PPE. Know local permit, abandonment, and backflow requirements, and the water testing rules for coliform and nitrate. Keep records of service and water quality.
Rule of thumb
Measure voltage at the pressure switch first. If roughly 240 V line-to-line is present with the switch closed and the pump does not run, the fault is downstream. If voltage collapses or disappears when the switch closes, suspect the switch, supply, or a bad connection rather than the pump.