Submersible Well Pump Repair in Palm Bay, FL

A submersible pump is a sealed pump and motor that hangs inside the well casing below the water level. It pushes water up rather than pulling it, which is why it is the usual choice for deeper wells. Because it's underwater, most problems are diagnosed from the surface first, at the pressure switch, control box and wiring, before anyone pulls the pump.

Common submersible pump problems

• No water and the pump won't start. Could be power, the pressure switch, a control box (on three-wire pumps), or a failed motor.
• The breaker trips when the pump starts. Often a shorted motor or damaged wire in the well.
• Low pressure or weak flow. A worn pump, a leak in the drop pipe, or a falling water level.
• The pump runs constantly. A split pipe in the well, a failed check valve, or a pump that can't reach shut-off pressure.
• Sand or air in the water. Can point to a problem in the well or a pump set too close to the bottom.

Two-wire and three-wire pumps

Some submersible pumps have their start parts built into the motor (two-wire). Others use a control box near the pressure tank (three-wire). On a three-wire pump, a failed capacitor or relay in that box can stop the pump, and it is a much cheaper fix than a new pump. A good contractor checks this first.

Pulling a submersible pump

When the pump itself has to come out, the pump, pipe and wire are lifted out of the well. It's heavy work, and deeper wells usually need a pump hoist or truck. While the pump is out, the contractor should inspect the drop pipe, the wire and splices, and the check valves, so you don't pay to pull it twice.

Repair or replace the pump?

Submersible pumps are sealed units, so a failed motor or worn pump end usually means replacing the pump. The wire, pipe, check valves, control box and pressure switch can often be repaired on their own. See well pump replacement for what a full swap involves.

Submersible pumps around Palm Bay

Larger-lot areas south and west of Palm Bay, such as Deer Run, Grant-Valkaria and parts of Malabar, rely on private wells, and many of those wells use submersible pumps.