ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals
ECN Shout Chat
ShoutChat
Recent Posts
Increasing demand factors in residential
by gfretwell - 03/28/24 12:43 AM
Portable generator question
by Steve Miller - 03/19/24 08:50 PM
Do we need grounding?
by NORCAL - 03/19/24 05:11 PM
240V only in a home and NEC?
by dsk - 03/19/24 06:33 AM
Cordless Tools: The Obvious Question
by renosteinke - 03/14/24 08:05 PM
New in the Gallery:
This is a new one
This is a new one
by timmp, September 24
Few pics I found
Few pics I found
by timmp, August 15
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 260 guests, and 20 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
#164490 06/04/07 06:51 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 71
S
Member
A friend of mine called me, asking me why his customer's pool pump capacitor keeps going bad every 3 to 6 months. I told him that it was possibly a surge or a loose return path. I haven't come across this myself.

Any ideas?

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 806
N
Member
Check the centrifugal switch for binding or welded contacts.

If the cap doesn't get switched out of the circuit once the motor is up to speed, it will burn up quickly.

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 32
G
Member
Also check the centrifugal actuator for the switch, If that binds up it won't open the switch.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 869
Likes: 4
R
Member
And check the voltage rating of the capacitor too. To be on the safe side it should be about 1.5 times the nominal mains voltage.
For 230 Volts a 400 V cap.
For 120 Volts a 200 or 250 V cap.


The product of rotation, excitation and flux produces electricty.
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 55
W
Member
Is this a PSC motor? The capacitor would remain in the circuit. Could low voltage cause excessive current draw and wear out the capacitor sooner?


Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5