Pump start-up problem

[Poconos]

Steve,
No wasted time at all. I like these challenges too. It's a non-polarized electrolytic and when they fail it's either open or shorted. The only ones I've ever found failing intermittantly are low current ones. Like in amplifiers etc. As for the contacts, they are usually silver and all it takes is one bad lump of pitted stuff to make a bad connection. Have to admit though, one year isn't that long but as I said, only takes one lump of goop on the contact. Back to the cap...not sure but I'm betting on the high current ones used for motor start, the layers are basically in parallel. That is the conductive material is wound but is connected along the long edge rather than at the short edge. Not sure I said that right but you know what I mean. Haven't taken one apart for a long long time...advertising my age.
Keep us posted on the progress.
Al

[Watermom]

"Plus, I'm an engineer and you know how they are."

YEP!!!

Watermom

[sharkey21]

Well, they finally made it out two days ago, and when I came home,
I had a new motor. Unfortunately, they didn't try and diagnose the
problem, they just replaced it. Oh well - just an infant failure, I guess.

Interesting thing, though - the new motor is a two-speed. Right now,
it's not wired up for two-speed operation, but after surfing around a bit,
I've found out how to do it, so I think I'll just have to try it out. I do
have a question about two-speed motors, though, but I'll start a new
thread for that...

Thanks again,

Steve

[Poconos]

Wow, nice they gave you a 2 speed. Significant cost difference between single and two. Whoever did this I'd write them a note of thanks....if you don't get a bill. Good to hear a story with a happy ending. And yes, infant mortality is a well known engineering term.
Al