Home > categories > Hydraulic & Pneumatic > Water Pump > My circuit breaker for my water pump is wet and pops? What should I do?
Question:

My circuit breaker for my water pump is wet and pops? What should I do?

Had house power washed today and need my water to work again!

Answer:

what i would do is let it dry over nite if you cant wait stantd on rubber wear rubber gloves leather on top of thoes gloves. dont touch anything else use somthing rubber to try to reset the breaker. if it pops again you will be forced to let it dry. then try again. if it still pops you will need to replace the breaker. don't take electricity lightly it kills many people a year.
What else got wet? Will it dry? If it doesn't, then shut the power at the panel and change the circuit breaker. Do not bypass the circuit breaker.
I have never had occasion to wash my house power(?) as you have apparently done, but I would guess that you need to dry out your circuit breaker somehow and then it should work fine, I believe. On the other hand, it may have been irreparably damaged, in which case you should go to Home Depot or Lowes and get a replacement breaker and install the new one.( Be sure to cut the main breaker off before attempting any electrical work such as this. )
You really need to get an experienced Electricain there. Seems you have water that has worked its way into the electrical panel. And electricity and water does not mix. If you are comfortable working with this panel its really simple fix. First disconnect the wires on the breaker that is popping. As you look at the breaker the side opposite of the wires, you will need to pull up and then out to remove the breaker. Use a electrical cleaner, brake cleaner, starting fluid, anything that does not leave a residue and clean the breaker well. Also look for any water in the enclosure and spray it down until the water is gone. Depending on how much mositure you have, you may be able to use a towel to soak up some of the moisture in this panel. Be very careful because there is live voltage still in the enclosure.
I am assuming that the breaker for your water pump is in a disconnect box on the exterior of your house. If the disconnect is wired to code the disconnect would be fed with a line that also has breaker in your main panel. If this is the case the first thing you should do is identify this breaker and turn it off. Don't go by any labeling on the panel. Use a tester to make sure power is completely off in the disconnect.If power is off you can then pull the breaker out and dry it off. You can also dry the enclosure with a towel. When everything is dry reinstall the breaker and turn power back on in main panel. If it still pops in disconnect, it would be wise just to buy a new breaker , they are not that expensive. Not necessary to start using cleaning sprays.This procedure should solve your problem if everything has been wired to code. If you are not sure about anything I have described, please call a professional. Good luck.

Share to: