What Should I Do If The Submersible Pump Burns Out?

Sep 25, 2025

There are several reasons for summarizing:
1. The grounding wire is connected to the wrong power supply. There are four cores in the cable of the submersible pump, be careful not to connect the grounding wire incorrectly as a power line.
2. The mechanical seal of the submersible pump is damaged and leaks water. Regularly use a megohmmeter to check the insulation resistance of the submersible pump. If the insulation resistance decreases, take timely maintenance measures to prevent motor burnout.
3. Water ingress after cable damage. Regularly check the insulation resistance of the submersible pump.
4. The impeller is stuck. When the impeller gets stuck and cannot rotate, the current ratio increases. Over time, the stator winding of the submersible pump will quickly burn out.

5. The two ends of the stator winding touch the shell, and the winding breaks through to the ground.
6. The submersible pump starts and stops too frequently.
7. The dehydration operation time of the submersible pump is too long. The dehydration operation time of the submersible pump can only be about 1 minute. As time goes on, the temperature of the electric pump will increase due to poor heat dissipation.
8. Lack of phase work. When the submersible pump is in phase loss operation, it is generally in the braking state, and the current is much higher than the rated value. At this time, the temperature of the submersible pump winding rises, and over time, it will burn out the stator winding.

 

Whether the submersible pump can be repaired after burning depends on the specific situation
Common damage situations and whether they can be repaired

1. Motor winding burned out
If the motor winding is slightly burned, such as only a local short circuit or open circuit, it can be repaired. By rewinding the winding and restoring the electrical performance of the motor, the submersible pump can be repaired. But if the winding is severely burned, causing serious damage to the motor core, it may be difficult to repair and generally requires replacing the entire motor or even the entire submersible pump.
2. Mechanical seal damage
The malfunction of the submersible pump caused by mechanical seal damage can be repaired. Mechanical seal is an important component to prevent water from entering the motor. When it is damaged, as long as a new mechanical seal is replaced in time, the submersible pump can resume normal operation.
3. Cable damage and water ingress
When the cable is damaged and water enters the cable, if the damaged cable part can be detected and replaced in a timely manner to restore the insulation performance of the submersible pump, then the submersible pump can be repaired.
4. Impeller stuck
If the impeller jamming does not cause serious damage to the motor due to long-term overload, the submersible pump can continue to operate normally after solving the impeller jamming problem, such as removing debris from the impeller. But if the impeller is stuck for too long, causing the motor to burn out, the motor problem needs to be solved first to restore the submersible pump to normal, which may involve motor maintenance or replacement. 
5. Both ends of the stator winding are in contact with the casing (winding breakdown to ground)

This situation requires checking the degree of breakdown. If it is only a local insulation damage, the problem can be solved by repairing the insulation layer, and the submersible pump can be repaired. But if the winding has severe ground breakdown, it may be necessary to rewire the winding or replace the motor. 

Repair Method

1. Motor winding problem
(1) Partial short circuit or open circuit
Firstly, it is necessary to dismantle the submersible pump and remove the motor.
Find the faulty winding part and record the number of turns, wire diameter, and other parameters of the winding.
Carefully remove the damaged winding and then re wind a new winding according to the original parameters.
Install the wound winding back into the motor and perform insulation treatment, such as painting, drying, etc., to ensure good insulation performance of the winding.
Reassemble the submersible pump and conduct testing.
(2) Serious burning (involving damage to the iron core, etc.)
If it is determined to be a serious damage that cannot be repaired, it is necessary to purchase a motor of the same model or suitable for replacement.
When replacing the motor, pay attention to the installation position and connection method of the motor to ensure correct installation, and then conduct testing.
3. Mechanical seal damage
First, disassemble the submersible pump and locate the mechanical seal components.
Clean the area where the mechanical seal is installed to ensure cleanliness and absence of debris.
Select the appropriate mechanical seal for replacement according to the model and specifications of the submersible pump.
Reassemble the submersible pump and check the sealing performance.
4. Cable damage and water ingress
To determine the location of cable damage, insulation resistance testing can generally be used to locate it.

Cut off the damaged cable and reconnect a new cable. When connecting, waterproof and insulation treatment should be done well, such as using waterproof tape, heat shrink tubing, etc.
Retest the insulation resistance of the submersible pump to ensure it meets normal requirements before putting it back into use.
5. Impeller stuck
Disassemble the pump body of the submersible pump and locate the impeller.
Remove debris such as mud, cloth strips, etc. from the impeller.
Check if the impeller is damaged, and replace it if necessary.
Reassemble the submersible pump for trial operation.
6. Both ends of the stator winding are in contact with the casing (winding breakdown to ground)
For minor insulation damage, insulation materials such as insulation paint, insulation tape, etc. can be used for repair, and the breakdown area can be treated to restore insulation performance.
If it is a more serious situation, it is necessary to rewire the winding or replace the motor, and the specific operation method is similar to the repair of motor winding burnout.