Phase Protector Buzzing

[FarangRimPing]

My deep-well pump is on a circuit protected by a WIP W-OP2 Phase Protector, and yesterday I noticed that the W-OP2 was buzzing loudly and the pump was not getting any electricity. So I replaced the buzzing W-OP2 with a new one and the pump then received electricity and worked fine.

 

However, the new W-OP2 buzzes. Not as much as the one I replaced, but still a lot more than the original one when it was working correctly.

 

Any ideas of why?

 

Here's a link to the manufacturer's page:

 

https://wipelectric.com/w-op2/

 

Thank you.

 

[Crossy]

Is the supply actually low?

 

These things have very basic series capacitor-dropper power supplies which can get "tired", this would make the internal relay buzz.

 

Pop the lid off the really noisy one, you will probably find a 400V AC rated capacitor (similar to a motor run capacitor). Replace it with a similar cap (and replace the electrolytic that's nearby too) and I bet it starts working and stops buzzing.

[carlyai]

That's a problem with these protectors if the phase power is low. They protect the pump  but you don't have water. It's OK if you have 3 phase, just swap the pump on the highest voltage phase. If it's single phase and not the capacitors, them might need to look at a stabaliser.

[FarangRimPing]

8 hours ago, Crossy said:

Is the supply actually low?

 

These things have very basic series capacitor-dropper power supplies which can get "tired", this would make the internal relay buzz.

 

Pop the lid off the really noisy one, you will probably find a 400V AC rated capacitor (similar to a motor run capacitor). Replace it with a similar cap (and replace the electrolytic that's nearby too) and I bet it starts working and stops buzzing.

No, the supply is not low. The Phase protector is fed by a good quality AVR and the AVR is showing a solid 220V. The Phase protector is somewhat redundant but I added the AVR about 6 months after the water system was built.

 

Our PEA feed is single phase, BTW.

[carlyai]

10 hours ago, FarangRimPing said:

No, the supply is not low. The Phase protector is fed by a good quality AVR and the AVR is showing a solid 220V. The Phase protector is somewhat redundant but I added the AVR about 6 months after the water system was built.

 

Our PEA feed is single phase, BTW.

In that case presuming it is the capacitors, why not bypass the phase protector?

[Crossy]

Yeah ^^^, with an AVR which will provide its own low-voltage shut off anyway, why bother with our orange friend and its associated contactor?

 

[FarangRimPing]

Mystery solved.

 

The AVR had problems which did not show in the display before, but now it does. Now a big red 'Unusual Condition!' in the display and the AVR has thrown itself into bypass mode. No more Phase Protector Buzzing.

 

I'll by pass the AVR and try to get it repaired.

 

Thanks all for the advice.

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, FarangRimPing said:

Mystery solved.

 

The AVR had problems which did not show in the display before, but now it does. Now a big red 'Unusual Condition!' in the display and the AVR has thrown itself into bypass mode. No more Phase Protector Buzzing.

 

I'll by pass the AVR and try to get it repaired.

 

Thanks all for the advice.

 

Ouch!!

 

Before you get the man in, turn it all off and try moving the variac by hand. Ours threw a wobbler and stopped regulating, i never really found out what had gone wrong but removing the motor and putting it back fixed the beast.

[carlyai]

I had 3 LION (think that's the brand) and 2 stopped regulating. So they have been wired out waiting for fixing, probable replacing. When I first installed them they were always hunting up and down and I thought the small village had a pretty bad supply. A couple of years ago I found that the PEA meter box termination screws were loose. Fixed that and fixed the AVR's hunting problems. Still remember PEA saying, 'No problem wouldn't be in our meter box.'