WorldWide Drilling Resource

Starts Per Day, Part 1 by Bill Corey Pentair Water Training Institute If you were to look at anyone’s electronics manual, it would tell how many starts per day a motor can take. I got a call one time from a man in Connecticut, who had been to our factory school. He started out by saying, “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but I’ve burned up two 50-horsepower motors and I don’t understand why. I’ve stayed within my starts for the day, so what’s happening?” His words “I’ve stayed within my starts for the day” made me stop and question what the starts for the day were. So I looked it up and the manual said 100 starts in a 24-hour day . Needless to say, I had to ask if he was talking about a 24-hour day. He of course said, “No, an 8-hour work day.” Well, it was the hint I needed. Remember, I spent 15 years making four- and six-inch submersible motors. I know how they are made. What most don’t understand is, it is the water movement past the motor that cools it. Like air, water is made of molecules, and those molecules being pulled past the motor carry away the heat. If you don’t have enough molecules moving past the motor shell, you don’t have enough cooling. The motor will get hot and the varnish insulation will break down, allowing the copper wires to touch and short out. At this point, I hope you like math. Remember, the manual said 100 starts in 24 hours. If you divide 100 by 24, you get 4.2, which means 4.2 starts an hour. With 60 minutes in an hour, it comes out to about one start every 15 minutes. Now let’s do what he was doing, divide 100 by 8 and you get 12.5, which is about one start every 5 minutes. Heat is the killer of any motor because it breaks down the varnish. Varnish is the only thing separating the copper wires in the slot. So needless to say, when it breaks down far enough, there is no insulation. The bare copper wires touch and short out. Yes, there is fire and smoke - maybe not much because there isn’t much to burn in motor winding, but they do burn. I’ll tell you how we fixed the problem next month. Bill Bill Corey may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com In Memoriam Robert Herman “Bob” Schmidt The Missouri Water Well Association reported the loss of its former president Robert Herman “Bob” Schmidt on July 1, 2016. Bob enjoyed coon hunting, riding mules, and singing for “Possum on the Run” karaoke. He also enjoyed auctioneering and had a love for softball. He was 73 years old. Bob is survived by his wife Carol; daughters Tina (Jim) and Kathy; sons Rob (Chris), Jody (Laura), Scott (Daria), and David (Vickie); 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and other extended family. The management and staff of WWDR extend their condolences to Bob’s family and friends. Clair Bushong, Jr. (1924~2016) The Ohio Water Well Association sadly informed of the passing of member Clair Bushong, Jr. on July 22, 2016, at his home in Marysville, Ohio. He was affectionately known by his many friends as “Pee Wee”, a name he carried with him from childhood. He was the owner of Bushong Well Drilling, retiring after 62 years serving as a well drilling professional throughout Ohio and surrounding states. Clair loved well drilling, water pump repair, and stone quarry drilling. What brought him the most joy was being with his family and traveling together to different places. Clair is survived by his devoted wife of 69 years, Pearl; their children Linda (Ron), Connie, Rick (Sandy), Vicki (Mark), and Doug (Teri); 12 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren, plus other family. The management and staff of WWDR extend their sympathies to Clair’s family and friends. Lest we forget... 66 SEPTEMBER 2016 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®