Borehole Pump Not Working Here Is What 90 Percent Of Gauteng Homeowners Get Wrong
Borehole Pump Not Working? Here is What 90% of Gauteng Homeowners Get Wrong
It is Saturday morning. You turn on the tap, and nothing comes out. Your first thought is "Eskom," but the lights are on. Your second thought is panic. Before you call the first number you find on Google, take a deep breath.
In Gauteng, borehole pump failures follow predictable patterns. Most of them are caused by simple things that homeowners overlook—things that cost you a R1,500 call-out fee to diagnose. This guide walks you through the five most common reasons your pump is silent, and exactly what to check before you pick up the phone.
The "Silent Pump" Check: 5 Minutes That Could Save You Thousands
Let us start with the absolute basics. Technicians call these the "Friday afternoon specials"—the fixes that are so simple, clients feel embarrassed they didn't check them first.
1. The Obvious One: Did Eskom Cook Your Pump?
Load shedding does not just turn the power off. The surge when the power comes back on is what kills motors. If your pump was running during a stage 4 drop, the sudden restart can blow the start capacitor.
Quick Check: Look at your pressure switch or control box. Is there a burnt smell? If yes, call an electrician before you call a pump technician—you might have a phase imbalance.
2. The Pressure Switch Has a Filter (And Yours is Clogged)
On the side of your pressure switch (the grey box with the spring on top), there is a small nut or screw. Behind it is a tiny pinhole called the "snubber" or dampener. In Gauteng's dusty Highveld conditions, this hole gets clogged with spider webs, dust, or dead insects.
When it clogs, the switch cannot sense the pressure drop. It thinks the tank is full, so it never tells the pump to start.
Quick Check: Turn off the power. Remove the nut. Clean the hole with a paperclip. Replace the nut and turn the power back on. You might just hear the pump kick in.
The Pressure Tank: The "Ignore Until It Explodes" Component
If your pump is running but the water comes out in short, weak bursts, your pressure tank is likely waterlogged. This is the most ignored maintenance item in Gauteng.
How a Pressure Tank Works (In Simple Terms)
Your tank has a rubber bladder inside. It is filled with air, usually at 1.5 to 2 bar. When the pump pushes water in, the air compresses and pushes water out to your taps. Over time, that air absorbs into the water, or the bladder develops a tiny leak.
The "Waterlogged Tank" Symptom
- Pump turns on and off rapidly (short cycling).
- Water pressure at the tap goes from strong to weak in seconds.
- You hear a "thumping" noise in the pipes.
The Fix: Recharging the Air
Turn off the pump and drain the system using a garden hose from the drain valve at the bottom of the tank. Find the Schrader valve (like a car tyre valve) on top of the tank. Check the pressure with a tyre gauge. It should be 0.2 bar below your pump's cut-in pressure. If it is zero, the bladder is burst—you need a new tank.
Pro Tip: In Pretoria East, where water is hard, scale buildup on the tank inlet can also mimic this problem. Check for scale first.
Electrical Faults: The Hidden Killers
Electricity and water do not mix. But in South Africa, they meet inside your borehole. Here is what your technician checks that you probably ignore.
Earth Leakage Tripping
If your main switch trips the earth leakage when the pump tries to start, you have insulation breakdown. This is common in older pumps (5+ years) in areas with high clay content like parts of Roodepoort and Krugersdorp. Clay retains moisture, which corrodes the cable sheathing over time.
The Reality: You cannot "fix" this with tape. The cable needs replacing, or if the motor is wet, the pump needs to be pulled and baked in an oven to dry out the windings.
The Single-Phase Starting Capacitor
Most home borehole pumps use single-phase electricity with a start capacitor. These capacitors have a lifespan. In summer, when ambient temperatures in Johannesburg hit 30°C, the control box heats up, and capacitors fail faster.
Quick Smell Test: Open your control box. Do you smell dead fish or ammonia? That is a blown capacitor. They are cheap to replace (R200-R400), but you need the correct microfarad rating.
The Borehole Itself: When the Pump is Fine, But the Hole is Not
Sometimes the pump is running perfectly, but the water stops. This is common in Gauteng because of our geology.
Silt and Sand Buildup
After a heavy thunderstorm in areas like Centurion or Midrand, rainwater can carry surface silt down the borehole casing if the seal at the top is cracked. This silt settles on top of the pump intake, burying it.
Symptom: Pump runs, pressure builds slowly, then dies. Wait an hour, and it does the same thing again.
Solution: The pump needs to be pulled up a few meters (if the water level allows) or the borehole needs development (flushing) by a professional.
Drawdown: The Water Level Dropped
If your neighbor just installed a massive irrigation system or there has been a drought, the aquifer's water level might have dropped below your pump. Your pump is now sucking air.
How to Check: Look at your borehole log (the drilling report). It shows the static water level. If your pump is set at 40 meters and the water level dropped to 45 meters, you are running dry. The pump must be lowered—but only if the borehole depth allows.
The "Mystery" High Electricity Bill
Your bill went up by R800, but you didn't water the garden more. Why?
Worn bearings or bent shafts make the pump work harder. It draws more amps to turn the motor. This creates heat, which eventually kills the motor.
The Test: A technician will clamp an ammeter around the power wire. If the amp draw is 20% higher than the motor nameplate rating, your pump is dying. Repair it now, or replace it when it seizes completely in two months.
Seasonal Checklist: Gauteng Edition
Print this out and stick it on your distribution box.
Before Summer (October)
- Check control box for wasp nests (they love warm electrical boxes).
- Test earth leakage button.
- Ensure pump house roof is not leaking onto the electrics.
Before Winter (May)
- Insulate exposed pipes above ground (frost in the Magaliesberg can crack pipes).
- Check pressure tank air charge (cold weather drops pressure slightly).
- Drain and insulate any outdoor taps that won't be used.
When to Call a Professional in Gauteng
If you have checked the pressure switch, reset the breaker, and recharged the tank, but the pump is still silent, it is time to call an expert. Here is what to ask them before they arrive:
- "Do you have a megger tester?" (If they say no, call someone else.)
- "Are you insured for borehole work?" (Pulling pumps can damage casing if done wrong.)
- "Do you stock Franklin or Pedrollo parts?" (Common brands in SA; if they only have generic parts, be cautious.)
A good technician in Gauteng will arrive with a multimeter, a megger, and a basic understanding of local geology. They will check the easy stuff first, and explain exactly what failed and why.
Final Thought: Don't Ignore the Small Leaks
A small drip at a pipe joint today is a catastrophic failure next month. Water finds its way into electrical fittings, rusts out tank connections, and erodes concrete floors. If you see moisture where it shouldn't be, fix it immediately. In Gauteng's climate, evaporation hides small leaks, making them impossible to spot until major damage is done.
Need a trusted technician in Gauteng? Look for someone who asks questions about your system before they quote. The good ones want to understand the problem, not just sell you a new pump.