Tweaking the greenhouse fountain

The lovely flowing fountain

that accompanies us as we
approach the greenhouse:

had ceased to accompany...just dried up...

So I checked the usual suspects: circuit breaker at the panel okay, GFCI switch tested normal.

 

Next step, open up the junction box to check for current at the wires feeding the pump:

 

 

 

With the switch turned on, current tests normal, but wait a minute...

Just loosening and tightening the wire nuts causes the pump to spring to life, so the diagnosis is: faulty continuity in the connectors...Problem solved, I tightened everything up and went on my way.

Except 1 week later I notice the pump is down again! Okay, go through the routine again; circuit panel, GFCI switch, pull open junction box...and everything is fine except no pump. So this time I open the reservoir to inspect the pump:

Pulling the pump out and prodding the impeller with a screwdriver seems to unstick the pump and it begins whirring away normally.

 After cleaning and reassembling the pump, it goes back into the tank,

which gets refilled,

and the brook murmurs to life once again: