Well pump / water flow - Help Please

[remlaps]

Hello,

I'm a klutz with regards to home repair, so sorry if this is a silly question. I've done some web searches for my problem, but I'm not making much headway.

Can anyone help with my home water pump / pressure switch? Here's an explanation of the problem as I see it.

I have an in-ground (I guess, 'cause I can't see it) well pump

Inside the basement is a controller of some kind for the pump.

That connects past a valve, via a T connection to a storage tank, which is dead-ended. On top of the storage tank is what I'm guessing is a disconnected external pump which used to be used for my well.

Here's a try at a diagram

|--x----- |- water to house | egress | [__]

-|---[]-----x-|-[ ]Storage tank w/ disconnected pump on top active [ ] pump [____] control

x == shut-off valves

The pump control is labelled that it should cut-in at 40 lbs & cut-out at 60 lbs. It has two screws which I'll call 1 & 2, according to the sticker they work as follows. Turning screw 1 increases cut-in and cut-out pressure by 2 lbs / turn. Turning screw 2 increases cut-out pressure by 3 lbs / turn without affecting cut-in pressure.

The instructions on the side of the water storage tank say it should be pre-charged to the cut-in pressure of the well pump.

The problem started off as low water pressure, to the degree that the water completely stopped at times for up to 10 minutes (I assume, while waiting for the well pump to come on). I did some web searches and tried the following, based on my findings.

1.) Empty storage tank w/ pump turned off and precharge it to 40 psi 2.) Turn both screws 1 & 2, counter-clockwise all the way (to 0 psi?)? 3.) Turn screw 1 20 turns (to 40 psi?) 4.) Turn screw 2 6 turns (to 40 + 18 = 58 psi?) - that's as far as it would go.

Now I don't have a water pressure problem anymore, however now the pump seems to be running continuously. It has run all night without shutting off.

What can I do in order to both have sufficient water pressure, and have the well pump shut itself off when it's not needed?

Thanks,

-Steve-

Steve Palmer

[Tom J]

Back off on both screws one turn at the time until the pump cuts off. At that time, if you don't have water pressure, I suspect it's time to call a well pump company in your area for service - most likely to replace the pump if it's over 6 or 8 years old.

Tom J

[remlaps]

I followed Wade Lipman's advice of getting (actually replacing) a pressure guage. This confused me even more since the pump would come on only after the water pressure dropped to 0 and remained there for some time and as soon as the pump came on, the pressure elevated to 80 and it kept right on running anyway.

I then followed Tom J's suggestion of calling a well service company. They came out and replaced a faulty well-pump control switch. Apparently, sedement had collected under the pressure switch, preventing it from reliably completing the circuit.

They also said that my storage tank needs replacement which I'll endeavour to do on my own. Hopefully, I won't have to post follow-up questions during that project :-)

Thanks Wade & Tom!

-Steve-

Steve Palmer

[Martin]

A coincidence! We just had that pressure controller replaced yesterday. We weren't getting any water. The relay inside was not making contact when it was supposed to be closed. That is what turns on the pump.

But if I read you correctly, you are getting pressure, so the pump must be ok and you are getting water. If the only problem is that the pump doesn't shut off, I'd have someone check that relay. It may not be opening for some reason.

[Gary Slusser]

wrote

NO no no! You run water and watch the gauge and note the pressure readings that turn on the pump and turn it off; the cut-in and cut-out pressure switch settings. Then you set the air pressure when there is no water in the tank to 1-2 psi less than the pump's cut-in pressure switch setting. 40/60 psi range gets 39-38 psi air pressure. Then you adjust the switch so that when the pump comes on it does so before the tank is emptied which would give you a pause in water flow or the water would stop flowing. The tall screw = changing both the 40 and 60, and the short one changes only the cut-out (60), and if it's not a screw, there will be a bolt head. You screwed up (ruined) the differential (20 lbs. between the two settings) and the switch by adjusting the nuts as you did. Once you get them out of 'balance' it's very difficult to get them back unless you've had quite a bit of experience in adjusting pressure switches.

Gary Quality Water Associates