We started having a consistent problem with our submersible well pump since the temperatures have started dipping to 0ºF this winter. The first time it happened was the first week of December, when the temperature hit zero. The water pressure in the house dropped to a trickle and the tank pressure gauge was down to 10PSI range. After some troubleshooting, I hit the 'overload reset' and the pump started up and all was well... until January, when the temperature hit zero again. Then the same scenario--no water pressure, go down and reset the pump controller and pump starts up. All is well for the rest of the week. Until the next time the temp hit zero or below. There is a clear pattern. The pump overload cutout occurs when the temperature reaches zero or below. The pump is submerged some 220' below ground surface. The lines leading from the well casing is 4' below surface of ground all the way to the house. That should be below the frost line. And since 1973, we have had much colder winters and no problems with the pump overloading and shutting down like this. Once I reset the controller, the pump kicks on and refills the Extrol pressure tank at the usual rate of speed and reaches the upper cutoff pressure and shuts off until needed again. It usually stays working until the next bought of cold weather. I'm at a loss as to what the cause of this behavior is. I doubt that the pipes at 4' depth are freezing (and if they were, we would not get water at all once reset), but the overloads only happen on the coldest nights of the season, and with predictable consistency. Does anyone have another idea as to what could be causing the overloads on cold nights?
-- Take care,
Mark & Mary Ann Weiss
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