Well Pump & Pressure Tank help needed

[buckle97]

I need some help with my well and I am a complete novice about them. I purchased this house last summer and the well worked fine. It would cut on around 30 psi and cut off around 50 psi. I turned off the breaker to the well and opened up all the faucets and left them this way for about two months. Now when I turn on the breaker the pump kicks on and the pressure, according to the gauge mounted on the tank, just keeps rising to above 90 psi and won't cut off until I turn off the breaker. With the power off and the all faucets open, the mounted gauge reads 50 psi. I had an extra square d pressure switch and put it on but it does the same thing.

Questions:
What should the pressure gauge read when there is no water in the tank?
If 50 psi is too much, how do I release the air pressure?
Any ideas what the problem could be?

Thanks in advance.

 

[20 20]

It won't have anything to do with the breaker. From what you wrote the breaker is working the way it should, applies power when ON, stops power when OFF. Your problem is in your pressure switch.

 

[Steve_Miller]

Are both pressure switches doing the same thing (reading 90 psi) or is it just your guage that is reading 90psi and the pump is not really getting to the actual 50 psi it needs to see to open up? If the guage is at 50psi and there is no pressure on the system then probably 90psi is incorrect and probably only actually only 40psi, not enough to shut off the pump. When to gauge reads 90psi does the water seem excessively overpowering? Try replacing the guage and see what happens.

Steve

 

[buckle97]

Your problem is in your pressure switch.

I have two pressure switches and they both are doing the same thing. The one I put on was new in the box factory set to 30 / 50.

 

[J_J]

Do you have a bladder tank? If so, you release all the water, and add air to the bladder tank I believe 2 lbs below the cut on pressure. For the high setting, adjust it to cut off at 50 pi.

Ref data

Set the air pressure in the empty water tank to 2 psi below the well pump pressure switch cut-in pressure. Bleed air pressure out of the water tank, or add air pressure into the water tank, until the tank pressure. For example, if your well pump pressure control switch is set to "cut in" (start pumping water from the well) at 30 psi, then set the pressure tank to (30 - 2) = 28 psi.

There is usually a 20 lb difference between cut on, and cut off pressure on the pressure switch, such as a 20-40, 30-50, or 40 60.

 

[buckle97]

Are both pressure switches doing the same thing (reading 90 psi) or is it just your guage that is reading 90psi and the pump is not really getting to the actual 50 psi it needs to see to open up? If the guage is at 50psi and there is no pressure on the system then probably 90psi is incorrect and probably only actually only 40psi, not enough to shut off the pump. When to gauge reads 90psi does the water seem excessively overpowering? Try replacing the guage and see what happens.

Steve

Should the mounted gauge read 0 psi when the faucets are open? Right now it reads 50 psi and never gets below that even with the faucets open and the breaker off. The water pressure does seem really high when it reads 90 psi but it might just be in my mind.

 

[buckle97]

Do you have a bladder tank?

How do I tell if I have a bladder tank?

 

[J_J]

How do I tell if I have a bladder tank?

Like this or smaller. On the top, there will be a air valve for testing or refilling. If the bladder will not hold the air, then a new bladder tank is required. Some tanks have a bladder that can be replaced.

 

[J_J]

If the gage reads any pressure with all valves open and the breaker off, then the gage is bad. They are only about $6.95

 

[buckle97]

On the top, there will be a air valve for testing or refilling.

My tank looks similar, but I don't recall seeing an air valve.

If the gage reads any pressure with all valves open and the breaker off, then the gage is bad. They are only about $6.95

I'm hoping it's the guage; I'll stop on my way home today and buy one and see if that is the problem. Thanks!

 

[20 20]

If the gage reads any pressure with all valves open and the breaker off, then the gage is bad. They are only about $6.95

I have to agree with this I have gone through a few of those gages over the years.

 

[GaryQWA]

It sounds as if the nipple the switch is mounted on is blocked and the switch isn't seeing the change in pressure in real time; it is lagging. Clean out the nipple and up in the bottom of the switch. And replace the gauge too.

Don't let the pipes sit around without water in them again with the fixtures open and allow rust in the lines from drying out and going to powder.

 

[Bedlam]

Do you have a bladder tank? If so, you release all the water, and add air to the bladder tank I believe 2 lbs below the cut on pressure. For the high setting, adjust it to cut off at 50 pi.

Ref data

Set the air pressure in the empty water tank to 2 psi below the well pump pressure switch cut-in pressure. Bleed air pressure out of the water tank, or add air pressure into the water tank, until the tank pressure. For example, if your well pump pressure control switch is set to "cut in" (start pumping water from the well) at 30 psi, then set the pressure tank to (30 - 2) = 28 psi.

There is usually a 20 lb difference between cut on, and cut off pressure on the pressure switch, such as a 20-40, 30-50, or 40 60.

Thanks for posting this JJ. I was wondering that myself. I have an empty tank and fill it to 2 lbs under the cut in(30).
Now I'm wondering if I set it to this pressure, and then filled with water to the cut out of 60 lbs. I get a reading of 50 lbs. (with water pressure to 60 lbs.)I wondered if there was a formula to check the pressure if it was full of water at 60 lbs.? I assume its just common to set it as empty.( they are precharged supposedly to 30 lbs).
Glad you clarified it my friend says to See it to 30 lbs regardless to the water pressure in tank. I never thought that was correct.
Thanks again.

 

[captaincrab55]

Tap gently on the gauge to see if it's stuck... Does yout preasure switch have a small rod that sticks out?? If so, you may need to hold it till your preasure rises.

 

[Bedlam]

It sounds as if the nipple the switch is mounted on is blocked and the switch isn't seeing the change in pressure in real time; it is lagging. Clean out the nipple and up in the bottom of the switch. And replace the gauge too.

Don't let the pipes sit around without water in them again with the fixtures open and allow rust in the lines from drying out and going to powder.

Also agree. I have had plugged nipples, and sometime have had to remove and clean the bottom of the switch .(diaphram) But a new switch is cheap.Under 20 dollars.

 

[Jimbrown]

Those gauges will not survive freezing. If there was any water in the gauge and it froze it is broke you need a new gauge. I have replace the one on my pool every spring because they freeze every winter.

 

[buckle97]

Those gauges will not survive freezing. If there was any water in the gauge and it froze it is broke you need a new gauge.

We have had a very cold winter which is unusual for us. My entire setup is in an uninsulated pump house so the gauge could very easily have frozen.

 

[captaincrab55]

What type of pump do you have: deep well, shallow well or jet Pump???

 

[buckle97]

What type of pump do you have: deep well, shallow well or jet Pump???

I am guessing a deep well.

 

[tommu56]

I'm in the clogged line to the pressure switch / gauge camp too take the stuff loose and probe in there with a coat hanger and see if it's open

tom