Need help. No water.

[N80]

The label on the well pipe says it is 250’ deep. The pump was at 150’. We measured that. The hose pipe was wet at 60’ so water level was just 60’ down.

It took three of us to get it out.

 

[marhar]

Replaced pressure switch. Switched on the breaker. Tank fills. Pressure comes up to 40. Pressure switch still DOES NOT turn off. Just sits there at 40 psi but switch stays on. Open the tap and it runs like gangbusters for a minute then stops. After a minute it starts to run again. Same as before.

Can't figure why the pressure switch will not open (turn off) at 40 psi.

Wonder if there is a hole in the hose pipe down in the well that only leaks at a certain pressure.

Going to pull the pump. It is 250 feet down.

The tank may be water logged. A tank should have some air in the tank. Small residential tanks sometimes have a valve stem so one can add air.

In warm weather if the tank sweats all the way up the side the tank is full of water and has no air.

 

[N80]

I checked the pressure on the tank. It has about 18 psi in it.

 

[Oaktree]

The tank may be water logged. A tank should have some air in the tank. Small residential tanks sometimes have a valve stem so one can add air.

I checked the pressure on the tank. It has about 18 psi in it.

That was going to be my suggestion. I'm assuming it's a bladder-style tank with a tire valve to set the pressure.

After a while, some of the air can bleed off, so the bladder is still partially (or even close to) full even though the pressure is at the cut-in level. The result would be very short pump cycles (which could have over time ruined the pump)
I know you fixed the problem with a new pump, but it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to completely drain the tank, then pressurize it to just below the cut-in point.
Been there...

 

[MF RED in MT]

Good to hear your water well problem is now fixed.

KC

 

[Larry Caldwell]

The bladder in your pressure tank is filled to 20 PSI. When the pressure drops to 0, the bladder completely fills the tank and there is no water. Then the pump kicks on and brings the water pressure back up again. You need to raise the low set point on the pump to above the bladder pressure, like 22 PSI. There are directions for the adjustment inside the cover of the pressure switch. A small wrench is all you need. Turn the power to the pump off before you wave a metal object around those electrical contacts.

 

[RalphVa]

Update: It was the pump. Or, now that the new pump is in, everything is working.

There was nowhere in this county to buy a pump but my brother-in-law knew a recently retired plumber with a small warehouse behind his house and he just happened to have a pump. We got it in just before dark. Don't know how much it costs but I used to rabbit hunt with this old retired plumber. We visited a while a talked about our rabbit hunting days. My brother-in-law told me up front that the pump would cost more than the big box stores but I don't care. I'd rather pay too much for one from a local fellow than a cheap one from the big box store. Plus it was only 8 miles away rather than 50.

I sincerely appreciate the help from you guys. It helped us sort the problem.

Most of a vacation day down the drain but the rest of the week salvaged.

Glad you got it fixed. About 3 years ago, our 1986-87 well pump was giving some issues. Called the well pump guy, and he pulled the old pump and check valve and replaced them within 1 1/2 hours of the time he arrived. I'd so dreaded it, but turned out to be a non issue.

 

[Valveman]

Glad you got it working. Everything in a water pump system from the pump, check valve, pressure switch, to the bladder tank is destroyed from the pump cycling on and off. Add a Cycle Stop Valve and you will most likely never have a problem again as long as you live.