Well pressure switch not cutting in

[jimmyj]

I'm having this odd problem and I wonder if any of you have any ideas. I have a convertible jet pump that works on a 60 foot drilled well. Water is down about 30 feet and the pipes go down about 45 or 50 feet. Standard rig, injector at the bottom. Pump runs on 110 15 amp circuit and is in a well pit outside the house (actually it's like a basement under our gazebo). It is very humid in the pit, the walls are block and insulated with Styrofoam. The ceiling is insulated with styro and the floor is dirt with patio stones on it.

I have a fair bit of experience with wells and pumps and have replaced the entire setup twice over the years (very corrosive water, super high in iron and hard too). But this latest issue confuses me.

The switch on the pump, in cooler weather simply does not "cut in" when the water is run out of the system. I have changed the switch twice and new ones have the same issue in cooler weather. I have taken the diaphragm apart and the little pressure hose to clean, they aren't clogged. I've also adjusted the cut in and cut out pressure on the switches and have cleaned the switch points. All types of maintenance seem to resolve the problem for a couple of weeks and then, intermittently, not all the time, the darn switch doesn't kick in and we find outselves out of water.

To get it going again, in true hillbilly style, I walk out to the gazebo, open the trap door to the well pit and use a long stick to give the pressure switch a mild whack. Then, works great again for a while, sometimes weeks, sometimes hours.

I have not changed the pump, I have not tested the power draw to the pump. Thinking I should do the latter and see if maybe there is an issue there. Any ideas TBN'ers?

 

[PILOON]

2 possibilities IMHO
Debris (rust?) clogging the small tube that actuates the switch.*
Due to high humidity the springs that create the delicate balance rust and the tension balance changes.

Also I have seen the contact points get pitted and stick. (like ignition points on older cars)

It must be common to controls as at one client's cabin I once noticed about 1/2 dz or so control boxes laying about. (also very damp location).

I too always keep a spare on hand as I've needed to replace over the years.

*even a clean tube is not proof as the diaphragm that actuates the contacts might be clogged and impossible to clean out. (have seen that)

 

[jimmyj]

2 possibilities IMHO
Debris (rust?) clogging the small tube that actuates the switch.*
Due to high humidity the springs that create the delicate balance rust and the tension balance changes.

Also I have seen the contact points get pitted and stick. (like ignition points on older cars)

It must be common to controls as at one client's cabin I once noticed about 1/2 dz or so control boxes laying about. (also very damp location).

I too always keep a spare on hand as I've needed to replace over the years.

*even a clean tube is not proof as the diaphragm that actuates the contacts might be clogged and impossible to clean out. (have seen that)

Thanks. Your thoughts do mirror mine. I bet it's a bit of all of the above. I may simply have to put a new switch in each fall.

 

[Winmac]

I'd guess on it being the adjustment of the switches, I went thru something similar with mine and I ended up raising the cut in pressure. I believe there is a limited amount of adjustability where the switch functions correctly.
A correctly charged pressure tank is very important too.
I believe that if the pressure drops fast ( to 0 psi)before cut in the switch has a lock out feature built in.

What are you current settings?

 

[Valveman]

Next time before you "whack" the pressure switch with a stick, open the cover and see if the points are closed (touching). If the points are touching but the pump is not running, then the points themselves are bad from arcing or from the humidity. If the points are open (not touching) the line feeding the pressure switch or the diaphragm in the pressure switch is clogged.

 

[dadster4]

Make sure the pressure tank is charged with air to the correct psi (with 0 psi on system) and that the air pressure is 2 psi lower than the cut-in pressure you chose for the water.

 

[jaotguy]

ever thought about the elbow from the pump to the plastic tube to the switch ? high iron may have clogged it so very little pressure gets to activate the switch ... try removing it and clean it out with a small drill bit ....can't hurt .

 

[tcartwri]

I've had the 1/4" stand off that the switch threads onto get plugged with corrosion. It doesn't have to be completely plugged either to get an air lock in the switch diaphragm.

 

[ozley]

I've had the 1/4" stand off that the switch threads onto get plugged with corrosion. It doesn't have to be completely plugged either to get an air lock in the switch diaphragm.

That's it the piping to the switch is plugged.

 

[Rustyferrious]

I've got some sediment issues and I've had the little pressure switch tube clog on me a few times over the years. I have to take it off and stick a wire in it to clear it. Can you install a filter ahead of the fitting the pressure tube connects to? Might help. My well line comes in roughly 8" above floor level in the basement, I have not found a filter that will fit into that space, but I only have to deal with it every few years so not a big issue.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I'm having this odd problem and I wonder if any of you have any ideas. I have a convertible jet pump that works on a 60 foot drilled well. Water is down about 30 feet and the pipes go down about 45 or 50 feet. Standard rig, injector at the bottom. Pump runs on 110 15 amp circuit and is in a well pit outside the house (actually it's like a basement under our gazebo). It is very humid in the pit, the walls are block and insulated with Styrofoam. The ceiling is insulated with styro and the floor is dirt with patio stones on it.

I have a fair bit of experience with wells and pumps and have replaced the entire setup twice over the years (very corrosive water, super high in iron and hard too). But this latest issue confuses me.

The switch on the pump, in cooler weather simply does not "cut in" when the water is run out of the system. I have changed the switch twice and new ones have the same issue in cooler weather. I have taken the diaphragm apart and the little pressure hose to clean, they aren't clogged. I've also adjusted the cut in and cut out pressure on the switches and have cleaned the switch points. All types of maintenance seem to resolve the problem for a couple of weeks and then, intermittently, not all the time, the darn switch doesn't kick in and we find outselves out of water.

To get it going again, in true hillbilly style, I walk out to the gazebo, open the trap door to the well pit and use a long stick to give the pressure switch a mild whack. Then, works great again for a while, sometimes weeks, sometimes hours.

I have not changed the pump, I have not tested the power draw to the pump. Thinking I should do the latter and see if maybe there is an issue there. Any ideas TBN'ers?

Seems many are missing the rather thorough info in your post.

Next time before you "whack" the pressure switch with a stick, open the cover and see if the points are closed (touching). If the points are touching but the pump is not running, then the points themselves are bad from arcing or from the humidity. If the points are open (not touching) the line feeding the pressure switch or the diaphragm in the pressure switch is clogged.

,,,,,^Try this.^ ... I had 2 switches in a row that closed correctly but one of the point sets sometimes did not make contact. It was a 120 V circuit so I wired it so both sets of points switched the hot lead and just hard wired the neutral. No more trouble.

 

[SARG]

Make sure the pressure tank is charged with air to the correct psi (with 0 psi on system) and that the air pressure is 2 psi lower than the cut-in pressure you chose for the water.

This might be the culprit .... The pressure changes with colder temperatures !

 

[jimmyj]

Fascinating posts and thank you. I am not sure what the solution is but you've given me a bunch of stuff to check. The pressure tank is ok, it still is at factory. I am leaning towards two things:

a) Points aren't working properly due to conditions
b) voltage. We all know when a pump kicks in it takes a surge, I wonder if the (dang it I forget name of it) think of a starter solenoid, needs replacing.

 

[jimmyj]

Fascinating posts and thank you. I am not sure what the solution is but you've given me a bunch of stuff to check. The pressure tank is ok, it still is at factory. I am leaning towards two things:

a) Points aren't working properly due to conditions
b) voltage. We all know when a pump kicks in it takes a surge, I wonder if the (dang it I forget name of it) think of a starter solenoid, needs replacing.