Well seems to randomly shut off?????

[OKnewguy]

Well everyone, I have what is a somewhat strange problem. My wife and I bought this acreage about 2 years ago and twice in the last month our water stops. The piping and everything seems to be fine, what happens is the pump shuts down. It is not blowing the breaker, but there is this weird switch in the well house. The switch is old (the house was built in the sixties), and it says something like reset and has an on and off position.
I imediately checked the breaker, which was fine and then I was fixing to switch this switch but then the pump kicked on?? The pump itself was replaced 14 years ago. Does anyone have any ideas, is the wireing to the pump going out? is the pump going out? Any ideas?
Thanks, Dave

 

[_RaT_]

I would eliminate some of the problems by replacing the various equipment that controls/runs the pump. The pressure switch, the pump control or at least the capcitor. Its perhaps the cheapest way to start. Since the problem is intermitent, it sounds like a pressure switch. The contacts or the pressure sensing portion.

 

[MikePA]

A pressure switch turns the pump on (low pressure) and off (higher pressure). Watch the gauge and you should see the pressure dropping (someone is using water or there's a leak) until the pump kicks on.

 

[OKnewguy]

I grew up with a wells and had never seen this goofy little switch reset thing, it had me going down that track because it was the unknown. I replaced my pressure switch about 1.5 years ago, so I had not considered it. Do the contacts get nasty? As with all pipes in this area of the state the pipes sweat this time of year, it could be corroded. To make matters more confussing the pressure tank and switch are in a part of an appartment that is attached to my garage, I rent it out, and do not go in there with out contacting my renter. She is early 20's and never home and somewhat hard to reach.
Does anyone have a switch thing like this for there wells?
Thanks, Dave

 

[SnowRidge]

How many wires go from the weird switch to the well?

 

[boustany]

The hi/low pressure switches I have seen have to be manually reset - its a great way of avoiding filling the basement with water.

My theory is that you may have some sort of thermal cut out (that is possibly what the funny box is). Now, if it is a thermal cut out it could be that the gizmo in the pump house is ailing or the pump is maybe nearing end of life and drawing too much current. In other words there could be a system in place to limit the amount of time too much current flows, even if that current isn't enough to throw the breaker, though it could be enough to smoke the pump.

Some circular saws have something like this.

In any event, the time may have come to replace the whole kit & caboodle - its not that hard to do. At least you'll end up with a reliable water supply and a known set up

 

[OKnewguy]

I believe that there is a standard 12/2 romex going to the switch, the wiring goes up into the wall. It sounds like I need to do some exploring. The comment about it being a thermal switch makes a ton of sense!! I know there was never anything like this on the systems my parents had growing up. They just had the pressure switch and that was it. I just did a major remodel of the main house and when I remodeled I set up an area for a softner and an additional pressure tank. The current tank is way to small. So I was going to add in an additional one that should keep the pump from running as much. I will check things out tomorow, my renter has company over tonight and I don't want to bother them.
Thanks for all the responses, as always this site is great to bounce ideas around and brainstorm for solutions.
Dave

 

[woodchuckie]

On a 14 year old pump I would vote for internal thermal switch. All parts wearing out building up heat.

 

[Egon]

For this type of problem it may be advantageous to have some electrical measuring instruments. Think amperage draw would be first on the list.

Egon

 

[Alan L.]

My well pump was shutting off, or failing to come on when it should. Then it would work fine for a few days and act up again. Turned out to be the control box, which has some relays and such in it. It was full of suicide ants.