Well Pump

Wearb

I don't know if any of you here have any experience with water pumps, but I will ask this question anyway.
My brother has his own well. Submersible pump. Pressure vessel is ok. Max cutout pressure is ok. Problem is that when he runs a tap, the pump doesn't cut back in again until the pressure gauge drops to almost zero. He is not sure if this happened suddenly or gradually.
I suppose that it needs a new pressure switch or maybe the hole from to water pipe to the diaphragm in the switch has become partially clogged. I haven't looked at it yet or tried readjusting the pressure switch. I am going to have a look at it on Wednesday.
Anyone have any other ideas as to what may be wrong?

jimf

does that pressure switch have a differential setting

you would expect a ruptured diaphragm would cause the pump to nearly be in constant stop start mode

agusta

Wearb wrote: »

I don't know if any of you here have any experience with water pumps, but I will ask this question anyway.
My brother has his own well. Submersible pump. Pressure vessel is ok. Max cutout pressure is ok. Problem is that when he runs a tap, the pump doesn't cut back in again until the pressure gauge drops to almost zero. He is not sure if this happened suddenly or gradually.
I suppose that it needs a new pressure switch or maybe the hole from to water pipe to the diaphragm in the switch has become partially clogged. I haven't looked at it yet or tried readjusting the pressure switch. I am going to have a look at it on Wednesday.
Anyone have any other ideas as to what may be wrong?

I would say the bore hole in the pressure switch is more than likely partially blocked.You can remove the plate at the bottom of the pressure switch and clean the diaphragm and the bore hole.

Wearb

jimf wrote: »

does that pressure switch have a differential setting

I haven't seen it yet. I haven't worked on one in years. Even then on the old aquadare switch there was a differential setting on them, so I presume this is similar.

jimf

as its family at 80eu per hour you could try and drag it out a bit
you wish more than likely cup of tae and rich tea bikkies if their like my crowd

Wearb

jimf wrote: »

as its family at 80eu per hour you could try and drag it out a bit
you wish more than likely cup of tae and rich tea bikkies if their like my crowd

Worse than your crowd then Jim. Most likely "that's grand" but it works both ways, so I'm ok with that.

Wearb

agusta wrote: »

I would say the bore hole in the pressure switch is more than likely partially blocked.You can remove the plate at the bottom of the pressure switch and clean the diaphragm and the bore hole.

That was one if the things I was thinking. I will proceed along those checks then. Thanks

Btw are there springs in there that can fly all over the place. I haven't worked on one in years.

jimf

im like you wearb haven't worked on 1 in years if I remember a few springs above the diaphragm but wont be under any great pressure

ps maybe agusta knows better after finding out the hard way

foxy farmer

I'd have a look at pressure switch. Note the electrical connections as you might have to open them. Opening into diaphragm could be blocked. While you're at it you could check precharge pressure in vessel with a tyre gauge. Should be around 2 bar 28psi with no water in system. When system is restarted shake the vessel if possible. If it feels very heavy or full you could have more problems

jimf

a bit of reading for you wearb

http://inspectapedia.com/water/Water_Tank_Bladders.htm#Bladders

Pump101

Your pressure switch is blocked.

1. Turn off power at pump control.
2. Check for power at pressure switch as iv come across live pressure switches even with the control switch off.
3. Make a note of the connections and remove
4. Open a tap to drain any pressure
5. Unscrew press sw
6. Insert a small screw driver into the 5 way brass pump piece where you removed switch. Make sure hole is free of debris.
7. Remove screws from back of switch
8. Seperate the lower part below the black rubber diaphragm and clean out the small hole in it.
9. Clean rubber diaphragm with rag.
10. Refit lower section with the screws.
11. Put some ptfe tape on the threads where press sw and screw on sw.
12. Reconnect wiring
13. Lift and shake pressure tank, it should be empty. If there's water in it its water logged.
14. If empty check pressure in vessel.. on standard house it should be 18psi unless someone has raised the pressure. The pressure in the vessel when empty should be 2 psi below cut in pressure. Pressure switches are factory set to 20psi cut in.. 40psi cut out.
15. Turn power back on.
16. Close gate valve so no water is going to house. Pressue should build up and cut out at 40psi approx.
17. Open valve and open a tap and watch the pressure gauge fall to approx 20psi. If the needle suddenly drops to zero and shoots back up then the air pressure in the tank is greater than cut in pressure and this will lead to momentary loss of water which is not ideal.
18. Happy days job done.

Wearb

Pump101 wrote: »

Your pressure switch is blocked.

1. Turn off power at pump control.
2. Check for power at pressure switch as iv come across live pressure switches even with the control switch off.
3. Make a note of the connections and remove
4. Open a tap to drain any pressure
5. Unscrew press sw
6. Insert a small screw driver into the 5 way brass pump piece where you removed switch. Make sure hole is free of debris.
7. Remove screws from back of switch
8. Seperate the lower part below the black rubber diaphragm and clean out the small hole in it.
9. Clean rubber diaphragm with rag.
10. Refit lower section with the screws.
11. Put some ptfe tape on the threads where press sw and screw on sw.
12. Reconnect wiring
13. Lift and shake pressure tank, it should be empty. If there's water in it its water logged.
14. If empty check pressure in vessel.. on standard house it should be 18psi unless someone has raised the pressure. The pressure in the vessel when empty should be 2 psi below cut in pressure. Pressure switches are factory set to 20psi cut in.. 40psi cut out.
15. Turn power back on.
16. Close gate valve so no water is going to house. Pressue should build up and cut out at 40psi approx.
17. Open valve and open a tap and watch the pressure gauge fall to approx 20psi. If the needle suddenly drops to zero and shoots back up then the air pressure in the tank is greater than cut in pressure and this will lead to momentary loss of water which is not ideal.
18. Happy days job done.

Now that is the way I wish I could answer some of the questions posted here. Thanks for such a detailed answer.

shane 007

agusta wrote: »

I would say the bore hole in the pressure switch is more than likely partially blocked.You can remove the plate at the bottom of the pressure switch and clean the diaphragm and the bore hole.

Definitely this issue.
Switch off valve, isolate power, remove cable, unscrew whole switch from base.
Put a pin down the hole to unblock crud but if fully blocked you might get a bit of pressure behind it.
Then unscrew back of switch, about 8 screws. Remove plate & rubber diaphragm & clean completely, base & diaphragm. Put back in reverse order with a bit of PTFE on the base thread. Hand tight only.

Wearb

Just got at this job this afternoon. It was a blocked hole in the pressure switch. But there were other problems. Everything I touched just disintegrated. I have a photo of the way a 1" nipple has been eaten away. I stopped taking photos and just cursed when the threaded side of a 311 just broke off inside a socket. It is frightening to see the way brass can become so soft and brittle. Half the stuff there is covered in a white powdery substance and just waiting to leak.





:mad:

Thanks to you all for the help.

Giving it holly

Plenty iron in the well. Eats through everything. pulled a pump last week where the fitting on the pump had holes and could not build pressure. when i went to take off the fitting it just sheered off in bits. That,s the joys of water

Imstuck

Hi all, I had no water coming into house this morning from mains pump, power is to it and pressure switch doesn't seem to be blocked, it's currently showing 80 psi, does anyone have any ideas?

Giving it holly

What kind of water have you? Iron.

Imstuck

Giving it holly wrote: »

What kind of water have you? Iron.

I haven't a notion!!

Giving it holly

Remove the pressure clock and if there is no water then the hole in the clock is probally block with iron. if this is the case then the pressure switched is blocked also. remove and take apart the switch and clean it.

cabledude

Bump.

For quite a while now I have been getting ridiculous electric bills. Yesterday my water system failed. Called our a local well/pump dude and he told me that my system needed a serious service. He recons that the pump had been running constant for quite a while.

Would this have loaded up my bill. I'm talking an extra €100/150 per two months.

foxy farmer

cabledude wrote: »

Bump.

For quite a while now I have been getting ridiculous electric bills. Yesterday my water system failed. Called our a local well/pump dude and he told me that my system needed a serious service. He recons that the pump had been running constant for quite a while.

Would this have loaded up my bill. I'm talking an extra €100/150 per two months.

Quite likely yes. You got off lightly. Ive heard of bills for farms go up by €5-600.
My own pump has developed a leak down the borehole most likely a corroded connection. Unable to build pressure and low flow. ESB Bill gone up by €200.
How much is the water charge again???

Wearb

foxy farmer wrote: »

Quite likely yes. You got off lightly. Ive heard of bills for farms go up by €5-600.
My own pump has developed a leak down the borehole most likely a corroded connection. Unable to build pressure and low flow. ESB Bill gone up by €200.
How much is the water charge again???

Local fitter fits a low wattage yard lamp that lights up whenever pump runs. Helps pick up this problem early.

cabledude

Wearb wrote: »

Local fitter fits a low wattage yard lamp that lights up whenever pump runs. Helps pick up this problem early.

The lad in the electrical wholesalers made the same suggestion to me. Very smart move.

On my own well, there was a lot wrong. The vessel had lost all its air so was full of water, suggesting that the pump was being over used. The pressure switch was dud so was not driving the water into the house and the reset button on the panel was not working. Lad who cam e recons that the well pump was running the whole time. Actually looking forward to my next Airtricity bil to see what its like. If its not well down I'll pull my fe*kin hair out.