My parents have a well and the pressure switch is having to be replaced every 2-3 months because is keeps “burning up.” The wires going from the switch to the pump get extremely hot when the pump is running. This has me very concerned. I know that when my father has replaced the switch is the past he has adjusted it without really knowing what he was doing. The current pressure in the tank is about 40psi and it currently has a 30/50 switch on it witch I am sure has been adjusted way out of wack. Should I start by replacing the switch with a 40/60 and go from there or is my/their problem more likely electrical? Any help is appreciated.
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Sounds like the pump is drawing too much current and needs to be replaced. I'd call in a well driller to check it out.
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The settings on the switch would have nothing to do with it overheating.
You need to get a pump guy to measure the current while the pump is operating -- likely the pump is bad.
I'm assuming it's a 1/2 hp submersible pump, if it is wired to 120 volt breaker it should draw around 11 amps, if its on a 240 breaker it should be between 5 to 6 amps. It also should be at least no. 12 wire from the pressure switch to the well. Check the amp readings at the pressure switch, then check the readings at the top of the well.
If the readings are high at the top of the well, the pump should be pulled. Check closely the condition of the wire in the well, when a pump starts it will torque, this sometimes rubs the insulation off the wire. If the wire is ok the motor may be on it's way out. Check the age of the pump. The industry says average live of a submersible is around 7 years. This very's widely with local conditions, it's not unusal to pull one thats 18 to 20 years old.
If this sounds like more than you want to mess with, look for a plumber who does this type of work or a well driller.
And yes start with a new 30/50 switch, when all the water pressure is off make shure there is about 28psi air in the pressure tank.
Edited 3/21/2008 8:10 am ET by McPlumb
Thank you for your responce. The pump is not submersible. I going to attach a pic of the plate on the pump so you have more info. I am also attaching a pic of my VOM because I need some help choosing which settings to use to test the amps and how to go about doing it. Thank you for all your help.
You need a special clamp-on ammeter to measure the current. They are available starting at maybe $75 for a basic one.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
Now that you said "clamp on" I know exactly what you are talking about.
OK lets go in a different direction. How long does the motor run when the pump comes on? If its less than a minute, your pressure tank may need air in it.
Pressure switch early death can be caused by damp enviroment, or constant on off cycling, the constant cycling is an indicator of a water logged pressure tank.
Do you know if the tank has a bladder in it? Or take a pic of it and one of the whole pump.
Okay, I am going to post some more pics attached to this, but here is some more info I got from my father. The pump switch, a 30/50, has been adjusted to the point that as soon as water is turned on inside the house the pump comes on. This was done to satisfy my mothers need for high water pressure. However, when he adjusted it he adjusted both the nuts and did not know to keep track of his turns and adjust the tank pressure accordingly. I am not 100% about the bladder, but I think it does. I also discovered the pump is a Berkeley and is about 22 years old. Should I possibly start over with a new 40/60 pump switch (which was the switch that was originally on it and replace the wires going from the switch to the pump and then see what happens. Once again thanks for all the help.
New development...The pump had not came on by itself tonight, so my father had gone out to push the contacts on the switch together (he had to do this in the past when the switch was needing to be replaced). The pump motor then ran for about 45 minutes but did not build any water pressure. They currently have no water at all, I shut the pump off at the fuse panel so it would not continue do run. We also checked the tank pressure which had been at 40 psi and it is at 0.
Stupid question: Is the well running dry?
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
How would I tell, besides paying someone to come out and look at it. That is not an option. I shut everything off for over an hour thinking that if it had emptied the water table that it would have time to refill. After that time had passed nothing had changed when I turned the pump back on.
A weighted string?
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
BTW, how many pipes run between the pump and the well?
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
Remember, you are talking to someone who has never dealt with a well or pump. I believe the answer to your question is 3, but I mean that there are 3 pipes connected to the pump. How would I gain access to the pipe to drop the string down, would it be under the tank. I really am thankful for all your help if they could afford to call a pro out that is what I would be doing.
You gotta find the well. Could be 50 feet away. Follow the pipes.If you have two pipes running from pump to well then you have a jet pump setup. With only one pipe it's a regular suction pump. The jet pump can handle deeper wells. If it's just a suction pump I'd wonder if you have a cistern rather than a well.Frankly, I think you're over your head and need to call in a pro.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
There are only two pipes from the well to the JET pump. I will have to wait until tomorrow to get some string and a weight to lower down the pump. Does it matter switch pipe I lower it down. BTW I know I am in over my head but thank you for continuing to help anyway. I am learning.
I had this problem once.
After buying ney pump etc., I pulled the pipe from the well.
Excitimg, it was 42' long.
Anyways, the problem ended up being the foot valve on the bottom of the pipes.
Can you prime the pump?
You might be better off hiring someone familiar with pumps.
Tell your dad to stop playing with the settings.
40 lbs. of preassure is fine for a house.
Generally there should be an access plug on the well that will let you lower a string outside of the pipes. I'm not sure how well it would work out to try to lower a string inside one of the pipes.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
If the motor is running by no water flows, could it be a bad impeller, or a plugged line?"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
How would I tell if it were either of those? Remember the problem all started with the switch continually going bad, but I understand that it is not the switch this time.
From the info you have provided you have a bladder type pressure tank with a deep well jet pump.
I would start by making sure all the water pressure is drained off, with the electric off replace the pressure switch with a 30/50 or a 40/60 your choice, but remember a pump with this much age on it may not be able to develope enough pressure to make the 40/60 shut off.
With the pressure switch removed check the water line going to the pump from the switch, water should be able to move through this line freely or the switch won't sence the pressure changes. Blow through it.
After you have the switch reinstalled, add air to the pressure tank, the amount of air you need in the tank is determined by the switch you have chosen. A 30/50 should have a tank psi of 28psi, a 40/60 switch needs 38psi.
With these things done it would be good to take the reducer fitting with the gauge in it out and pore water in to prime the pump, fill it all the way up. Reinstall the fitting, now you are ready to turn the electric on.
A deep well jet pump is one of the harder pumps to prime. Let it try for aleast five minutes, then reprime the pump, it may take several tries.
If you are unable to get the pump to work, run a hose from the neighbors and hook it to an outside faucet let it build up pressure in your system, turn on an inside faucet and let it run for a couple minutes. Turn off the inside faucet and let the pressure build up. Turn the electric on to your pump let run for a few minutes. Then turn off the outside faucet. Check to see if you pump is pumping.
Force priming is a last resort if this doesn't work, your really in need of a pump man.
The purpose of the pressure tank is to keep the pump from kicking on every time you turn on a faucet. The way the system was set up was the cause of the pressure switch early failure. This also can cause pump motors to fail before there time. Tell mom to be patient and appericate the water she has.
Good luck!
If your jet pump has run dry or sucked up abunch of sand or other crud look for a small pipe plug. pull the plug and clean out . you may have to clean the pressure tank and hot water heater as well.