Pressure Loss - Submersible Well Pump

[Jac04]

I have a 1/2hp submersible well pump which has worked fine for the past 19 years. My pressure switch was set up to turn the pump on at 30psi and off at 50psi.

The other day I noticed that I hadn't heard the pressure switch click in a while, so I took a look to see what was going on. The pump was running continuously. My pressure gauge was reading just under 50psi, but the pressure was holding steady and never increasing enough to trip the switch & shut the pump off. I shut the valve just downstream of the switch & gauge to ensure no leaks in the house, but the pump continued to run and the pressure never got to 50psi.

So, I adjusted the pressure switch so it cuts off at about 43psi, and now my pump cycles. However, it seems to take a bit longer to build pressure than in the past.

So, I'm wondering how big of a problem I have, if any. Should I plan on replacing the complete submersible pump? Even at the reduced pressure setting on the switch, water delivery in the house is normal with no indications of reduced flow. The pump seems to keep up with demand just fine (lawn sprinkler going & taking a shower at the same time is no problem).

 

[Valveman]

The pump could be clogged up, worn out, or there is a hole in the pipe. It could also be that your water level has dropped lower than 106', and from that depth a 10 GPM, 1/2HP cannot build to 50 PSI. If you have good water and the pump is shutting off at 43 PSI, you just as well keep using it until it quits. There really is no fixing anything. You will just need a new pump when the other one completely quits.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Wondering]

I have a 1/2hp submersible well pump which has worked fine for the past 19 years. My pressure switch was set up to turn the pump on at 30psi and off at 50psi.

The other day I noticed that I hadn't heard the pressure switch click in a while, so I took a look to see what was going on. The pump was running continuously. My pressure gauge was reading just under 50psi, but the pressure was holding steady and never increasing enough to trip the switch & shut the pump off. I shut the valve just downstream of the switch & gauge to ensure no leaks in the house, but the pump continued to run and the pressure never got to 50psi.

So, I adjusted the pressure switch so it cuts off at about 43psi, and now my pump cycles. However, it seems to take a bit longer to build pressure than in the past.

So, I'm wondering how big of a problem I have, if any. Should I plan on replacing the complete submersible pump? Even at the reduced pressure setting on the switch, water delivery in the house is normal with no indications of reduced flow. The pump seems to keep up with demand just fine (lawn sprinkler going & taking a shower at the same time is no problem).

I had the same problem a few years ago. The pipe was split right about the pump. Pump guy cut that off, connected it all back up and is running fine still. I would check that out otherwise you will burn your pump up eventually. No need in that when it can easily be fixed. My pump is 15 years old and that is the only trouble I have ever had with it and that wasn't the pump.

 

[Jac04]

Took the top off the well pipe. The water level is definitely above 106', as I can easily see water (maybe 30' down).

I was thinking that the pipe might be leaking as suggested, but right now I don't have an easy way to verify.

When the pump kicks on at 30psi, I can shut off the water, and it takes 125 seconds for it to reach 45psi and shut off. I'm not sure if that seems excessive, but it used to recover & shut off much quicker. The pump also used to cycle when watering the lawn (one sprinkler), but now it just seems to come on at 30psi, then rise slowly & stay at around 40 psi. I guess that means there is a leak somewhere or the pump itself can't produce the flow/pressure it used to.

Now, I thought that anything you could do to keep the pump from cycling would prolong its life, so could this not be such a bad thing?

 

[Craigpump]

Prolonging pump life is one thing, an inefficient pump system is quite another.

After 19 years it's quite possible there is a rotted fitting at the pump, a cracked pipe and /or a worn pump. Maybe even a leak in the piping from the well to the house. The absolute easiest way to check this is to pull the pump up a few feet and put a gauge on the drop pipe and see how much pressure the pump builds and if the pressure drops when the pump is turned off.

 

[Jac04]

This is probably something best left to a professional I suppose. I'm very mechanically inclined, but I've never messed with the well pump, so I'm just not prepared for the job.

 

[Jac04]

UPDATE:
I had the well pump replaced. Everything works fine now.

 

[PumpMd]

What size pressure tank do you have by the way? just curious & have you ever had to replace your tank with all that cycling & how many tanks over that 19yrs of good motor/pump life. What was the brand of your old pump too?

Check out the 1/2hp 10gpm depth to water performance chart, at 50psi but you still have to stay in gray area.

http://franklinwater.com/media/110458/MH2009_Water_Horse_Catalog_01-14.pdf

 

[Jac04]

What size pressure tank do you have by the way? just curious & have you ever had to replace your tank with all that cycling & how many tanks over that 19yrs of good motor/pump life. What was the brand of your old pump too?

My tank is a WX203 Well XTrol, not sure of the exact size. It is original to the house, and has never been replaced. The old pump was a Goulds 1/2HP 7gpm, and it was replaced with another Goulds pump with the same rating.

 

[PumpMd]

My tank is a WX203 Well XTrol, not sure of the exact size. It is original to the house, and has never been replaced. The old pump was a Goulds 1/2HP 7gpm, and it was replaced with another Goulds pump with the same rating.

The longest lasting pump that we have installed was a Goulds pump at about 48yrs, WellXtroll actually held up on their selling point as a maintenance free tank (held their PreCharge like a champ) but I am not sure how they are holding up now from all of the pressure tank clones over the years. I am sure WellXtrol had to find a way to make their product cheaper as well.