My daughter told me that we had no water. I went into the well room and the psi gauge said 18 psi. I unplugged then plugged back in the well and it fired right up. But once it hit 40 psi (cut in) it shut off immediately and the pressure dropped in seconds. If I unplug it then back in it will usually kick back on but it repeats the same thing. The well pump is brand new as the plumber installed it and the pressure switch last week. The pressure tank is 5 years old and holds air fine. Thoughts on what could cause this?
40/60 pump shuts off at 40 then drops dramatically
- Thread starter dutchoven
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It's a 1/2hp submersible well pump. Here it is:
http://www.waterpumpsdirect.com/Red-Lion-RL12G05-2W1V-Water-Pump/p7495.html
http://www.waterpumpsdirect.com/Red-Lion-RL12G05-2W1V-Water-Pump/p7495.html
I am not a pro. So symptoms are that the pressure drops to maybe 18 PSI suddenly once the pump shuts off. That is odd.
I was thinking that maybe the check valve built into the pump failed, but why would the pressure not drop to zero? Bad pressure gauge? And why did this work for a week, and then stop.
I was wondering if the pump was a 3-wire pump, and there was a control box problem. Nope. you have a "2 wire" pump, and no control box is used..
I hope somebody can help diagnose your problem.
I was thinking that maybe the check valve built into the pump failed, but why would the pressure not drop to zero? Bad pressure gauge? And why did this work for a week, and then stop.
I was wondering if the pump was a 3-wire pump, and there was a control box problem. Nope. you have a "2 wire" pump, and no control box is used..
I hope somebody can help diagnose your problem.
Craigpump
In the Trades
I had a call similar to this one not long ago, turned out there was a pressure relief valve at this pitless that was failing so the pump wouldn't build over 50 or so psi and then it would leak right off. When the pump was shut off the PRV would reseat but not hold.
Another possibility is that you have water running someplace and that prevents the system from holding pressure.
Get rid of the plumber and get a real pump tech in there
Another possibility is that you have water running someplace and that prevents the system from holding pressure.
Get rid of the plumber and get a real pump tech in there
Does your pressure switch look like this?
I'll give you another possibility. It sounds like you have 40 PSI air in the tank, which is good but maybe 2 PSI too much. So when the pump shuts off at 40 the pressure drops immediately. And I am afraid the pump is shutting off because the built in overload in the motor is tripping. It could be a bad pump/motor even though it is new, which wouldn't surprise me these days. Or it is possible that the pressure switch or wiring is not right and only letting it have 115 volts instead of 230, which will also trip the overload.
Yes, that is what mine looks like.Does your pressure switch look like this?
