Pressure Switch advices

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LLigetfa

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Measuring the amps drawn should be a good indicator as a hole in the pipe would be moving a lot of water. A pump gunked up with iron or worn volutes would draw less amps.
 

danny.h

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Measuring the amps drawn should be a good indicator as a hole in the pipe would be moving a lot of water. A pump gunked up with iron or worn volutes would draw less amps.

those worn volutes as you call them, they get build up so fast? we talk about a 11 month old grundfos pump.
how I can measure the amps?
 

Reach4

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those worn volutes as you call them, they get build up so fast? we talk about a 11 month old grundfos pump.
how I can measure the amps?
Clamp-around ammeter, clamped around one power wire, where there is easy access. These are much cheaper than they used to be. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_clamp

Accessing one wire in the pressure switch housing is often the easiest. It is important to only clamp around one conductor. If you go around a pair of wires, the meter will show the difference in current, which would be pretty much zero for the pump hot wires.

Some are actually able to measure both AC and DC current. DC can be useful for automobile purposes.
 

LLigetfa

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those worn volutes as you call them, they get build up so fast?
Usually two separate issues. Gunked up from iron OR worn volutes. Iron that may be precipitated by "shocking" a well could stick together inside the pump. It does not happen often. Worn volutes could be from severe up-thrust or heavy sediment. Sediment would likely take longer than 11 months to wear them out and that much sediment should create issues elsewhere in the system.

Upthrust could be an issue with a topside check valve as the pump starts without the resistance of backpressure. Is(are) there a check valve(s) other than the one on the pump? If so where and how many?
 

danny.h

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Usually two separate issues. Gunked up from iron OR worn volutes. Iron that may be precipitated by "shocking" a well could stick together inside the pump. It does not happen often. Worn volutes could be from severe up-thrust or heavy sediment. Sediment would likely take longer than 11 months to wear them out and that much sediment should create issues elsewhere in the system.

Upthrust could be an issue with a topside check valve as the pump starts without the resistance of backpressure. Is(are) there a check valve(s) other than the one on the pump? If so where and how many?
There is only one check valve and that one my plummer change today.
 

Reach4

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There is only one check valve and that one my plummer change today.
As valveman said, your pump has a built-in check valve. Changing your above-ground check valve is a waste of money. Clearly it is holding. Removing it, or removing its inside poppet, could be worthwhile.

Normally, that above-ground should not be there.

It can be useful as a temporary work-around for a failed check valve at the pump or a hole in the pump. But it can hide problems.
 

LLigetfa

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There is only one check valve and that one my plummer change today.
If the plumber changed it, I'm guessing it is not the one built into the pump, so my guess is you have two check valves. Where is that check valve the plumber changed, down on the pump or up top?
 

danny.h

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If the plumber changed it, I'm guessing it is not the one built into the pump, so my guess is you have two check valves. Where is that check valve the plumber changed, down on the pump or up top?
my plummer only change down on the pump, not the build in, he cant he said, so I will send the motor to a small shop and they can look at it.
 

Reach4

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If I am not using any water, the pressure doesnt drop at all.
If the only check valve is at the pump, that check valve is good.

Buy or borrow that clamp ammeter.

Identify the motor on the pump to help interpret the amps. Identifying the pump number usually also identifies the motor.
 

danny.h

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Now a shop have open up the pump, and its totally ruined, he said that the pump has run without water, I thought there was a safety to turn off the pump if no water is coming, but I guess not.
 

Valveman

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You never said which pump you have? I am guessing the S or SP series Grundfos and no, as you have seen, apparently they do not have built in dry run protection like the SQ series does. Even the way the SQ series protects from running dry is not as good as using a Cycle Sensor. Which, BTW the Cycle Sensor works very well with the S or SP Series and most other pumps.

 

Reach4

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Gundfos%20JPC%204-54%20A-C-BBVP%2011-228x228.jpg

Not what I had been picturing. You have a single stage centrifugal pump, with no jet+venturi.
 
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danny.h

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yeah not sure what it means, but yes I have this one, and Grundfos tells me its should shut down, if no water is coming, not sure if its true
 

Reach4

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yeah not sure what it means, but yes I have this one, and Grundfos tells me its should shut down, if no water is coming, not sure if its true
So tell us about where the water comes from. Are you sucking water from a well, or is the water coming from an above-ground tank, or is the input coming from a city water pipe?
 

danny.h

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So tell us about where the water comes from. Are you sucking water from a well, or is the water coming from an above-ground tank, or is the input coming from a city water pipe?
its input coming from a city water pipe?
 
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