Pump/Well problem....

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swark

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Lately my water will just stop running and it will come back on after about 2 minutes. It does this throughout the day....where should I start first?
 
R

Rancher

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Start with the pump, tank & switch.

1. Is it an above ground pump, or a submersible pump?
2. Is the tank a "bladder" tank?
3. Is the pressure switch turning on when the pressure drops below the set point, which is typically 30/40 psi?
4. Do you have a pressure gauge on this system?

Rancher
 

swark

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It is above ground and has a large sediment tank. The pressure gauge does not work.

Here is a brief description and history....The well is probably about 120 ft deep and single pipe. When I first bought the place the pump cycled constantly....my buddy installed a air relief valve and it seemed to help a bit. Recently I found out he hooked the relief valve to the drain hole so it wasn't doing a thing all that time. Now the relief valve is disconnected completely. I replaced a electronic component a few years back and when I put the drain plug in I cracked the cast iron body. With a little JB weld and rust the crack stopped leaking. So the pump has ran ok for quite some time now....but recently ocassionally I will lose water flow completely for a few minutes and than I get a burst of air and the water begins to flow again. We have had a lot of rain so I am not worried about the well itself...but unsure what I should try first. I really havn't had time to look at it much yet (this weekend). If my tank is heavy (full) should I disconnect and empty....or would this not have anything to do with it?
 

Speedbump

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It sounds like you have more problems than just your tank. If the tank is full, it's waterlogged and needs to be drained. If your buddy installed an air relief valve on a waterlogged tank, he did the opposite of what he should have done.

I always use JB Weld on my repairs.:D

You must have an air leak somewhere if your getting bursts of air. And if this thing you called an air relief valve is really an air control, you might be getting air from it.

I replaced a electronic component a few years back and when I put the drain plug in I cracked the cast iron body.

I have no idea what your talking about here.

bob...
 

swark

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I don't know if the tank is full....I'll find out tonight. The relief valve is on the tank itself and a copper tube runs from it but it is not hooked up to the pump right now and hasn't been for quite some time. When he installed it years ago the tank was empty he just attached it to the wrong spot on the pump itself. As far as the component I relplaced it was inside the pump (on the motor) I forget what it was called just a plastic piece with metal contacts...it had burnt out. Now also I had a toilet that would ocassionally run....and it was like that for awhile...I replaced all the guts in the tank the other weekend (however it ocassionally still fills the tank every 20-30 minutes)...anyways I was afraid the cycling might have damaged the pump. But it works fine it just loses pressure completely for a few minutes and than it kicks back on.
 

Sammyhydro11

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swark,
how many lines are coming into the front of that pump?I know you said single pipe but with a well 120' deep you usualy have a twin pipe jet assembly in it. When you lose your water for a couple of minutes do you hear the pump running?

SAM
 

swark

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It is definatley one line...the pump is actually sitting upright the the pipe is straight down the well....it looks as though the pump is sitting on the line....and I will double check tonight if it cuts off again...the other day when it did it I ran outside but I didn't hear the pump.....but when I came back inside the water was running again....
 
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Rancher

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swark said:
it looks as though the pump is sitting on the line....
Sooo... let me see if I understand, the pump is on the single line that is in the well... as in at the bottom of the well?

Rancher
 

swark

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well most pumps I've seen sit on the ground and the pipe 90's down into the well.....on mine the pump actually sits vertically and it actually sits on the well casing....but inside the casing is a single line.
 
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Rancher

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Hmmm, the only pump that I've ever seen described like that one is a positive displacement screw pump, the water companies and agricultural farms use them to pump massive GPM out of the ground. Never seen one used in a home environment.

Rancher
 

Sammyhydro11

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Rancher,
what he has is a vertical deep well jet pump that sits on a well head. The well is 2" in diameter and has single tube down the middle with a jet assembly and foot valve atatched to the bottom.

Swark,
i would check your pressure switch lines and fittings because i think one of the components are probably clogged. Take the pressure switch cover off and the plate that the big spring sits on,try to push it down. If its hard to push down then the fitting that that the pressure switch line attaches to on the pump is probably clogged.

SAM
 

Speedbump

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Rancher, visualize this hookup with the pump sitting vertically instead of horizontally like in step

bob...
 
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R

Rancher

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I've never seen one mounted on top of the well casing, and he was saying single pipe, so it must all be integral and mounts on top the the well and you only reallly see the 2" pipe... right?
 

Speedbump

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It's the casing adaptor that makes it all work. The droppipe screws into the center of the casing adaptor which aims driectly at the eye of the impeller. Ther other hole puts the water down the casing on the outside of the droppipe.

bob...
 

swark

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Ok folks.....I finally got a chance to look at the pump Sunday. I didn't dig to deep into the problem because nothing is open on Sunday where I live...so I didn't want to be stuck without water.

I checked the tank and it is probably about half full of water......I checked the line to the pressure switch and it seemed okay.

I replaced the pressure gauge and it stays at about 50 psi and jumps to around 60 when running.

I connected an air control valve (AV-100) on the tank and ran copper tubing to the pump.

As of yet I havn't completely lost water pressure but it ocassionally does get really weak. Before it would go off completely for a minute or two than kick back on. What should I try next?
 

Speedbump

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If the pump stays at 50 when the pump is off, the gauge is stuck. If it jumps to 60 when running, the backpressure control is set to 60 psi. That may be too high. And if you run out of water, the backpressure would have to drop as well. I wonder if the gauge hole is as plugged up as Rancher thinks your pressure switch tubing is? That would explain the gauge not moving much.

You can't draw down a well with a jet in it. The column of water under the jet is always under vacuum and the well will give only what it can, regardless of what the pump wants.

One other thing. The air control and the copper tubing are practically useless with a deep well jet pump. The air control needs vacuum to operate and with a deep well jet pump with the backpressure control set properly will only have vacuum for a split second when the pump starts. This is not enough time for the air control to fill with air.

bob...
 

swark

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Originally my system did not have a air valve on it but when I first bought the place the pump cycled all the time without water running so I was told to install it.

I will check the gauge hole and make sure it seems clean.....now as far the the pressure being to high....I make that adjustment on the AV21 pressure control valve correct? Would I loosen the top screw or tighten? Thanks.
 

Speedbump

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You would loosen the bolt on the AV-21. The best way to set backpressure is with the pump running open discharge, with no restriction to the water flow. Then loosen the bolt until the pump starts sounding loud like it has marbles in it. At that point, screw it back in until the pump gets quiet again. Then a half turn more.

bob...
 
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