Pressure Problems

[Caoimhghin]

I've got a submersible pump, and a pressure switch that's supposed to kick in at 30psi, and stop at 50psi. Two days ago, I woke to the switch humming, no water pressure. Turning the power to the switch off and then on again caused the pump to kick in and the system to fill with water.

Everything seemed fine until two days later: the switch was struggling at 10psi, and there was very poor water pressure. Turning the power off and on did nothing, but turning if off, waiting a minute, then on again brought the pressure back to normal. Later that day, the pressure was struggling to hit 40. Off and on fixed this, again.

I'm sure it's all about to die, or blow up, or both. The switch is only a year old (previous was plugged with silt); the pump is 12 years old. The wellXtrol tank is pretty ancient.

Any idea how to tell if it's the pump, switch or tank?

 

[Reach4]

Two days ago, I woke to the switch humming, no water pressure.

Do you have a voltmeter?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Caoimhghin]

I'm afraid I don't (and I also lack the smarts to use one!).

 

[Reach4]

You can call a professional well person and have this solved in short order. An electrician could check the switch, but the well specialist would know how things are connected already, and could deal with whatever is found. You would have water sooner.

Or you may have a friend who has such a meter. Switches don't make a sound that I would call a hum, but they could make sounds.

This diagram represents what is under the cover of a common Pumptrol pressure switch. If wired this way, the voltage from terminal 1 to 4 would be about 240 VAC at all times. The voltage from terminal 2 to 3 would be zero if the pressure switch is off and 240 VAC if the pressure has dropped and the pump should be on. If, with the help of a friend found 240 from terminal 1 to 4 and much less from terminal 2 to 3 while the water pressure is zero, a new pressure switch is a cheap and easy fix. The problem is liable to be more than that.

Incidentally, if wire on 2 was swapped with the wire on 1 or the wire on 3 was swapped with the wire on 4, that would still work no problem.

 

[Caoimhghin]

Thanks. The hum might have been pump humming through the pipes. I have called someone, and hopefully they can come tomorrow (today being Sunday).