Pump or pressure tank problem????

[Lgodbey]

just recently installed a new bladder pressure tank. Tank will build up pressure to 60lbs and hold pressure fine. When using the water and pressure begins to drop to 40lbs to kick the pump on it sometimes the gauge will bounce at 40lbs and keep on dropping not kicking the pump on. Sometimes it works fine. Any suggestions???

 

[Reach4]

I think you should replace the pressure switch and/or the nipple to the pressure switch.

If the pump is submersible and cut-on is 40 PSI, set the tank precharge to 38. If jet, 36 or 37.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Lgodbey]

Should have mentioned already replaced the pressure switch twice just making sure that the first new part wasn't bad. The reason we replaced the pressure tank was because it had a bad fitting that went into the tank. After it was replaced is when the problem started

 

[Reach4]

Then clean or replace the clogged nipple. Does the pressure gauge drop to zero when the pump won't start and the water stops coming out of an open faucet? If so, something is restricting the path between the gauge and the pressure switch. If not, that is a symptom.

 

[Lgodbey]

Well we replaced the nipple and still having the same problem. Do you have any other thoughts? And yes the pressure gauge goes to zero and there is no water when it happens. Just for instance tonight the water softener went thru a cycle and it dropped to 40 psi and kicked right on. Later during showers it dropped to 40 psi bounced and kept going down to nothing. I'm at a loss so any help is appreciated.

 

[Reach4]

Well we replaced the nipple and still having the same problem. Do you have any other thoughts? And yes the pressure gauge goes to zero and there is no water when it happens. Just for instance tonight the water softener went thru a cycle and it dropped to 40 psi and kicked right on. Later during showers it dropped to 40 psi bounced and kept going down to nothing. I'm at a loss so any help is appreciated.

Pull the cover off of the pressure switch. When the pressure goes to zero, do the contacts stay open or closed (making contact)? The contacts in this picture are open:

If closed, do you have a control box for the pump? If so, it may be that the start capacitor is weak, and the 3-wire pump does not always start. If you have a 2-wire pump (which might have a third green ground wire), there would be no control box and no start capacitor.

If you have a voltmeter, that would be useful too. If the contacts are closed, you should read 24o VAC voltage between the two outside terminal screws. You should also read voltage between the two inside terminal screws.

 

[Cacher_Chick]

With the well pump pwer off, and the water drained from the tank, use a "known good" pressure gauge to measure the air pressure in the tank. The air pressure must be adjusted until it is a couple psi lower than the actual cut-in pressure of the switch.

 

[Valveman]

You need to determine if the delay pump start is from the pressure switch not closing at 40 the way Reach describes or if the pressure switch is sending power to the pump at 40 and the pump/motor is still delayed in starting. If the pressure switch closes and you have voltage to the pump as soon as the pressure drops to 40, you need a clip around amp meter to se if the pump is running or not. If you are getting voltage to the pump and it is not drawing any amperage and starting instantly, the overload in the motor could be tripping. These overloads have an automatic reset after a minute or two, then the pump will draw amperage and start. If the overload is tripping, you probably have a motor problem.