Submersible Well Pump Constantly Running

[Brian Chase]

My well pump is constantly running. Won’t build pressure about 40psi. Pressure tank is set to 38psi and I have a pressure switch set to 40/60. No leaks in the house. 1 year old pressure tank and brand new pressure switch. I think it’s the pump. Please Help

 

[Reach4]

If you have a jet pump (not down the well), clean the oriface/nozzle. https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/shallow-well-spring-pump-problem.60328/

If the pump is submersible (down the well), there are various possibilities. Hole in a pipe. Pump bad.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Brian Chase]

If you have a jet pump (not down the well), clean the oriface/nozzle. https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/shallow-well-spring-pump-problem.60328/

If the pump is submersible (down the well), there are various possibilities. Hole in a pipe. Pump bad.

It is submerssible. Is there a way to test or figure out which one it could be.im guessing by hole in pipe you mean the pipe for the pump?

 

[Reach4]

Forgot to look at the title again.

I presume you have a pitless adapter. You could look and listen at the well casing after removing the well cap. Have somebody turn on the pump when you are listening.

For now, maybe drop the pressure switch to 20/4o and the precharge to 18.

If you turn off the pump when the pressure is above the precharge, what happens to the water pressure? You would have to have to have a lower precharge to make sense of that test.

 

[Valveman]

Turn off all the faucets. Turn off the power to the pump. If the pressure drops you have a leak somewhere.

 

[Brian Chase]

Forgot to look at the title again.

I presume you have a pitless adapter. You could look and listen at the well casing after removing the well cap. Have somebody turn on the pump when you are listening.

For now, maybe drop the pressure switch to 20/4o and the precharge to 18.

If you turn off the pump when the pressure is above the precharge, what happens to the water pressure? You would have to have to have a lower precharge to make sense of that test.

I don’t know if I have a pitiless adapter or not. The well was already in place when I bought the house and have not changed to pump.

If I do that test and the pressure holds what does that mean

 

[LLigetfa]

If the pressure drops...

Conditional on there not being a topside check valve.

 

[Valveman]

If I do that test and the pressure holds what does that mean

Could still be a hole in the pipe, but might also show the possibility of a bad pump. But would lead to the next question which is, do you have a check valve above ground?

 

[Brian Chase]

Ok. I do not have a check valve

 

[Valveman]

Did the pressure drop?

 

[Reach4]

I don’t know if I have a pitiless adapter or not. The well was already in place when I bought the house and have not changed to pump.

Show us a photo of the top of the well casing. If we see a well cap, you probably have a pitless. If we see a well seal in PA, we will be surprised, unless the well top is in a pit or well house.

Show us a photo of the indoor piping from the well to the pressure tank and pressure gauge.

 

[Brian Chase]

With all faucets closed and pump off the pressure holds st 40psi

 

[VAWellDriller]

pump probably worn out, but it looks like that filter is in the incoming line before the pressure switch......if that's the case, change or remove the filter and seen what happens

 

[Brian Chase]

Ok. I have the filter bypassed

 

[Valveman]

I think VA found it.

I don't see a bypass??

 

[Brian Chase]

On the filter head there is a off/on/bypass. I have it on the bypass setting

 

[Reach4]

1. EDIT I had presumed the water from the well was coming via that blue pipe. There should not be a valve between the well and the pressure switch, so be sure to not close that valve. You should not have a cartridge filter between the well and the pressure switch either. I presume the pump delivers significant GPM at low pressure. A clogged filter would slow the flow but would not affect the maximum pressure much.

2. That is a well cap, and it is highly likely that you have a pitless. However since you have no check valve and maintain 40 PSI water, then your problem is not going to be a leak. It will be the pump. Start saving. I don't know if the well people will be charging more during the bitter weather.

When you get a new pump, take photos of the two labels on new and old pumps. They will be interesting and possibly useful in the future.

The temporary workaround will be to set the pressure switch to a lower pressure and drop the air precharge accordingly.

To raise or lower the cut-in and cut-out settings while keeping the
differential between those two settings constant, adjust the range
nut. The range nut is the 3/8-inch nut that adjusts the larger of
the two springs in Models FSG, FYG, FRG, and Type G Pumptrol
switches.
Turn the range nut clockwise to increase the cut-in pressure and
counter-clockwise to lower the cut-in pressure. Three and a half
revolutions of the range nut will change both the cut-in and
cut-out settings by approximately 10 psi.

Adjust the differential nut if you want to raise or lower the
cut-out setting while keeping the cut-in pressure constant. The
differential nut is the 3/8-inch nut that adjusts the smaller of
the two springs in Models FSG, FYG, FRG, and Type G switches. Turn
the differential nut clockwise to increase the cut-out pressure and
counter-clockwise to lower the cut-out pressure. Adjusting the
differential nut will change only the cut-out setting while the
cut-in setting remains unchanged. You probably don't want to adjust that.

pumptrol adjustment.

 

[Valveman]

On the filter head there is a off/on/bypass. I have it on the bypass setting

I would still remove the cartridge. That bypass thing may not be working.

Like VA I am pretty sure the water comes from the black pipe (see wires), goes through the filter first, and blue pex is to house.

 

[Brian Chase]

Ok thank you. The blue pipe is going to the house. The line to the left of the filter is coming from the well.

 

[Valveman]

Should never filter before the pressure switch. If the pump is bad, that maybe why.