Well pump runs but no pressure

[KnoxMan]

I've learned a lot from this forum but can't find an answer to my problem.

Submersible well pump won't build pressure at all after a low-pressure cut-out event this morning. When I hold switch to reset position, pump draws 5amps but does not build pressure.

The water pressure system with 8.5gal tank and CSV set to 40-65psi was working normally since we moved in two months ago, except for occasional low-pressure cut-out events which I attributed to slow pump startup and the low draw-down volume in our pressure tank (which is set 2-3psi below cut-in pressure).

Could a stuck closed CSV1A cause this issue? Or does this point to capacitor failure, or perhaps a stuck closed check valve in the pump. I don't think the well could be dry, but I should drop a line and check static level to confirm.

BACKGROUND: I believe this is a 2001 drilled well with 1/2HP pump set at 140' in a 180' deep well with static water level of 60'. The capacitor is with the pump as it was setup to run off a generator cord originally. Fall 2017 I setup a pitless adapter and trenched 500' downhill (~15' drop) to our new house.

Thanks for any tips.

KnoxMan

 

[Valveman]

No a CSV cannot stick closed and cause that problem. A 1/2HP pulling 5 amps tells me the pump should be pumping a lot of water. I am afraid you have a hole in the pipe somewhere. When no one is using any water or with the ball valve to the house closed, when you turn off power to the pump the pressure should stay where it is. If the pressure falls off when no one is using water, there is a hole in the pipe somewhere.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

The water pressure system with 8.5gal tank and CSV set to 40-65psi was working normally since we moved in two months ago, except for occasional low-pressure cut-out events which I attributed to slow pump startup and the low draw-down volume in our pressure tank (which is set 2-3psi below cut-in pressure).

I would be thinking to set the pressure switch to 40/60 and the precharge to 36 in the face of the cutouts. Or 35...

When you turn on the tub water full blast, do you see a quick dip on the pressure gauge as the pump turns on?

I believe this is a 2001 drilled well with 1/2HP pump set at 140' in a 180' deep well with static water level of 60'.

7 gpm pump?

The capacitor is with the pump as it was setup to run off a generator cord originally.

You have 3-wire pump. A 3-wire pump is easier to run from a generator. Your suspicion that the start capacitor is getting weak has merit, given the sporadic tripping, except that the capacitor is pretty new. Most people don't have a low pressure cutoff pressure switch.

 

[KnoxMan]

Thanks for the help guys.

@cary: you were correct; a pvc double barbed coupling 20' below the pitless adapter blew apart. We put it back together with double hose clamps, and may replace the drop pipe with a single length of poly. I guess the previous owner ran the well dry and lowered the pump 25' to 165' hence the splice in the poly pipe and pull rope at that point.

@Reach4: just tested and the pressure didn't dip when the pump cut in. I had about 38psi in the preset and set it down to 36psi. the pump seems to deliver about 5 gallons per minute. I guess we may exceed that flow rate with multiple faucets in use... ... ...perhaps flow restriction downstream of the pressure tank could prevent this possibility. We ran the well dry once or twice filling large tanks, hence the low-pressure cut out switch.

 

[Reach4]

We ran the well dry once or twice filling large tanks, hence the low-pressure cut out switch.

Have you run the well dry since, and had the low pressure cutoff shut you down then?

 

[KnoxMan]

No, low pressure has cut out for other reasons (undersized pump?), but we haven't run dry since Sept/18 (last tank fill) during routine household usage.

 

[LLigetfa]

I suggest to toss the low pressure nuisance cutoff switch and get a Cycle Sensor.
https://cyclestopvalves.com/pages/cycle-sensor-pump-monitor

 

[KnoxMan]

water gave out last night at 8pm; tried to reset pressure switch but not building pressure.

panic! splice blew again!??

then gurgle, gurgle in in the pipes and pressure started to build

we must have hit the air bubble introduced at the splice 500' of 1.25" poly and 32 gallons and 16 hours later.

all is well now ... no pun intended.

-ryan

 

[KnoxMan]

Following up on my mystery low-pressure cut-out condition (referenced in this thread) hoping my experience may help others with similar trouble.

As of writing (July 2019), I'm on my second low-pressure cut-out switch. The original one (new June 2018) failed to cut in at the low pressure point with increasing frequency till it was driving us crazy, losing pressure almost every cycle. I sent it back as defective and got a Square-D (Schneider Electric) low-pressure cut-off switch (March 2019) which has worked without incident for several months.... that is till this week it started to fail to cut-in, and today it's losing pressure almost every cycle. I observed a few cycles with the switch cover off, and noted that the manual handle seems to cycle against the pressure plate in a 20 degree arc rotation, and sometimes it sticks if the water pressure is decreasing very slowly. I guess sliding back and forth hundreds of times it wore to a point where the two surfaces developed enough friction to stick when the plate is moving slowly. So I set a rubber band in place to hold the manual switch immobile in the "auto" position. So far so good.

Hopefully this simple mechanical problem and its explanation can help others get more luck with their low-pressure cut out switches. I suspect a tiny design change could eliminate this problem (a bump on the plastic housing to hold the lever in "auto" mode).

For the record, we have a CSV1A with 8gal tank and about 2.5 gal drawdown. The system seems pretty good, though our usage doesn't make use of the CSV constant pressure feature very often. We have a bunch of young kids always using the water for 20 -60 seconds at a time, so we probably cycle more than we will when they calm down a bit an start taking 69 minute showers.