Well water occasionally shuts off for a few seconds

[DYI13]

Hello all,

Maybe twice per week, during showers, the water shuts off for 5-8 seconds and then resumes. This just started over the past month or so. We got a new submersible well pump in 2008, and the pressure tank was there before that when we moved in.

We ran the water and watched the pressure reader on the tank as an experiment. It started at 60 psi, fell immediately to 45, then slowly down to 30. It recharged to 75 when it reached 30. Naturally, the water flow was not interrupted during this time.

I'm attaching a photo of the equipment. No shortage of corrosion on the outside.

Here's my questions:

* Can you point me to a resource describing how can I diagnose and fix the problem?
* If I need to call in a professional, should it be a well company or a plumber?

Thank you as always for your help!

 

[Reach4]

One reason for a pump to not start quickly is that the start capacitor in the control box (that is between the pressure switch and the pump electrically) is getting weak.

You did not say you have a control box. If you do, and the box has been in service for a while (13 years qualifies) , I would either replace the start capacitor, or get the control box replaced.

Start capacitors are non-polarized electrolytic capacitors, and will degrade with time and starts.

EDIT... I missed part of your post. See my later post.

Changing the start capacitor might be a good idea too.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[PlumbNuts]

We ran the water and watched the pressure reader on the tank as an experiment. It started at 60 psi, fell immediately to 45, then slowly down to 30. It recharged to 75 when it reached 30.

You said "immediately", please define; 1 second, 5 seconds, or literally immediately?
What you are describing sounds like your pressure tank likely has a ruptured bladder.

 

[Reach4]

You said "immediately", please define; 1 second, 5 seconds, or literally immediately?
What you are describing sounds like your pressure tank likely has a ruptured bladder.

Oooh.. let me change my answer. Maybe a clogged nipple feeding the pressure switch, or the pressure switch has its own clogged part.

And set your air precharge properly. It is recommended that you check, and set if necessary, your air precharge each year. I go longer, but pressure tanks vary.

So you may have two things contributing.

Your photo did not make it, but include the pipe from the well, the input to the pressure tank, the pressure gauge, and the pressure switch in your photo.

 

[Valveman]

With the age of that pump it is probably past its maximum number of cycles. The overload in the motor is probably tripping. A few seconds after you finish the water in the tank the overload resets and water comes back on. Check the air in the tank and the start cap if you have one. Eliminating the pump cycling on and off is the only way to make it last longer and not start tripping the overload for 30 years.

 

[PlumbNuts]

Oooh.. let me change my answer. Maybe a clogged nipple feeding the pressure switch, or the pressure switch has its own clogged part.

And set your air precharge properly. It is recommended that you check, and set if necessary, your air precharge each year. I go longer, but pressure tanks vary.

So you may have two things contributing.

Your photo did not make it, but include the pipe from the well, the input to the pressure tank, the pressure gauge, and the pressure switch in your photo.

Hey Reach4, do you guys have a special name for the ones that post a question but never stick around for a reply?

 

[LLigetfa]

It started at 60 psi, fell immediately to 45,

A sudden drop suggests there is not enough air in the tank but that is not the only problem. As valveman said, the thermal overload is most likely opening from the cycling made worse by not enough air.

The 45 PSI spread (delta) could be a symptom of a failing switch or somebody trying to reduce cycling by increasing the delta. It could also be a clogged sense line or nipple.

 

[Reach4]

Hey Reach4, do you guys have a special name for the ones that post a question but never stick around for a reply?

Just "write-only". We used to joke about WOM (to go along with other memory acronyms, such as ROM, PROM, EPROM, RAM and so forth. Similarly we would joke about a variation on the LED (light emitting diode) called a DEAD (dark-emitting arsenide diode).

 

[LLigetfa]

Just "write-only". We used to joke about WOM (to go along with other memory acronyms, such as ROM, PROM, EPROM, RAM and so forth. Similarly we would joke about a variation on the LED (light emitting diode) called the DEAD (dark-emitting arsenide diode).

You left out WORM Write Once, Read Many.

 

[DYI13]

You said "immediately", please define; 1 second, 5 seconds, or literally immediately?
What you are describing sounds like your pressure tank likely has a ruptured bladder.

Hello—sorry, I never got a notification that someone responded to my question. The drop in pressure that I said was immediate took about 2 seconds.

 

[DYI13]

I am so sorry my photo didn’t post. I am trying again. From the well there is only the pipe and wires connected to what you see here. I imagine any electronics are all located in the “pumptrol” box pictured?

 

[DYI13]

I will try to check the tank pressure and report back. Need to find the decent gauge. Thank you all.

 

[DYI13]

Tank pressure is 27.5 psi. I suspect, as "Plumbnuts" and "Reach4" suggested, that clogged parts are the problem. I ordered a new T, pressure gauge, etc., to replace all those corroded parts and I am hoping it will be better than new. Thank you all for your help. Even though I did not respond immediately to your suggestions (because I had some technical issues with this site), they all helped me. Again, thanks.

 

[Reach4]

Ordering a clamp-around ammeter can be useful for future troubleshooting.

During those dead times, it would be good to know if the pressure switch had engaged, or if it had not yet done so. That can usually be determined by watching the voltage between terminals 2 and 3 of the switch. You could potentially hear the switch engage, or you could see the contacts come together while the switch cover is off. If the problem is a clogged part, then the switch would be delayed in engaging.


You did not show the area off to the right of the pressure switch very well. Do the colored wires out of the pressure switch go through the basement wall, or to an electrical box? If there is such a control box, that can cause a "3-wire" pump to be slow to stop at times. That gets progressively worse.

 

[DYI13]

I am posting more photos. The colored wires go through the wall and outside to the well, and the Romex wire to our electrical box. We watched the gauge again while a tub was filling elsewhere in the house. The pressure fell slowly to about 30, then shot down (1 second) to 10. After about 10 seconds, the switched clicked on and it went up immediately (1 second) to 30, and then rose from there to around 70, when it clicked off. When it clicked off, we saw a spark. My son reports that the water did go off for around 5 seconds, but we don't know exactly what the pressure gauge was reading at the time. I suspect it was down in the 10 psi zone. Thanks for your help.

 

[Reach4]

After about 10 seconds, the switched clicked on and it went up immediately (1 second) to 30, and then rose from there to around 70, when it clicked off.

Pretty definitive for the clogged nipple or clogged pressure switch. Good deal!

If this happened in the future, you could switch to a bigger taller nipple instead of the normal 1/4 inch nominal.

 

[DYI13]

Pretty definitive for the clogged nipple or clogged pressure switch. Good deal!

If this happened in the future, you could switch to a bigger taller nipple instead of the normal 1/4 inch nominal.

The parts kit I ordered had a 3 inch nipple. I am hoping the added height does not interfere with the tank—looks like it might, we’ll see. Hoping to do the job next weekend, and there will not be a problem disassembling it. Thanks for your help!

 

[Sarg]

I went with the 3" nipple to provide clearance with the pressure gauge.

 

[PlumbNuts]

I went with the 3" nipple to provide clearance with the pressure gauge.

That should solve your problem.
Let us know how it works out for you.

 

[DYI13]

That should solve your problem.
Let us know how it works out for you.

Thank you Sarge for the suggestion and the photo. With all the corrosion I have, an extension for the gauge also is a really good idea. I'll post when the job is done.