Cottage Pump Help NF

[camillj]

Heh .. spent an hour under the cottage today too ... Pump was running but no water ... figured out the fittings had come loose and air was getting into the system so the water was running back down to the lake .. tightened em up ( a little plumbers tape for the fittings) and primed her up .. and presto .... (well not quite presto ... it DID take me an hour to figure out how it all worked - darn plumber never even returned my calls so I figured it was time to get "handy":)

[Sinker]

I don't understand what your saying wayne.

 

Where do you get pressure from if the pump runs continuously?

 

Mine cycles on/off, and I've filled my pool as many times as you have I bet! I also water the gardens, and sometimes even the lawn.

 

I turn the water on, pressure starts to slowly drop at pump, pump kicks on at 20psi, no change in water pressure, pressure in tank rises to 40psi, pump shuts off(and cools), water is still running, pressure drops below 20psi, pump kicks on.

 

I'd say, while filling the pool, my pump kicks on for 5 mins(maybe not even that long) and when it shuts off, its stopped for 15mins. Pump doesn't even get warm.

 

Unless we're talking a different kind of pump, or set up, that's the only way it will work with a jet pump.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

S.

[irishfield]

Shane... you have to find a point in the output, that the pressure drops to kick the pump on and then the flow is such that while the pressure will then rise as the pump runs that it never reaches the cut off point. Saves wear and tear on both the pump and the pressure switch if the pump just keeps running. Something I learned many eons ago when I had a stupid neighbour attached to OUR well that would put put one sprinkler in her garden on leave it on all day, After she burnt out the second pump.. the line got cut!

Edited May 11, 2013 by irishfield

[Sinker]

So essentially your cyphoning water from your well through the pump?

 

Interesting.

 

I never would have thought that would work. Is there a trick to finding the "sweet spot"? That muust take some trial and error?

 

Btw, I've never lost a pump, or pressure switch, and I've had all kinds of stuff happen where the pump has run for loooooong periods, a couple times with no water lol. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I'll take lucky over good any day

 

S.

[irishfield]

It's not syphoning, just pumping at a pressure that while mid range doesn't make the cut off point of the pressure switch. Easy to do with yard hydrants... that I can get the plus side of 10 GPM out of, but if using standard hose outlets you need two of them running to stop the pressure from rising enough to kick off the pump.

 

Just lucky to be on a good water supply here, on a 185 foot deep drilled well, that I can suck that amount of water per day out of the earth!

[Sinker]

I'm going to try it the next time I'm running water.

 

Sorry for the "Saga", Meely, but there is some useful information here somewhere

 

S

[Old Ironmaker]

We must be talking about 2 different types of pumps. No way a shallow well jet pump is going to get water out of a 185' deep well. I had a pressure demand pump, no pressure tank, ran continuously at 40 psi as long as a line was open, took it back as the pump running the entire time a shower was run or washing machine filled drove me nuts.

[Meely]

No saga.....at all.......

I appreciate all the info.

 

I had a quick look at the pump and it is in fact a "Square D 30/50".

I had a quick gander at the Home Hardware and they are only 30 bucks or so.......I will get one as a back up but for now would like to know ....what can I use to clean the contacts? A file of some sort??

 

Thanks again!!

 

Meely

Edited May 12, 2013 by Meely

[Old Ironmaker]

Drop the 30 bucks and change the pressure switch.

[Sinker]

Yep, just change it Meely. You might get away with cleaning the contacts, but it will let you down again sooner than later. It will last you another 20yrs. When you puut it away, give the switch a light shot of WD, or oil.

 

S.

[Sinker]

If your set on cleaning it, a wire brush, or wheel, or sandpaper will clean it up, but if its fairly dirty(corroded) it might not ever work the same.

[Old Ironmaker]

I just realized this afternoon it's easy for me to suggest you change the switch, not so easy if you have never changed one.

 

I found this on youtube.com how to change a square D pressure switch for a water pump.

 

 

There are many other diy tips there as well for changing pressure switches.

 

Good luck, now go change the switch.

[aplumma]

I still hold with replacing the switch. Filing the points can cause a hotspot if done incorrectly and cause the contacts to arc and weld themselves in the on position.

 

 

Art

[Meely]

Well Kids,

 

I ventured up to the cottage on Saturday morning and managed to carefully yank out the old switch.

Headed over to the local hardware store and bought an identical replacement switch and a new piece of plastic tubing.

Managed to replace the switch with no problems at all. Flicked the breaker back on and then the light switch and away she went. Worked like a charm.

She ran perfectly all day then at approx 10 pm.....I got the "Hollar" from someone who was in mid-lather in the shower.

So, I sauntered back down to the pump-house, flicked the light switch off and then on again and away she went........

 

It appears the tank/lines is/are losing pressure somehow (gauge reads zero psi). I would think that once the pressure hits 30 psi, the pump should click back on. If I had a leak in the lines somewhere, I would think the pump would keep cycling on and off but it does not do that. To compound the problem, it only happens sporadically.......

 

So now what?? Do I take her out back into the bush and shoot her? lol......

 

Could it be a problem with pressure in the tank?

 

Thanks again for any help,

 

Meely

[Sinker]

Weird.

 

Did you take a look at the light switch? Maybe its burnt out?

 

Is your pressure guage always reading zero? You might want to replace that as well.

 

That's all I'm coming up with right now.

 

S.

[Sinker]

To check the pressure in the tank, shut off the pump and run water until it stops. Get a tire pressure guage, and check the pressure in the tank, the same as you would a tire. It should be at 28psi.

 

I don't think that's your problem, but it doesn't hurt to check it. The tanks are known to lose pressure, aand "flood" themselves.

 

I think you have an electrical contact problem.

 

Next time it doesn't start up, see if the conacts are open or closed on the pressure switch. If they're closed, your not getting power from the light switch.

 

I'd replace the light switch anyways. Just cheap insurance. If its not working properly it could cause a fire. Better safe than sorry.

 

S.

[Woodsman]

Is this a galvanized tank or a blue/beige one with a bladder?

If it's a galvanized one try charging it with a compressor. It may be waterlogged.

[sofabed]

Does you switch have an overload device in it? It sounds like the O/l is tripping. It is reset by turning the switch on and off which would look like a regular light switch. If you take the cover plate off you should see a circular element between 2 of of the screws at each end of the switch. Always shut the power off before taking the cover off unless you know what your looking at. If you have a voltmeter you could test from the ground for voltage on each side of the switch on the wires. If you have voltage on both sides check the pressure switch next. But only do this if you know what your looking at