well pressure switch

petefarms · #1 01/27/13, 10:23 AM

Wednesday didnt have good pressure, very poor, and normally have excellant pressure, live across the road from the st. lawrence river. Thursday changed the pressure switch, and water pressure was normal. Sunday morning lack of water pressure started out ok, but was barely able to take a shower. So now I think I changed a good pressure switch for nothing the pressure switch is new and the pressure tank is only 10 or 12 years old. I also bought another pressure switch this am and now late morning pressure is good again. Only wife and myself here now and a dozen beefers, I filled their water trough last night so they didn't draw any water. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

sammyd · #2 01/27/13, 10:29 AM

the bladder in your tank is shot or deflated.

agmantoo · #3 01/27/13, 10:39 AM

Is the pump a submersible or jet type?

petefarms · #4 01/27/13, 11:50 AM

It's a submersible and it is about the same age as the pressure tank, both installed by a reliable professional, at that time I just didn't have the time to do it myself.

TnAndy · #5 01/27/13, 12:24 PM

I agree.....sounds like a pressure tank problem.

Sawmill Jim · #6 01/27/13, 12:54 PM

Did you change the 1/4 inch pipe that connects to the pressure switch it will gunk up and your switch won't get proper water flow . Been there done it .With that pipe restricted it takes a long time before the pressure drops in the switch itself but you will been out of water for a while when it gets bad enough .

petefarms · #7 01/28/13, 04:22 AM

There was a buildup at the top of the pipe, cleared some out will have to go look again after work, the well was a dug well, but drilled and capped in 1940, the pressure tank is 4 feet below ground level, but the pressure switch was raised 3.5 feet because the sump pump could not always keep up with the ground water seeping in, thanks for the info. Hope thats all it is.

plowjockey · #8 01/28/13, 08:28 AM

A bad tank bladder, should not effect pressure greatly, it will usually just make the pump cycle more often. Have u tested it?

You should be able to test the whole system. Run water and watch the pressure gauge, for the cut out, cut in, readings and how often the pump cycles.

agmantoo · #9 01/28/13, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petefarms

There was a buildup at the top of the pipe, cleared some out will have to go look again after work, the well was a dug well, but drilled and capped in 1940, the pressure tank is 4 feet below ground level, but the pressure switch was raised 3.5 feet because the sump pump could not always keep up with the ground water seeping in, thanks for the info. Hope thats all it is.

The reason I asked about the type of pump was I thought the inlet water was restricted or that you had a leak in the delivery side of the water supply. I am surprised that a submersible pump had the inlet clogged. You must have some unusual plumbing on that pump.

Sawmill Jim · #10 01/28/13, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agmantoo

The reason I asked about the type of pump was I thought the inlet water was restricted or that you had a leak in the delivery side of the water supply. I am surprised that a submersible pump had the inlet clogged. You must have some unusual plumbing on that pump.

Re read my post . Lots of wells have the pressure switch connected by way of a 1/4'' pipe should that small hole choke up over time it can't get proper water to the switch for it to work . All the switch does it read the pressure at a high and a low if that pipe is stopped up it can act as a check valve and is slow for the pressure to bled off. By the time it bleeds off you can run out of water .

I have this happen every so many years thus causing a great amount of noise at times from the wife , till fixed

farmrbrown · #11 01/28/13, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sawmill Jim

Did you change the 1/4 inch pipe that connects to the pressure switch it will gunk up and your switch won't get proper water flow . Been there done it .With that pipe restricted it takes a long time before the pressure drops in the switch itself but you will been out of water for a while when it gets bad enough .

BTDT.
I went thru this with a friend of mine. After replacing every part that could be replaced, he found the little 1/4" nipple was clogged with sediment, causing a faulty reading with the pressure switch.
The op has the same symptoms.
If you can learn an expensive lesson at someone else's expense, that's a good day.

simi-steading · #12 01/28/13, 12:44 PM

I'd take a look at all the screens in your faucets and shower.. I just had this exact problem, and thought I was about to put in a new switch or tank...

Turns out, that since I had unplugged the well while we weren't on the farm, a lot of black sand had either gotten stirred up, or even sucked up, and it ended up blocking all the screens in all our faucets and showers..

I learned... shut all faucets off except for the outdoor faucet.. plug well in, and allow it to run some water through the outside faucet to purge the trash in the pipes... then turn on indoor faucets to purge air from the lines.

justplainbill · #13 01/28/13, 02:01 PM

Faulty check or foot valve?

agmantoo · #14 01/28/13, 07:29 PM

Sawmill Jim

Your comment "Re read my post . Lots of wells have the pressure switch connected by way of a 1/4'' pipe should that small hole choke up over time it can't get proper water to the switch for it to work . All the switch does it read the pressure at a high and a low if that pipe is stopped up it can act as a check valve and is slow for the pressure to bled off. By the time it bleeds off you can run out of water ."

I am well aware of the fault you described. Initially IMO there was not enough info for me to conclude where the issue originated. I am a detail person and typically like a full description before arriving at my conclusion. There are still other possibilities as to the cause of the problem addressed by the poster.

petefarms · #15 01/29/13, 02:51 AM

Yes this is an unusual setup, dug well, drilled, cased and capped in 1940 by the grandparents to provide water to the house and barn. The pressure tank, well cap, pipes sit 4 ' below ground level there is a small shed covering the 4 x 4 x4 hole in the ground it is all cement below ground level. About 12 years ago my electrician/plumber raised the pressure switch about 3 feet above the pipe on a 1/4" pipe. There was a buildup and I cleaned out some of it but I have to see if there is any more build up. Last week the buildup was frozen, it was 10 - 20 below zero last week and even with the well house insulated it was affected. The pressure switch was moved because the sump pump would give out and the ground water leaking in would burn the pressure switch out. The house is at least 100' from the well, its closer to the barn. Nothing like the old family farm.

Nimrod · #16 01/29/13, 09:18 AM

You must have electricity to the well house. Wire in 2 lightbulbs and place them above the high water mark. When the temps get severe turn them on and they will provide enough heat to keep things from freezing. They won't last an entire winter so you do have to check them and replace the burned out ones. With 2 they shouldn't both burn out at the same time.