Pump quiestion

[Sherrynboo]

when I use my water from the well for a prolonged period such as watering the garden, the points tend to get stuck and it won't shut off unless I manually push them back. I know one of these days I won't catch it in time and the pump will burn up! How can I get it to operate properly? Can I spray them with something, sand the points or anything to stop them from sticking?

Sherry in GA

[sammyd]

A fine sandpaper or file should do the trick. Just enough to smooth out the contact area.
Make sure power is secured first though!!!

If the contacts are excessively pitted or deformed replacement would be better.

[moopups]

Shut off the electricity, fold over a piece of sand paper so that both sides are abrasive and it is trimmed enough to fit between the contacts. 120 grit or finer, spread the contacts, insert the paper, let the contacts close, draw it through as many times as is needed to produce shiny surfaces on both contacts. Turn the juice back on, the problem should be cured for a couple of years.

Good news is that pressure switches are only about $15.00 if replacement is needed.

[tinknal]

You may also want to increase pressure on the shut-off spring, or decrease pressure on the turn-on spring.

[agmantoo]

Is this an above ground jet type pump?

[tinknal]

Is your pressure tank working? If you have a good well it should fill up and stut off periodically. If the tank can't keep up you may want to turn the valve down to the sprinkler to allow the pressure tank to fill and the pump shut off. If your pressure tank has failed your switch will turn on and off way more often than it should and have a drasticly shorter life.

[Junkmanme]

ALL Very good answers!

[Dianol]

My sweet DH says that pressure switches are cheeeeeeap, and pumps are expensive. The folded sandpaper just removes the thin hard coating (which is probably already gone which is causing the sticking) and exacerbates the problem, by making you think that it's "fixed" when the problem only returns worse in a few days/weeks and you burn up the pump motor.

You can "burnish" the contacts with a dollar bill using the exact method that Moopups described. But DH says to never never use sandpaper on electrical contacts....it just comes back to bite ya.

engineers...sheesh


Dianne

[agmantoo]

If this is a jet pump the well is being pulled down to where the pump cannot make adequate pressure to trip the pressure switch. Notice the initial post says this occurs after prolonged pumping.

[rambler]

If this is a points problem, for gosh sakes spring for the $15 to get a new pressure switch. Sanding may work, but many times only buys you a month or 2.....

On my pump every 5-10 years the little pipe leading to the pressure switch fills up with crud & the switch no longer works - because that little 1/4" pipe doesn't allow the pressure to filter through.

I too suspect what agman2 says, that you are pulling your well dry & it is not shutting off because it doesn't get enough pressure built up.

There can be several freaky reasons for your problem, but changing the switch is the cheapest & will possibly show up any other problems.

--->Paul