Water Pump Won't Stop Running

Diagnostic FAQs #1

Pump Ran On: No Water, after Frozen Pipes

The well pump froze and now won't shut off

Hi, we have well water in our rental house. The pump froze and finally warmed up enough to come back on. Now the pressure is very high and the pump doesn't shut off and runs continuously. What can we do? Thank you! On 2021-02-15 by Janis

by (mod) - pump froze and now won't turn off: high pressure!

Janis

Watch out: IMMEDIATELY TURN OFF ELECTRICAL POWER at the pump

because if the pressure becomes great enough to burst the tank someone can be injured

and because we don't want a burst pipe and flood

and because we're also risking burning up the pump motor

When the pump is off we can investigate further - or your plumber can:

A list of diagnostic checks for a pump that won't turn off is found at

WATER PUMP WONT STOP RUNNING - topic home

I'd probably start with

1. Still frozen: Looking for a component or pipe or pressure control that's still frozen
   
   In addition to possible frozen well piping between well and building, if the location of the pump itself was exposed to freezing temperatures, consider more subtle frozen problems such as a frozen pressure switch sensor line on the pump and pressure switch or a frozen pump body and impeller assembly or check valve.
   
   Add heat where you suspect a frozen component; we've used a portable hair dryer to warm pipe sections suspected of being frozen or we place a small portable heater blowing warm air on the pump. Sometimes a plumber will bring in more extreme equipment, including a portable water heater, tubing, and a pump to thaw frozen well pipes.
2. Leaks: A leak and burst pipe that's flooding somewhere
3. Lost pump prime following a leak or pump being left off for a time while pipes thawed

Diagnose & Fix Lost Water Pressure & Pump Keeps Running After Frozen Pipes: needed to prime the pump

My pipes froze downstairs; its below 0 here.

But I had water upstairs except the toilet wouldn't flush. Someone told me to let the sink run with a little water coming out of the spigot.

Next thing I knew, I had no water upstairs either, and now my pump wont stop running.

I shut it off since there is no pressure. Any ideas? On 2022-12-26 by Mona

by InspectApedia (Editor) - finding & thawing frozen pipes

@Mona,

I agree that it's smart to turn off the pump to avoid burning up the pump motor.

Advice on finding & thawing frozen pipes is at

FROZEN PIPE THAW-OUT

It's a common but questionable tip to "leave water running slowly to avoid frozen pipes" because of the risk that that low-volume of water may freeze and block or even break a building drain line outside the building.

But indeed when the pipes are almost solidly frozen or during the thaw-out effort I might open all of my faucets wide open for a time. Once water begins to run, even slowly, moving water faster and faster through the pipes as the moving water helps melt the now partially-un-blocked iced-up section of piping, will speed up the pipe thaw.

by Mona

I have just plugged a heater in inside the closet where the pump and everything is to possibly help the thaw. I will now turn on all my faucets and see what happens. Thanks alot for the help!

by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - follow water pipes to look for a spot that's particularly cold

@Mona,

Good, now keep me posted.

Also you can try following your water pipes to look for a spot that's particularly cold.

see details at PIPE FREEZE-UP POINTS

Followup by Mona - I left the pump running for an hour but got no water

@InspectApedia Publisher, Hi, I've checked for any cold spots and there are none. My pump has no switch to hold at a 45 degree angle to reset the pump because of the set up. Its hooked up to a softener.

I did hear a trickle of water and thought it must be working but no, the gage on the pump still won't move.

I ran it for almost an hour but nothing. I'm thinking I'll just have to wait a couple more days until the temps climb a bit higher to the 40s and 50s. Other than that, I'm at a loss.

I've also noticed the pump is hot. Is that normal? I did let it run for about an hour just to see if anything happened. No. But I have 30 pressure in the tank as well. So I guess all I can do is wait for the thaw and keep checking.

by InspectApedia Publisher - leaving the pump running too long, risks damaging the pump itself

@Mona,

It seems likely that a pipe is frozen somewhere in your system.

I warn again that leaving the pump running to long, if it is not actually water filled nor moving water, risks damaging the pump itself, so don't leave it on for hours at a time.

Watch out: also about running a heater in a too-small space: be sure your heater is used in a way that's fire-safe - not close to combustibles. Usually there are clearance instructions provided with or even right on the heater.

If the pump motor is too hot to touch then it's definitely at risk of damage- leave it turned off.

Sorry.

Post a photo of your pump and its control and we may be able to see and say more.

by Mona - pump isn't hot any more but still no water

@InspectApedia Publisher, I guess all I can do is wait for the thaw and keep checking.

Pump is not hot anymore. Someone who was just here said it was but I checked it and it is not hot at all. Must have been because of the heater I had out there which now I took away. If you still need a picture, I can send it. Thanks

by InspectApedia Publisher - Ace 2-line jet pump

@Mona,

OK so at last we can see your water pump: it looks like an Ace 2-line jet pump.

I don't understand what you mean by

" the switch has no switch".

Any water pump will need a pressure control switch though it may not be mounted right on the pump itself.

This photo of a newer-model Ace 2-line jet pump similar to your Ace Jet Pump model - you can see that a pressure control switch, in this case mounted on the side of the pump, senses pressure by a small flexible (black plastic) tube that conducts water pressure from the pumping impeller chamber to the switch bottom. 2-line-

by Mona - there's no "switch" on my pump?

@InspectApedia Publisher, I was told it had no switch because of the set up (softener) I have. I'm sending you a photo of where I thought the switch wouid be. Regardless, I still have no water nothing thawed enough yet. I check the pump daily to see if the gage moves after a couple minutes and when it doesnt I turn the pump off. But anyway, here is a pic of where I thought the switch should go.thanks

Now I'm told the pump does have a switch. I didn't mean the switch doesn't have a switch..sorry. anyway, I was told the pump is hardwired so it has like a light switch. Regardless I'm not sure much good the switch could do anyway if the lines are frozen. Sorry this is so confusing. I'm just told one thing then told another.

by InspectApedia Publisher - if pipes are frozen , the pump can't deliver water

@Mona,

We are in agreement that if you have frozen pipes, the pump can't deliver water.

Pretty much every water pump will have to be controlled - turned on-and-off by a switch somewhere.

by Mona

@InspectApedia Publisher, hi, so you're also in agreement with me that I may as well just wait until everything thaws and see what happens,, thanks so much for your trouble!

by InspectApedia Publisher

@Mona,

Do take a look at the discussion, your questions, our replies, and the advice in the article above.

by Mona - getting some water, gauge still reads zero

Thank you, I am starting to get a little water out of my faucets but the pump, it still runs but the gage wont move from zero. I'm sure it needs primed, but since it's hard wired, I have no lever to hold at a 45 degree angle. The thaw is continuing.

Now a new question. My pump is hard-wired, so it has no pressure switch to hold at a 45 degree angle to prime the pump. How do I prime the pump? Do I need to put water in it somewhere? Last it was checked, the pump had 30 in pressure. Used a tire gage to check it. Thanks

by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - NO water pump is hard wired in such a way that it does not require a pressure control switch

@Mona,

NO water pump is hard wired in such a way that it does not require a pressure control switch, though some water pumps might include the pressure control built-into the pump itself.

I appreciate that you've done your best to describe the situation and the trouble you're facing getting water pressure, but as you're not a plumber and don't know where to look or what parts look like, our own ability to see and understand and thus give advice about your water and pump system has us peeping in near darkness through the eye of a needle: we just can't see enough to give any more advice than I've given that would not be so speculative as to be of little use.

You need an on-site experienced plumber to examine your pump, water pressure tank, pump controls, piping and fixtures to understand if the "no water" problem you have is due to

- simply frozen pipes
- a burst and leaking pipe or fixture
- a damaged pump control
- a damaged water pump
- no water in your well or other water source
- something else that we haven't considered

Please get someone ON SITE to help you with this and keep us posted. We want you to have water asap.

Also read PRIME the PUMP, HOW TO 

by Mona - primed the pump and now we have wagter

@InspectApedia Publisher,

@InspectApedia Publisher, yes, thank you. Someone is coming today to try and prime the pump by pouring water in it. Hopefully it helps and I get water back.

...

I now have water! He put about a quart of water in the pump and now works! We expected it to take more but he said it only took a quart so good! Thank you for the help!

by InspectApedia Publisher

@Mona,

That sounds right. Do let us know what you're told and what works - that will surely help other readers who are without water after freezing weather.

Water Pump Won't Stop, Water Pressure is Above CUT-OUT Pressure

Water pressure goes to 90 psi but the pump doesn't turn off

The pump pressure switch won't kick on and when you manually start it it won't shut off.

The other issue is pressure switch set to shut off at 50psi but water pressure goes to 90psi and the pump continues to run.

We have replaced the switch which new switch is set at 30psi on 50psi off and it continues to do the same thing . On 2017-07-04 by Jim

I would NOT run the pump under these conditions until the problem is

by (mod) re: pump won't turn on and if we turn it on ourselves it won't turn off

Jim,

Watch out: The fact that the pump continues to pump past its 50 psi cutoff setting is DANGEROUS risking a burst pipe or tank and injuring someone nearby.

fixed.

Turn OFF the pump and open faucets immediatelyuntil the water pressure falls down to 30 psi or below.

Then let's be sure that the pressure tank air pre-charge is right.

With the pump turned OFF, drain water from the system until no water flows from a low faucet or from the tank drain.

Then check the pressure in the water pressure tank.

For a 30/50 pressure control switch set the tank air pre-charge (when pump is off and water has run until it stops) to 28 psi.

Explanation: with no water pressure in the building pipes and pump, if the water pressure tank's air pre-charge pressure is above the pump's CUT-ON pressure then switch will never turn on the pump.

If that is NOT the problem for your pump, then as you replaced the switch and the problem continues I suspect that either there's a wiring error or your switch is unable to properly sense water pressure in the system - for example that could be due to a clogged tube or pipe nipple that conducts water pressure to the switch.

My pump turns off at 85 psi - blew a pipe!

My pump blew a water hose. After getting it back together I saw it would turn on at 35psi and off at 85.tried adjusting the cut off but nothing changed even when nut was almost completely loose . I'm thinking the switch is bad ? On 2016-12-21 by Rob

by (mod)

Watch out: Indeed that's a dangerously-high pressure.

Your pump swich should be set to a CUT-ON of 30 psi and CUT-OFF of 50 psi at most.

 

Check for a pressure switch tube between switch and pump that's clogged with debris.

If cleaning that doesn't get the switchto work properly and if you can't re-set the switch to work properly I'd replace it.

Pump Runs Until We Turn off Electrical Power to It

Well pump won't stop unless we flip the breaker switch off and on

We have a deep well. Bladder is 37 years old, but the problem existed for many years, even with a new pump. The problem is the pump stays on after using water for a few minutes, or if toilet is flushed. No water pressure to use the garden hose.

The pump will shut off after flipping the breaker switch.

We've learned to deal with the minor inconvenience of flipping the breaker switch off and on, but still wonder what life would be like if we didn't need to do that, and have enough water pressure to use the garden hose. On 2017-04-09 by Mark

by (mod) re: pump stays on

Mark:

Indeed flipping a power switch on and off is not a durable nor entirely safe long term solution to the problem you describe.

It's possible that the pump can't reach cutoff pressure due to impeller damage or wear, low voltage, piping leaks, or other problems described in the

article WATER PUMP WONT STOP RUNNING.

Explanation: when you turn OFF power to the pump at the circuit breaker and then turn it back on (described at WATER PUMP ELECTRICAL SWITCHES), the reason the pump stays OFF at that point is that the pressure in the system is ABOVE the pressure control's CUT-IN pressure.

But when you run water and pressure drops BELOW the pressure controlc CUT-IN pressure, then the switch turns on the pump.

But if the pump is unable to reach the CUT-OFF pressure, (perhaps because the pump impeller is damaged, there's a well pipe leak, or the well flow rate is inadequate, or the pressure control switch sensor tube is partically clogged), then the pump simply keeps running.

Watch out: Look at the WATER PRESSURE GAUGE, or make an indepedent (and more accurate if your pump gauge is clogged too) WATER PRESSURE MEASUREMENT (how to): if when the pump is running on, if the pressure you see is BELOW the CUT-OUT pressure on your control switch (typically that's 40 or 50 psi) then the problem is in the pump or water supply.

But if the pump is continuing to run and the pressure is ABOVE the CUT-OUT pressure then the system is unsafe (risking a burst water tank or pipe) and the pressure switch and its pressure sensing tube need to be replaced. - Daniel