Recent Well Pump & Water Pump Control & Switch Q&As.

This article series describes and identifies the switches, controls, and safety devices used on water tanks and water pumps such as the pump pressure control switch, pump motor relays, water tank relief valve, water tank pressure gauge, water tank air volume control, and water tank air valve.

A Dictionary of Water Pump & Water Tank Controls, Switches, & Attachments

These questions & answers about water pump controls were posted originally

at WATER PUMP CONTROLS & SWITCHES - if you're not sure you can identify the controls and switches for your well pump or water pump, start there.

If you need to adjust or repair the pump pressure control switch, see WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL

[Click to enlarge any image]

On 2018-12-26 by (mod) - open the Well head in order to access the wiring in the well

You'll have to open the Wellhead in order to access the wiring in the well and if that's too short or there's no working space you might actually have to pull the pump and pipe and wire together in order to gain access. Sorry but that seems to be the situation.

See details at WATER PUMP WIRING REPAIR

On 2018-12-23 by Lynn

Thank you
Vandals have cut wire as close to the well head as they possibly could
How do I get ahold of wire to splice it as there is none readily available to pull up and strip

On 2018-12-23 by (mod) - waterproof electrical wire splice kit

Lynn

You can make outdoor electrical connections in a waterproof junction box and/or using listed waterproof splicing tape or shrink connectors that are approved for that purpose. Submersible pump wiring splices, properly made, can even be under water.

Above is an example sold at Home Depot stores and including crimp connectors and clear waterproof shrink tubing.

On 2018-12-22 by Lynn

The pump wire have been cut off at well head
How do i splice back into pump

On 2018-10-13 by (mod) - causes for overheating submersible pump control box

Davies

A loose wire or connection

A failing or sticking relay

low voltage supply to the system

or a well pump motor that is failing, perhaps with bad bearings, drawing excessive current

or of course something else I've not thought-of

On 2018-10-13 by Davies

My submersible control box relay for s 1.5hp is heating up such that it's even melting the cable, but the pump is OK what could be the problem.

On 2018-08-01 by (mod) - How to set high and low pressure switch

Sure James,

See WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT

and let me know if any of that leaves you with further questions.

DF

On 2018-08-01 by James

How to set high and low pressure switch

On 2018-07-16 by (mod) - When just some fixtures have weak pressure

When just some fixtures have weak pressure I suspect the problem is local to the fixture, but in a condo like yours, is it possible that there are different water supply risers in the building for the kitchens than for the bathrooms?

Ask your super. Then we'll have an idea what to do.

On 2018-07-16 by Maria

My water pressure on the kitchen is extremely low for everyone on the 7th floor for my condominium. Bathrooms ok and shower is fine. It's the kitchen what ca be done

On 2018-05-17 by (mod) - signs of well running dry

It sounds as if your well is running out of water

On 2018-05-17 by john Fittz

my water pressure drops after having used the pump for a while and when i open the tap no water will come out unless i go to the switch and switch it off and on after a while.
what can the problem be?

On 2018-05-12 by (mod) - check the well flow rate or recovery rate

I would expect your plumber or well contractor to check the flow rate of your will. It sounds as if you are exceeding your wells flow capacity.

On 2018-05-11 by Georgina - Pressmatic pump controller & pump losing pressure

Hi, my well water is pumped into a 2000 litre storage tank, which works great, however when I use water in the house or to top the pool up, which is on a separate pump,

it starts with good pressure but after a while it starts losing pressure until it stops completely, so I have to keep switching the water of for a while, then switch on again, but after a few minuets the same thing happens, help required.

Many thanks in advance

On 2018-04-20 by (mod) -

Sorry reader, for the delay in showing your photo. When readers post a photo along with a comment they should see a message that the photo awaits moderator approval. That's to protect both readers and our website from malware or from inappropriate content.

Your photo was of grass - so not very diagnostic. Perhaps you posted the wrong image.

On 2018-04-18 by Jayhayden311

Water pump is smoking and smells funny like burned water. Similar to when your car overheats.

I have blown a least 6 fuses and I'm beginning to think that it is something simple like a cap or valve.

Well pump and tank are housed inside of a shack and behind the shack is the following spigot. Water is spurting out of the faucet thingie which I'm assuming is a release mechanism. Anyways I need water and can't afford to buy another pump

On 2018-04-10 1 by (mod) -

Toby

Please try the search box on this page just above to find our article on WELL RETRIEVAL TOOLS - that's where I'd start.

On 2018-04-10 by toby

i have a property with an exesting well 70ft no cap i dropped a weight down and only reached 21 ft how can i clean the debris out its a 6 inch well

On 2018-03-16 by (mod) -

Sam

I am making a wild guess that you are asking about a PRV = Pressure Relief Valve

The Pressure Relief Valve on a water pressure tank prevents the tank or piping from exploding should a water pump fail to turn off - such breakages can injure or kill someone nearby.

The pressure relief valve opening pressure would be below the pressure tank's burst pressure but higher than usual water system pressure.

If your PRV is spraying water your system is unafe and needs immediate help from a licensed plumber. I'd turn it off as I suspect your well pump is running continuously.

On 2018-03-14 21:02:20.129264 by Sam

what is the function of "PRVNL 75" 75 PSI above the domestic water well. Does it suppose to spray the water on water the cement slab on normal bases.

On 2018-01-22 by (mod) - can I pup drop of oil over the metal connection to just make it works

That won't work, oldman.

But replacing the switch and clearing or replacing the tube that conducts water pressure to it should work

On 2018-01-21 19:10:46.180170 by oldman

pressure tank switch get stuck. it does not shut off. it fill the tank with water but it didn't shut off. can I pup drop of oil over the metal connection to just make it works

On 2018-01-17 23:08:05.530713 by (mod) -

Sorry Charlie, I apologize but I have not found your question.

As I have no idea what is your situation I can only offer a very general reply.

In a typical residential house electrical service in North America 220VAC is brought into the building in two separate 120VAC lines (on different phases). The electrician finds 220VAC where needed by using the two incoming power lines. And she finds 120VAC where needed by using just one of the incoming power supply lines - through a properly sized and installed circuit breaker of course.

Watch out: if you are not trained and familiar with safe and code-compliant electrical wiring, there is risk of fire, shock, or even death from touching live electrical components. Don't do it.

If your comment meant to say that you did not find the answer to your question of where to find 120 / 110 VAC in an electrical system, you are on a page about water pump control switches. So your question would not be found on this page.

However searching InspectApedia for 220VAC finds many articles on this wiring and voltage including

VOLTAGE at the SEC - https://inspectapedia.com/electric/ElecSECVolts.htm

AMPS VOLTS DETERMINATION - home https://inspectapedia.com/electric/Electrical_Service_Amps_Determination.php

EFFICIENCY of 120V vs 240V EQUIPMENT - https://inspectapedia.com/electric/Efficiency_120_vs_240_Volts.php

On 2018-01-17 by charlie

i ask how use one wire from 220 to use as 110. this did not say s thing about what i ask

On 2017-10-29 by Anonymous

Can you put a filter on a pump before it goes into the house if the motor is in the house can you put a filter on it before it goes into the house

On 2017-10-25 by Angel

how do i size a pressure tank. i have a five family house with a WM35-WB
Thank You

On 2017-10-25 by Angel

i need help identifying a part . some sort of valve

On 2017-10-10 by (mod) -

Kevin, if your pressure tank uses an internal bladder then you don't need the AVC and you can remove it and plug any openings.

On 2017-10-09 by Kevin

I have a new shallow well pump motor i hooked up. The old one had a spot to plug the air volume control hose into. My new pump motor dose not have a spot. so what do i do with the avc hose if there isnt a place for it. Can i just get rid of it?

On 2017-10-08 by (mod) -

Tim,

I think you are describing a temporary plug intended to keep debris out of the water pressure tank and to keep the threaded opening clean. You would have to remove that in order to make a connection.

On 2017-10-07 by Tim

My new pressue tank has a plastic clip thing in the hole where pipe hooks up is this suppose to stay in or take out

On 2017-09-14 by (mod) -

Karen at

WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL REPLACE https://inspectapedia.com/water/Water_Pump_Control_Replacement.php

we give details about removing and replacing an pressure control switch. Please take a look, let me know if ANY questions remain and I'll be glad to answer further.

On 2017-07-30 by Karen

How do I replace my water pump pressure control switch.?

Question: Why WON'T the pressure control switch CUT-ON at low pressure?

Water tank is set at 50/70 why wont it cut on at low pressure - it only clicks like missing its starting point .

We had points replaced last year but it still wont start (kick on) we had left home for a week and only cut water supply off to house and cut off hot water heater - now it wont work right - Barry.

Reply: Check for a clogged or blocked sensor on the pressure control switch - replace the switch assembly

Barry,

If your pressure switch is not turning the water pump on it could be a clog in the pressure sensor switch or its mount, or you need a new switch. Often debris in the water supply clogs the small orifice on the bottom of the pressure control switch. That orifice is intended to allow water (or air) pressure in the water piping to press against a diaphragm that operates the pressure control switch.

In sum, if your prior repair replaced just the internal points assembly in the pressure switch, the switch may be old enough that its sensor is clogged.

Question: why does our water tank sometimes not fill up properly?

May I ask a Well Question as my Water Well Repair man is stumped. Our Well is a gusher. No water level issues. The Well Pump is working inconsistently.

For example, our 5,000 gallon Storage Tank will be half full and the Well Pump will not fill the tank.

I turn the Well Pump off then ON right away and it works again. As I use the water in the tank it will pump just fine for days then, days later, I will check the tank.it is half full. I turn the Well pump on and off and it starts up again.

My Well repair man replaced the PUMP SAVER in the electrical box. Still having this issue. It did not resolve it. Our Well Pump is only 4.5 years old. We replaced the Float Value about 4 years ago. The Booster Pump is 4 years old. So everything is fairly new. We live in California in a mild climate. No snow, no freezing. Any thoughts/suggestions would be gratefully appreciated Y.A. 11/14/2014

Reply: not sure, but check the pressure control switch first - but you may have a well flow problem

A competent onsite inspection by an expert usually finds additional clues that would permit a more accurate, complete, and authoritative answer than we can give by email alone. You will find additional depth and detail in articles at our website.

That said I offer these comments: I was  a bit baffled too, and I'm not sure what's going on.

But I think an important key is your observation that switching the pump off and immediately back on seems to cure an intermittent problem.

From that I suspect a problem with the pressure control switch. The problem could be electrical, in the switch itself, or more likely in the pressure sensor component of the switch. If debris clogs the tiny opening that lets the switch sense water pressure the switch may not respond properly. Switching it on and off can be enough of a mechanical disturbance to get it running again.

Next time you see this problem, before turning power on and off, try just tapping on the pressure switch. Leave its cover on (shock hazards), just rap on the exterior of the box.

If the switch starts and runs normally for a while we may be on to the problem.

See WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL REPAIR

or WATER PUMP PRESSURE SWITCH INSTALL / REPLACE

Watch out: about your comment that you observe the pressure tank just half full.

The water level in a pressure tank indeed will be below "full" if users stopped running water before pressure in the tank fell below the cut-in pressure. But if you keep running water and pressure falls to zero and the pump does not turn on, then indeed there is a control or switch problem

Also, to be clear, water pressure tanks are never completely full of water. That condition would lose the air charge, the tank would not work properly and the pump would short cycle - that's a waterlogged pressure tank.

WATER TANK AIR LOSS SIGNS

Watch out: The real problem may be lack of water in the well. Something you wrote makes no sense to me. If your well is a "gusher" with no water quantity or flow problems, it would be, well frankly, bizarre to have installed a 5000 gallon water pressure tank. And on a "gusher" well you would probably not need a pump saver.

Those components are things we associate with a water well with very low flow or recovery rates.

In such circumstances the installer installs a very large water storage tank and sets up the system to draw water from the well very slowly (or not at all depending on well condition) so the large water storage tank is what assures a ready water supply to the building, not the well itself.

In such circumstances, even a small change in the water table or aquifer supplying the well could mean loss of well water and loss of water in the system - seasonally or longer.

Reader follow-up:

When I mentioned TANK – I meant water Storage Tank, not pressurizer tank. We have A LOT of landscaping and pump water into a 5,000 gallon storage tank with a float value. Our pressurizer tank is the normal size. We only use our Well water for landscaping, not our house.

Reply: got it. Thanks for the clarification; let me know what happens when you mess with the switch. I forgot to mention that the two common clog places are at the base of the switch itself and in the small diameter tube or pipe that is used to carry water and pressure to the switch base.

Typically we'd replace both of those parts if we thought that was the problem. The risk of debris clogging of the pressure switch is greater for wells that deliver water with sediment.

Question: Water Pump Won't Stop Running

(May 31, 2011) Rico Zambrano said:

my pump keeps running and wont shot off, I have good water pressure.

(Apr 25, 2012) Ernie Parsons said:

I live in the North (Nunavut) and our water is supplied by truck and held in a 700 gal. tank. Sometimes when it storms and the trucks fall behind schedule and we run out of water. The problem is when this happens the pump continues to run and if we don't catch it quickly it heats up and ruins the impeller centre or the bearing. My question: is there a shut off I can install on the pump or water line that will shut the pump off when the tank is empty.

Reply:

Rico:

If your water pump keeps on running and won't shut off,

1. TURN IT OFF manually so you don't burn up the pump motor.

2. Then diagnose the trouble, starting at

WATER PUMP WONT STOP RUNNING

Ernie,

Yes there are more sophisticated water pump controls with sensors that can shut off the pump it it's pumping air. Typically these work by monitoring the current draw of the pump, the pump motor temperature, or actual water flow.

See WATER PUMP PROTECTION SWITCH for details.

Question: Water PRESSURE falls TOO LOW before Pump Cuts On

(Oct 26, 2011) Ginter said:

the pressure in the pressure tank is about 40 psi before any water is used then once water is used it will slowly drop all the way down to 5 psi before the pump kicks in.

We were told it's supposed to kick in at 20 psi how do we adjust that the pump kicks in at 20 psi and does this indicate that the well is running dry? (we have a jet pump)

Reply:

Ginter,

Particularly if the pump used to kick in at 20 psi but no longer does, and if no one messed with the control, I don't think adjusting the pressure control switch is the right approach.

Before adjusting the control I'd check that the gauge is reading properly - tap gently on it or even replace it.

The drop to 5 psi water pressure before the pump kicks in sounds like a pressure control that is not turning on when it should, perhaps because its pressure sensing port is debris clogged. Try tapping the control when the water psi is below 20 to see if the switch clicks on. Or try replacing the switch and its mounting tube.

Details about how to diagnoe and fix or replace a pressure switch are at WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL REPAIR

Question: NO Water & PUMP WON'T RUN

(Dec 26, 2011) ray said:

no pressure and pump will not run could it be the pressure switch

(Jan 10, 2012) Corey said:

I lost water when I run water in the bath tube,I just replaced me points and the check valve. What do u think the problem is know?

Reply:

Ray & Corey:

if your well pump is not turning on, check to be sure that there is voltage delivered to the switch and to the pump;

To see if the problem is that the pump switch wont' turn on, if the system pressure is below the cut-in pressure on your switch then the switch contacts should close and turn on the pump;\

you can briefly manually close the pump relay contacts in the pressure control switch IF you are able to avoid getting shocked or electrocuted (there are live contacts under that switch cover)

Before replacing the switch, you might want to check out the diagnostic procedures at

WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR

Question: LEAK at pressure control switch for the water pump

(Feb 21, 2012) gary said:

have a well for the first time, yesterday saw a leak where a thin rubber hose (like a gas line on a mower) connects to the pressure switch. Cut a piece of the hose off and reattached thinking it was a split in the hose but it kept leaking. It has a nipple on the the bottom of the pressure switch that seems to be plastic ? Not knowledgable about these at all but work on my cars and mower all the time along with running electrical basics so I`m not scared to do it but do I need to replace the whole switch or is that part on the bottom the only thing ? Its a trailer cottage up north but water sure is handy to have ! Appreciate any help.

Reply:

Gary, the leak you describe is probably at a tube that allows the pressure switch to sense water pressure, thus controlling turning the water pump on and off. if the leak can be repaired by gently tightening the fittings at either end try that. If the leak is in the tube itself or its fittings won't stop leak then those parts need to be replaced.

In that case you'll need to turn off the pump, drain pressure from the system, remove the parts, stop by your local plumbing supply house and show them what you've got so that can obtain easily-installed repair parts.

Details are at

• WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL REPAIR


• WATER PUMP PRESSURE SWITCH INSTALL / REPLACE

Question: water pressure seems to go away during a shower unless I run more water at another fixture

(Mar 6, 2014) Roy said:

At times when I am in the shower, I need to get out flush the toilet to get the water back to the shower, or stand there for 1 min and wait...any suggestions

Reply:

(Mar 6, 2014) (mod) said:

Roy, this situation sounds odd but I can guess at a possible explanation: if your water pump pressure control switch is sticking - not responding properly to pressure drop, the pressure may have to fall still further below the cut-in level before the pump switches "on".

This often happens if there is silt or debris in the water - conditions that can clog the small diameter pipe on which the pressure switch mounts, or the small orifice at the switch bottom through which water exerts its pressure.

Try replacing the pressure switch and its mounting tube.

Question: water coming out of the air volume control

(Mar 8, 2014) Jeremiah said:

Hello, The air volume control Type L on my water tank releses a steady stream of water out of a little hole on the bottom as soon as the pump cuts off.

When the pump cuts back on the stream of water stops until it reaches the psi of your choice. It doesn't matter if it is 40-60 30-50 20-40 it still does the same thing.

I just bought a new air volume control type l this morning and had the same results. I own a bladderless galvanized tank.

I just bought a Myers HCM 150 a month ago because the old one stopped running. I haven't had running water ever sense I replaced it. The pump seems to work fine.

I just can't figure out why that air volume control keeps releasing water out of the hole in the bottom. Thank you.

Reply:

You are describing an air volume control used on a bladderless water pressure tank. It sounds as if the internal valve assembly of the valve or the float assembly that projects into the water tank has failed. The repair is to replace the AVC control.

Also It's possible that you've installed the wrong control type; the models for deep wells vs. shallow wells are different.

See AIR VOLUME CONTROLS, WATER TANK for details.

...

Continue reading at WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL SWITCH or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see WATER PUMP CONTROL SWITCH FAQs-3 - more recent posts on troubleshooting water pump controls and switches including the pressure control switch or relay.

Or see these

Water Pump Control & Switch Articles

• WATER PUMP CONTROLS & SWITCHES - home
  • WATER PUMP CONTROL STATUS INDICATORS
  • WATER PUMP ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
  • WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT
  • WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL SWITCH
  • WATER PUMP VARIABLE FREQUENCY / VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE (VFDs)
  • WATER PUMP SWITCH INSTALLATION MANUALS
  • WATER PUMP & TANK I&O & REPAIR MANUALS
  • WATER PUMP PROTECTION SWITCH
  • WATER PUMP RELAY SWITCH
  • WATER PUMP REPAIR GUIDE - home

Suggested citation for this web page

WATER PUMP CONTROL SWITCH FAQs-2 at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to WATER SUPPLY, PUMPS TANKS WELLS

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