More Water Pump Repair FAQs

We have no water after pipes froze and burst - pump won't turn on

We had a freeze and I had a piece of pipe that burst. After I replaced the piece of pipe my well pump is now acting weird.

Once I run the water to where there is no pressure, the well pump does not kick back on automatically as it always has.

I now have to go outside and switch it on manually, then once the pressure is full again, it shuts on and off about 10 times quickly before it turns off for good. the man who replaced the piece of pipe said it was because my filter was dirty but I put a cleaner filter in there and it is still acting weird. 2017-01-08 by Justinsayne

Reply & Suggestions by (mod) -

Justin

I suspect that the pumps pressure control switch is not correctly sensing water pressure.

This can't happen from debris clogging the small diameter pipe or tube that conducts water pressure to the switch. You might find that replacing the switch will fix the problem.

One of two houses on common pump and well doesn't get water: weather is cold

Our well pump supplies 2 houses. One is getting water the other is not. It's cold but under house is not freezing temps. So not frozen pipes. On 2017-01-08 by JJ

by (mod) - signs of frozen water pipe

JJ

What about a frozen pipe somewhere between the point where the two pipes spit off and the home not receiving water.

I've replaced some pump and well parts but still the pump doesn't deliver much water

Johnson,

Typical faults food or water in the world, I wore an impeller in the pump motor, a defective venturi at the bottom of the well piping. A clogged oil screen. Or a leak in well piping..

I use a petrol driven water pump of 6.5HP, It has a sanction pipe of 2" and an outlet pipe of 1.5".

It was running under previous conditions but now not it's not pumping water or sometimes takes too long to pump. What is the fault? On 2017-01-03 by Johnson -

Explanation by (mod) -

See our complete diagnostic list at WATER PUMP WONT STOP RUNNING

And also see WATER PRESSURE TABLE 2: PUMP RUNS, WEAK or NO WATER PRESSURE

for steps in how to diagnose and fix this problem with your bad well pump

After running our pump for 5 hours, the next morning it won't pump any water

We have a submersible well and when I opened it for spring it ran great, several days ago I let it run for about 5 hours to water lawn. Was pumping water just fine with great pressure, I shut it off for the day and came back out next morning and it would not pump any water

It sounds like the pump is running just not pumping any water. I am in the process of pulling the pump up and was just wondering if you have any suggestions for what I should be looking for as a problem. Thank You In Advance! On 2016-06-21 by Wayne

Diagnostic suggestions by (mod) - pump not sending up water

Check for:
- a leak in well piping
- debris-clogging at the pump inlet
- a damaged pump impeller

- a jammed check valve anywhere in the system

Keep me posted

Followup by Wayne - replacing the pump; what difference there would be between using a 110V VS 220V Pump

Thank You for your getting back to me so quickly!

I got the pump out and am going to replace it, was just wondering what difference there would be between using a 110V VS 220V Pump. This is now being used strictly for yard upkeep got the house hooked to city water .

Approx. 80 deep, had a 220V installed right now and was wondering if there is an advantage or disadvantage converting to a 110V. THANK YOU AGAIN !!!

by (mod) - efficiency of a 220V well pump

The 220V pump is often a more efficient installation (though not all EE's agree with that point).

See - EFFICIENCY of 120V vs 240V EQUIPMENT

by Wayne - Greenish fluid in the little tube bet3ween pressure switch and top of pump?

I just wish to Thank You one more time for all your help, its nice to know that there are still individuals out there that like helping others. I have one more question, once I got my pump up the water line that was attached to it was white PVC pipe (10 foot sections glued together).

I was wondering if its okay to swap that to the black water pipe (HEAVY DUTY=THICK) that comes it a one piece spool. Looks like I will be going with the 220 volt pump. THANK YOU !!!

Sorry to say me again (LOL)

There is a clear tube that hooks from the pressure switch and the top of the pump tube that has some kind of light greenish fluid in it, feels like some kind of oil would you by chance know what I can use?

Thank You Yet Again ... Maybe I will get my head together and ask the questions all together, I do believe this will be the last question unless something happens during the reinstalling of new pump.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is truly the best helper site second to none and I have tried many, if ever someone ever asks where to go for great information concerning wells YOU will get all my referrals which could be many seeing we live in the country and well all try to do our own work due to the cost constraints. Once again THANKS !

(mod) - tube to pressure control switch has green fluid in it?

Sounds iffy Wayne. Typically there is a tube connecting the sensor port on the bottom of the pressure control switch to a connection on the water pump through which water pressure can be conveyed to the switch. Should normally be water in the tube. Unless it's some sort of pressure switch I've never seen. After all you don't want oil in your drinking water.

Use the page bottom or top CONTACT link to send me some sharp photos if you like.

About the piping change, Sure that's a fine idea to replace glued-up white PVC with black ABS; you'll have fewer joints and you'll be using a less fragile material. Don't forget to shock the well when you've finished doing other work. That pipe is not exactly kept in sanitary shrink-wrap enroute into the well.

Read WELL CHLORINATION SHOCKING PROCEDURE to see details about how to do it right.

Well pump leaks at junction of motor shaft and pump impeller - cause & repair?

by (mod) - leaks at junction of pump motor shaft and pump impeller

Sounds like a worn out pump shaft bushing or bearing. Typically you'd replace the pump or have it re-built.

Why has our community water pump output gph been declining?

Our well lift pump has historically pumped over 7000 gallons per hour of work. Over the last several months it has been slowly trending downwards to where it is now pumping 6500 gallons of water per hour of work.

Everything else about our water supply seems to be in good working order and we haven't spotted any other weird trends in our data. Our theories are

(1) the static level in the well is lower (it's hot...more water being used) and the pump is having to work harder to lift water from a lower point, or

(2) the pump is gonna need replacing soon (it's been in use for many years now). Anything else it could be that we're not thinking of? On 2016-06-09 by J

Diagnostic guesses by (mod) -

Really, 7000 GPH on a water well? That's a huge amount of water usage - as in an industrial application or commercial irrigation.

Typically there are two causes, both of which you have already guessed. A third would be a leak in well piping that you've not noticed, either in the well or anywhere in the piping's route.

On by J

Thanks. The numbers are correct, although the lift pump only runs for a few hours a day to refill the reservoir. We are a (small) water supplier.

We dug out our old data logs from years past and graphed it and we can now clearly see that the same trend happens every year during the warm months so it must be the static level of the well fluctuating.

Out of curiosity, what other signs might you see in the case of a leak in the well casing? Thanks again. J

by (mod) - Diagnosing pressure drop at a 7000 GPH water pump on a community water system

Thanks J for the follow-up; that'll help other readers.

When you can do so, let the pump pump up to it's cut-off pressure, then close your valve between the pump outlet and tank inlet, and watch the system pressure (if you have a pressure gauge on the incoming line).

If you can't do that, cut off water leaving the tank (at a time when your customers won't kill you and me both) and watch the system pressure. if it drops there's likely to be a leak in the tank or in the piping or on occasion at the pump itself.

Water pump trips the circuit breaker on hot days

On hot days like today (90s), when using the hose or sprinkler, the pumps trips the circuit. I have to hit the reset a few times, but it eventually takes.

I assume either the circuit has gone bad or the pump is overheating.

The pump is only a few years old, though. I don't know if the problem corresponds to the installation of the new pump or not. It only seems to happen in the summer. What can I do to fix it? On 2016-05-28 by Benji

by (mod) - well's flow rate falls off - pump may be running dry or overheating

Benji

It's possible that the well in-flow rate is falling behind the pump and the pump runs dry, overheats, and trips the breaker; or the pump motor or bearings may be failing; a well plumbing or pump expert will probably check the current draw in amps as a step in diagnosing the pump (presuming it's in the well - a submersible).

Pump pressure control contactor vibrates and won't turn on the pump

My pressure switch contacts vibrate, but the switch will not turn on the motor to activate the pump. This happens five or six times before the switch finally engages the motor and the tank re-pressurizes.

What is causing the switch/motor to misbehave? I hate to start randomly replacing things that might be okay. On 2016-02-22 by Kert V

Diagnostic steps by (mod) - avoid shotgunning wild well pump parts replacement.

I agree about wishing to avoid shotgunning wild parts replacement.

Take a look at the contact points on the pressure switch - turn power off for safe inspection. If they're burnt, or if with power on you see bright arcing when the switch is trying to close that may be the problem.

Take a look at the pressure gauge; if the pressure is at or below the system cut-in pressure then the switch should close cleanly and turn on the pump.

Also check that there are no loose wire connections.

A more sophisticated check by a trained service tech may include monitoring the current draw in amps as the motor starts; one looks for high current draw that may suggest the problem is not the switch but the motor itself (e.g. a binding bearing).

With all other inspection points being normal, I'd try replacing the switch.