Well water pump diagnostic FAQs set #5.

If the well pump runs too often, is noisy, seems weak, runs intermittently with no apparent reason, or is otherwise misbehaving, these questions will help sort out what's wrong.

Q&A on Solving Problems with Water Pumps

These questions and answers were originally posted at WATER PUMP REPAIR GUIDE - home. That's a good place to see pump repair approaches organized by type of problem. You'll like the diagnostic and repair help given there.

Also see the index to all well or water pump diagnosis and repair questions & answers at WATER PUMP WON'T START FAQs

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Home inspector tried to run the well dry - what's the proper well test procedure?

We recently had our well inspected as part of a house sale. The company, which we were reluctant to used, ran the well at 15 gallons per minute in an attempt to run it dry. We objected saying, first of all, we're in a drought, and secondly, the well is used only for outside irrigation of our garden. They continued and, you guessed it, the pump burned up. Is this a normal way to check a well? (Sept 8, 2014) Patti Haines

Reply:

Well geez. What idiots. I figure if a pump was left running dry whoever did that owes you for a new well pump.

It is reasonable for a home inspector to operate equipment, including a well pump, and even reasonable to "waste" a significant volume of water in the course of determining whether or not the septic system is working.

And in some cases one might run a pump and measure water volume to determine the true well flow rate though that's not usually something done by a home inspector as such as test, properly executed would run for 24 hours.

In my OPINION the inspector ought to have paid attention and if water flow stopped, s/he ought to have promptly shut off the pump. If that was done then that test would not cause a ruined well pump.

Keep in mind that as your well ran out of water, it's quite possible, even likely depending on how much water was run before it ran out (you should give me that data), that the pump has run dry previously - as is common on a well with a poor flow rate. If no pump protection switch or tailpiece in the well was installed, the equipment was not protected from damage.

In that circumstance, a pump might have been nearly ruined to start with and one more aggressive test could have pushed it over the edge, disclosing an existing problem.

In sum, a lot depends on exactly what the inspector did. I would agree that if someone left a pump running dry for more than a minute or so there is good risk that it would be damaged.

 

What is the strange liquid in the pump relay switch box

My relay switch box is full of a strange liquid. Dangerous? v

Reply:

Bob I don't know what control you are describing.

Watch out: for electrocution hazards if electrical components are wet or in water

 

Well piping freezes from cold air at vent

My well is 300 feet deep. Pump is at 280 feet. The well breathes as the barometer changes. When the weather gets down about zero cold air is pulled in to the well casing causing the line and pressure switch to freeze. How can I repair this problem without using a lightbulb to thaw it in the well casing? (Dec 30, 2014) L. Dodge

Reply:

L.D.

Normally the well water supply piping is protected from freezing by locating it sufficiently deep that it is below the frost line. I would start not by assuming that the problem is cold air entering the well vent but rather an exposure of well piping to freezing conditions by inadequate depth.

L Dodge said:
The well casing is 2 feet above the ground. the hose and switch are 8 feet down in the casing suspended by the control switch wire. It should not be freezing, but it does. What do you think?

(mod) said:
I agree that if 8 feet is well below the frost line in your area the piping should not be freezing. (IMO It's a bit odd putting the pressure switch in the well though we've come across it before. )

Is it possible that the pump is short cycling, drawing freezing air frequently into the well casing?

Trouble setting the cut out and cut in nuts on the pump control

8 Jan 2015 Jeff said:

My pressure tank brand is unknown. No label etc. It does have a sticker that says it was pre-charged to 28 PSI so I assume it is intended to be used with a 30-50 psi pressure switch. The pressure switch is a D-Square Pumptrol 9013 FSG 9 SER B that based on the label on the inside of the cover was factory set at 40-60. I have no idea what sort of pump is in the well. The system was installed by the builder 16+ years ago. No manuals or docs were provided so I cannot be certain that everything was left at factory defaults.

Recently I have noticed that the pump seemed to be cycling more frequently, around 1 a minute during showers. I have spent a few hours looking into this and learning about pressure tanks and switches. I tried adjusting the pressure switch based on some information I found on this site and others. While doing this I discovered that no mater how I adjust the switch I cannot get the pressure to "remain" at anything more than 44 psi. What I am seeing is:

1. I turn on a faucet.
2. When the pressure reaches 30 psi (after I made adjustments) pump cuts in as expected.
3. The pressure increases to approx. 45 (as per the pressure gauge) then the needle quickly shots up to around 60-70
4. The switch shuts off.
5. Pressure fairly quickly (within a few seconds) drops down to 44 psi
6. At 44 psi it slows dramatically then continues to decrease at a normal (depending on how many faucets I have open etc) rate until it once again gets down to 30 and the cycle repeats.

No mater how much I adjust the cut-off and cut-in this pattern of spiking up when the pressure hits 44psi then settling back down to 44 and behaving normally. I can adjust the settings so that it short cycles every second or so and I can lower the cut-in to very low levels but no matter what I do it always settles back down to 44 psi one the pump cuts out.
It almost seems like there is a blow off valve or something like this that quickly purges air when it gets above 44 psi. There are no leaks that I can find.

Reply:

Curious, Jeff. I agree.

Try first making an independent pressure measurement by adding a pressure gauge on the system - see

WATER PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

for some easy methods.

 

Water pump can run for for 3 minutes then I have to turn off the circuit breaker

I have a water pump that pumps water for 3 mins then I have 2 shut breaker off for 5 mins then fine again. 9 Jan 2015 Anonymous

Reply:

Anon

Do you think the problem is an overheating circuit or pump that is tripping the breaker or a problem that the pump is exhausting water in the well?

I can't from this alone klnow whether the well is running out of water or the pump is overheating but as a 5 minute recovery period is enough to get the water on again I suspect an over-heating pump motor. Measuring current draw on the pump circuit might diagnose this trouble.

See ELECTRIC MOTOR DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE

 

Loss of water pressure traced to broken pump electrical wire inside the well

A month ago my water stopped. company came out and said it was a broken wire in well. worked for couple weeks then the circuit breaker for wellpump would blow every now and then. noidea why. now once again i have no water. Any ideas? (Apr 8, 2015) eileen driscoll

Reply:

Eileen

An experienced well installer or electrician can measure the current draw on the circuit - a step that can indicate a failing well pump, and can also check for a short in the wiring. That's where I'd start.

 

There is no electrical power to our pump, what's wrong?

We have no electrity to our pump what could be wrong and how to fix it. (Apr 11, 2015) barbara

Reply:

Barbara

Start at the pump switch: assure that power is on; check the main panel for a tripped breaker or fuse; if power is on and no fuse is tripped then check the pump pressure switch itself:

some pump pressure control switches include a pump protection circuit that shut the pump off if it is running too long or seems to be running dry (which can ruin the pump motor).

Some of those switches need to be manually re-set. If your switch has a metal lever on one side that may be the control: check the instructions for your particular pump switch or tell us the brand and model.

If that doesn't get the pump going, I'd suggest calling an electrician as I'm a bit worried about shock hazards if you start taking things apart or messing with wiring. The problem could be a broken wire, bad pump switch, or a seized pump motor.

 

Water pressure has recently become so high that we are getting leaks.

Have lived in house over twenty years always had OK pressure, but recently or pressure is so strong it is breaking some of our older piping. Is something wrong with pump or well don't hear it running or pressure tank (May 2, 2015) Anonymous

Reply:

Anon

Watch out: I agree that some diagnosis is needed: urgently. If the system is pumping to abnormally high water pressure that is an unsafe condition: a burst pipe or water tank could injure a bystander. It sounds as if the pump pressure controls switch is not working properly. The pressure control switch pressure sensing port or mounting tube may be debris clogged or the switch pressure sensor could be broken - in that case the damaged parts or the entire switch simply need replacement.

 

 

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Continue reading at WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE for table listing causes & cures for well pump or water pressure problems, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - home
  • MUNICIPAL WATER PRESSURE DIAGNOSIS - If your water supply is from a city or municipal water system
  • WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE - succinct guide to pump & well problem causes & cures
  • WATER PRESSURE TABLE 1: PUMP WON'T RUN, WON'T STOP, or CYCLES
  • WATER PRESSURE TABLE 2: PUMP RUNS, WEAK or NO WATER PRESSURE
  • WATER PRESSURE TABLE 3: PUMP RUNS, NO WATER or INSUFFICIENT WATER
• WATER PUMP CONTROLS & SWITCHES - home

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WATER PUMP REPAIR FAQs-5 at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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