What is wrong with my Home Water Pump?

Question

I have replaced the presure switch on my water pump but it switches on and off when it is building up presure instead on staying on until it gets to right presure.Any ideas of what is causing this?

Answer 1

The switch may have gotten some debris in it. Try removing it(again) Clean the passage way out. If possible try running the water a few seconds while this is off to clear any debris than reinstall and check.

It also could be low pressure in the expansion tank or a bad bladder in same.

Answer 2

your tank is waterlogged turn the power off to the pump and drain the tank of water completely and turn the pump back on this should do the trick Ive had it happen to me and it worked

Answer 3

All good answerers here.  I would drain down the pump, remove the pressure switch and also remove the nipple that it screws on to and clean it out.  Now put the pressure switch and nipple back in.  At the top of your pressure tank there is an air valve.  Take a tire gauge and read the pressure.  If your pressure switch was a 30/50 there should be 27 to 28 lbs of air in your tank.  If water comes out, your tank is water logged and needs to be replaced.  If it's low on add to 27-28 lbs.  Hopefully this will take care of your problem, it not send more info about what happened.  Pay attention to the readings your pressure guage.  Good Luck!!

Answer 4

do U have  an expansion tank in the line?? do it have some air in it o did it get filled with water? Some systems have them to keep the pipes from banging around.

Answer 5

RW is partially right  you need to check the pressure switch which is the little black or greay box with the wires running in and out.It should say either 20/40 or 30/50  the pressure needs to be 2 pounds less than the lower number.Turn off the water and bleed the tank down then adjust he air with a tire pump and an air gauge

Answer 6

This can get sticky, so pay attention and keep up.  Every well system has to have a pump and a resevoir tank.  The older style tanks used the air that gets trapped in the top of the tank and compressed, to push the water back out when you opened a tap.  However, over time water and air will mix together a little at a time until there's very little or no air left at the top to compress, and we all  know that you can't compress water, so when that happens, the pump starts up, the pressure switch realizes that the pressure is instantly at the shutoff point and shuts  back down, sometimes over and over in an almost self perpetuating cycle, until you shut the power off.    With the advent of the new bladder tanks, where the rubber bladder installed in the center of the tank keeps the air on top at a certain pressure and the water coming in the bottom away from mixing with the air, these problems pretty much go away, until the bladder breaks and allows water to flow up into the top area.  Then you have a very expensive old style resevoir tank, with the same old waterlogged problems.   If you have either of these types of systems then you can remedy the situation for a short time at least, by completely draining the tank with the pump off and then shut all the valves above and refill the tank, allowing the water to pressurize the air.  If you have the bladder tank and it's acting that way, then you may want to replace it, or just use it as is.  You can always pressurize it from the top and drain it by putting enough air in it to blow all the water out and then start over.

Answer 7

maybe the expansion tank...  You should check it.

Answer 8

On the air expandion holding tank you will find an air valve (like on a car tire). Shut the pump off , with a air pump install 20lbs of air pressure to the tank. Turn on the water pump and it should shut off at app 40lbs. The pump should kick back on at 20lbs. Problem solved.