We have a 4-5 year-ld Craftsman water pump (Model 390-252159) that supplies our water system. It has never given us much trouble, but all of a sudden it just won't shut off, even when it reads 70 PSI on the dial.

I tried turning back the main screw on the top, thinking that might make it shut off at a lower PSI (clockwise... maybe I went the wrong direction?) with no luck.

After unplugging it, and walking away for half an hour, it still reads 65 PSI when I come back to check it which would indicate there is a very slow leak somewhere? But, I would think it would still shut off when pounding that 70 PSI reading.

There is a small puddle under the rear end of the tank... maybe 15-20 square inches... total on the floor.

My basement is unheated and probably only 30 degrees F right now. Could that puddle be just condensation run off?

HELP!!

Lets check the tank . There is a valve that looks like a car tire valve. Depress that and see if water comes out to see if your air bladder broke. Also tap on from the bottom to the top of the tank and if the clunk doesn't turn into clang and the sound is the same all the way up you are going to need a new tank. If you have a tire gage see what the P.S.I. is. It should be at 2lb less than what your low cut in is set at for the well pump to start.
The small puddle is kind of a dead give away that pressure is leaking and the tank probably be the culprit.

If its really 30 degrees where you water line is then a frozen line. I'm confused water freezes at 32F why do you have a well line in 30F environment? Is the puddle frozen?? To test anything it needs to be thawed out to test

Condensation only happens when cold and hot air mass meets not at 30F and cold well water

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After 90 minutes, the pressure had dropped to 50 PSI... maybe it's not such a slow leak after all. I tend to think it's an air leak though, right?. I mean otherwise the puddle on the floor would have to be larger.

Is that logical thinking, or..

21boat,

Oh... ok. Thanks. I didn't see your post until after I made the last one. I'll get back to you on that...

You also could have a bad check valve that lets the pressure drop in the well line and the pump turns on to compensate. Bring the pressure gage up to max on the pump gage. If it starts to drop and no leaks in the house and in the pump basement area there is a bad check valve on the well pump line

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OK... had supper in between, thus the delay in getting back...

There is still air in the air bladder as depressing the stem does not give any water leakage but pure air.

I realized I had turned the valve screw the wrong direction, so cranked it back way up counter clockwise, and turned the pump back on. It had drifted down to 45 PSI, but charged immediately up to the new setting of 50 PSI and immediately switched off.

50 PSI seems to be enough at the faucets, so... problem solved?

Great ! Glad to hear it

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You also could have a bad check valve that lets the pressure drop in the well line and the pump turns on to compensate. Bring the pressure gage up to max on the pump gage. If it starts to drop and no leaks in the house and in the pump basement area there is a bad check valve on the well pump line

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21b,

I am not sure what you are suggesting here. It was running full out at 70 PSI before and would not shut off. How would I have "brought the pressure gauge up to max on the pump gauge?" I'm a total plumbing novice and don't understand what you are even suggesting here.

I am confused as to why the pump WILL shut itself down on the new screw setting at 50 PSI, but wouldn't shut down before...

At the moment, I'm just tickled it's shutting off and that there is still air in the bladder.

If the pumptrol pressure switch is not matched properly with the tank pressure the pump will quick cycle. When messing with the pump psi and getting to far out of sinc with air bladder in tank its pump run pump.

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If the pumptrol pressure switch is not matched properly with the tank pressure the pump will quick cycle. When messing with the pump psi and getting to far out of sinc with air bladder in tank its pump run pump.

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Now I'm even more confused than before. What is a "pumptrol pressure switch." I only saw a screw.

Also, my "messing with the pump psi" has caused the pump to turn off, not "pump run pump."

Sorry I'm apparently so dense...

The pressure switch turns your pump on and off. The adjusting screw is on the pressure switch.

Sorry I took a bit to get back
Pumptrol or pressuretrol is the switch that controls how long the well pump runs to build pressure in the lines. Its what you have been adjusting the nut on that sets the pressure contact to run the well pump. If there is only one adjustment on it the its already preset at 20lb on low to before it kicks back on. If there is two adjustment on it then you can adjust the low and high kick in kick off for well pump.

The pump run pump is basically two things a check valve is leaking or the bladder is bad and changes the pressure in the line enough to keep quick cycling the pump going on and off in short burst. There's a cover on the switch look inside that and it might explain it better. Normally the two settings a house water pressure is set st is 20lb low to 30lb high or 30lb low to 50lb high

Is it working all right now?


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