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View Full Version : Well water loses pressure. No pressure tank?


cping
Oct 6, 2009, 01:09 PM
We have lived in our home for 2 years. We have no way of contacting the previous owner to ask about the well. It is a submersible pump and the only think above the ground is about a foot and a half of the pipe and cap. There is no pressure tank that we can find. Our old place had an actual well house and we were able to easily find and take care of well issues. We are having a problem with the pressure becoming non existent in the house out of the blue. i.e. I was rinsing a stack of dishes in the sink to put in the dishwasher and no other water was in use in the house and it went to a trickle. It doesn't matter if it's hot or cold water. We can go out and turn the main breaker off for about a minute, turn it back on and get pressure back usually immediately. Sometimes you can turn the faucet off for about 20 seconds and get pressure back, but that's very seldom. Can ANYONE, help us figure out this issue when we have NO idea on how this well works? Thanks in advance!

hkstroud
Oct 6, 2009, 01:28 PM
When you turn the breaker off then back on, is it tripped. Some times breakers will not flip all the way to the off position when tripped. When they do that they always feel spongy when press toward the off position. Some where on the water pipe coming to the house there must be a pressure regulating switch. That's what is turning the pump on and off. Do you know where that is?

cping
Oct 6, 2009, 03:34 PM
We too thought it may be a breaker issue, but my hubby used to be an electrician and that's not the case.
In the pipe there is a button a little ways down, it could very well be the pressure switch. But we don't know how a well works without a pressure tank, so we were afraid to mess with it. In this type of well, can a pressure switch be replaced? I've looked online for a diagram of a well that is the type of ours, but all of them I've found have pressure tanks.
Thanks for your assistance.

mygirlsdad77
Oct 6, 2009, 04:08 PM
There has got to be a pressure tank somewhere, no ifs ands or buts about it. Even if its an on demand submersible, there should be a small pressure tank. Do you see any pump controls in the house, if so, please post a pic of them. Lee.

jlisenbe
Oct 7, 2009, 09:57 AM
These wells sometimes have a small pressure tank which is actually in the well. I'm not familiar with them, but it is my understanding that the tank is visible from the well head.

You should be able to find the pressure switch by following the electric cable. You can certainly replace it. I would have to think it is above ground somewhere. Again, follow the cable.

BTW, is the pump in the well or above ground?

hkstroud
Oct 7, 2009, 11:22 AM
Can you post a picture of that button?

cping
Oct 8, 2009, 07:56 AM
It has been raining here the last couple days making the pictures not come out to where you can see anything. There are no external components, everything is contained within a 4 - 6 inch diameter pipe. The button is on a small round cylinder but it doesn't (at least from the top) look like a small pressure tank. Again... we've never came across a well like this sooooo...

jlisenbe
Oct 8, 2009, 08:24 AM
Have you tried following the electric cable from the well to the house? Got to be a switch somewhere.

xcountry292
Oct 16, 2009, 05:55 PM
There must be a tank and a pressure switch some place of some sort I have seen them in the well and even a buryed model!
The fact that the pump will run again after you turn the power off than on makes me think that the overload on the motor is triping. You will need to pull the pump out of the well and put on a test bench. When you find your tank in is water logged and will need to be replaced! Good luck

DonDon42
Jun 16, 2012, 08:59 PM
New 4" sub installed in 2006, pump is short cycling every 2/3 seconds and my tank is buried ? Are they normally put closer to the well or the house? Do start with the wife's flowers or my deck

jlisenbe
Jun 17, 2012, 05:30 AM
It is normally installed near the pressure switch, which is a little grey box with electrical wires coming out of it. Usually they are either in the house in or in pumphouse. I've never heard of a buried one, but I suppose it is possible. Sounds like a really bad idea, though.

Turn your pump off. It will burn out from the short-cycling.

Sounds like a leaking checkvalve. Can you see any part of the well heads?

Also, do you know how far down the pump is?

DonDon42
Jun 17, 2012, 10:45 AM
Pumps @ 145' and we are not allowed to have a pit anymore and w/no basement that is what was recommended in hindsite I would have plumbed it myself the company that put it in is out of business, it only cycles when something is calling for watter

jlisenbe
Jun 17, 2012, 02:08 PM
Sure sounds like your pressure tank is waterlogged. That would cause exactly what you are experiencing. Now to find to the tank. Tanks are not permanent installs. It is expected that tanks will fail, so surely it would have been put some place accessible. Can you contact the company who did the well?