I've got a new pump, new control box, new pressure tank(with bladder), new pressure switch, but... I can't get my well to stop short cycling, I've checked and my bladder psi is 38 and pressure switch is set for 40-60; sometimes it will cycle when closing in (40psi) click, click, click until I open the breaker, other times it happens when opening (60psi) continuous clicking until I open the breaker, I'm wondering is it possible for air to be trapped in the tank between the bladder and the water, or could this be a check valve problem, I put a gauge in at the pressure switch and one on the other side of the check valve the short cycling broke the needle off the gauge on the well side of the check valve, what is going on? I've drained the tank and checked the pressure in the bladder and it's at 38...

1.5 horse pump/120ft deep, it is an intermittent problem, it doesn't happen every time... and I have good pressure

What you describe does not sound like short-cycling, unless I have just misread it. Short-cycling is when the pump cuts on, builds up to pressure in just seconds, cuts off, pressure drops in just seconds, pump cuts back on, and on it goes.

I think you are saying that the switch switches off/on/off/on rather quickly from time to time, instead of simply cutting off or on in one "stroke" of the points. That is a strange deal. I can only think of two things:

1. Did you replace the little pipe leading to the switch? That pipe can easily get clogged and cause the switch to act strangely.
2. Defective switch, despite being new.

There probably is some air under the bladder, but that is ordinary with a new tank. The checkvalve is a possibility, but it would be strange for it to work properly frequently but not always.

Two other questions. When it does this, and you turn off the breaker, does it hold pressure? And when you turn the breaker back on, does the shutting on/off stop, or continue?

The pressure switch is opening and closing and I can watch the actual pressure activated switch rocking and watch the pressure spike/drop/spike/drop etc... it's probably completing a off/on/off in 1 second or so... I didn't change out the pipe, I did flush the pipe and checked the bottom of both the old and new switch for any kind of debris or oxidation etc. nothing, I installed the new switch when the old switch was doing this and the new switch did it also, so when I checked for debris on the new switch I put the old switch back on and then after it continued, I played with the cut in and cut out pressures maintaining the 20psi range, to no avail, adjusted the pressure in the bladder a pound in each direction (while drained) and put it back to 38, when I turn open the breaker if I immediately close it back in, the switching continues, however if I wait a few seconds and then close it in it will stop, I also put my foot on the switch and held the contacts closed when it started today and they stayed closed and I removed my foot and it has cycled a few times since with no issue...

Sorry I didn't answer your question, I have pressurized the system, turned off the breaker and left it off for a few hours while away at church and had no water running, pressure on both the tank side and well side gauges stayed stable, that time...

I was wanting to watch the well side pressure more closely to see if it was a foot valve problem but like I stated earlier the wild pressure swings snapped the needle off the gauge, made in China... need I say more

Any other ideas?

OQuan, it is baffling. I can't imagine it being the checkvalve, but that does seem to be the only thing, other than the pump, you have not replaced. Can you get to it without much trouble?

I would make sure the pipes leading to the tank are wide open and clear of debris.

What is really strange is that it seems to happen only intermittently. That makes the troubleshooting process even more of a headache. Wish I could give a better answer.

When you get it solved, I do hope you will post the solution. This is one where I'd like to be on-site and see if for myself. Could you post a picture of your setup? Who knows, maybe that would show us something no one has thought of.

Ahhh... it is fixed! I pinched down the 1/4" valve below the pressure switch, to only 1/2 of the way open and the problem diminished but was still existent. I then pinched it down to 25% open and the problem went away completely... must've been water hammer and must have something to do with the distance between components in the system

1/4" valve, or 1/4" pipe?

Thanks for posting the solution. Still is a little baffling.

You have only one pressure tank, correct? And your system does not feed another tank anywhere, correct?

1/4" valve on the 1/4 pipe to the pressure switch. I only have one pressure tank and that's the only reservoir in the system except for the water heater which is out of this loop anyhow, as of this date I haven't had anymore hammering?shortcycling... I guess the problem really does stem from the distance between the swtich and the tank (50+ feet).

That's one to remember. Never heard of it before, but I'm glad you got the problem fixed. What is the purpose of the valve? Is it a cut-off of some sort?