About once a week we will loose water pressure to the house. I go out to my pump house and unplug the pump and sometimes I will get pressure in the house, if not, then I will pull the plug out that you use to prime the pump and let the water out, put the plug back in, return power, and all water pressure is restored. Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated

What type of pump? Surface or submersible? When you lose pressure are the contacts in the control box open or closed? Back to you, Tom

Tom, it's a surface pump and I want to say the contacts are open, but yesterday, instead of opening the drain plug, I bled the air out of the holding tank on top and its been working fine since. I think I an picking up air somewhere but the well isn't running dry, I don't think, because I'm not getting sediment or sand coming out of any faucets.

I'm sorry Tom, when I lose pressure the contacts are closed

A few questions.
1. The pressure tank that you let the air out of, is this tank galvanized metal or painted? Does it have an air valve on top like a tire valve?
2. When you undid the primer plug on top of the pump, did the water come out rather aggressively, as under pressure?
3. A well short on water won't give you sand, it will give air.
4. When you run out of pressure, is this during a time of high water usage?

Yeah! Let's get together on terms. Do you have a silver color galvanized pressure tank or a blue bladder tank?

when I lose pressure the contacts are closed And is the pump running?
Jisenbe #3
. A well short on water won't give you sand, it will give air. Might just explain the extra air pressure in your tank.
Your water table could be falling. What do you think? Tom

@jlisenbe, yes to your first questions, no to your last question, I a the only one on my little block with well water.

@Tom, yes to your question, its got the blue bladder tank type, but its not blue, its burgundy

@jlisenbe, yes to your first questions, no to your last question, I a the only one on my little block with well water.

@Tom, yes to your question, its got the blue bladder tank type, but its not blue, its burgundy
My bet's on a falling water table. Everything just seems to fit,
Loss of pressure. Then after a short time the table fills up and the pump produces.
The air in your line indicates you're pumping air. In my opinion it all adds up to a water table that's dropping. The solution would be to dig the well deeper. Good luck, Tom

I'd agree with that. I don't think draining the pressure tank or releasing pressure from the primer port is actually accomplishing much other than taking enough time to do so that your well recovers enough to allow it to supply some more water.

How many pipes go into your well from the pump, one or two?

My thoughts.

If you have a shrader valve on the top of the tank, it must be a bladder tank. You should not change the air pressure. It is or should be set to 2 lbs below the cut on pressure of the pump switch. That way the pump comes on just before you run out of water.
What does the pressure gauge read when you do not have any water.

Re-pressurize the tank.


it's a surface pump

With a surface pump you should definitely be able to tell if it is running from sound and feel.
If the pump is not running and the switch points are closed check the start capacitor (assuming the motor has one).
If the pump is not running and the points are not closed but the pressure reading of the gauge is below the cut on pressure, remove the pressure switch and clean the inside of the pipe or tubing and the orifices of the switch.

I don't see where you said you have air in the pipes, nor do I think a surface pump will pump air.

If your water table has dropped, the pump would run until it over heated. It would then turn off due to thermal over load but come on again when it cooled. Is the pump motor hot when you do not have water?

I don't think your well would run dry repeatedly and then recover in the time it takes you to do what you describe.

I think you have a clogged pressure switch. When you remove the primer plug you relieve all the water pressure, the switch closes and the pump turns on. Relieving the pre-charge air pressure would also reduce the water pressure on the switch and cause the switch to close.

To me the symptoms described better fit a partially clogged or restricted switch or a failing start capacitor than a dry well.

@hkstroud, the pump does not over heat, when I do loose pressure in the house, the pump will kick on, but shut off second later. To answer another question, it has one line.

When this happens, what is the pressure reading?
Does the pump motor have a start capacitor or a start/run capacitor?
Does the pump actually start running or does the motor just hum for a few seconds?

One line into the well? In that case, you can only pump when water is no more than about 25' feet down.