I have a home that was winterized, all lines drained with a wellsaver tank. I applied power to the pump and with faucets open to allow air to escape and now the pump will build up to 55psi and then drop to zero. It continues to do this until I shut off water into the house at which time the pump shuts off like it should. If I then open the valves it will do the same thing until I close the valves again.

Not familiar with your pump... but having lived in a home with a well growing up I had to learn how to reprime a pump.

I am assuming you are opening faucets up fully. Have you tried this opening one faucet up just a tiny bit, leaving the others closed. This is to give the pump some resistance to pump against, yet allow it to vent the air that's ahead of the water slowly. If you do too much too fast... it would rather pump air than water. Seems like that's what you are describing as I remember seeing that happen in the past.

"It continues to do this until I shut off water into the house at which time the pump shuts off like it should."

I would be looking for a leak between the house and pressure tank.

I may have been editing my post when you answered.

Can you confirm that after it shuts off with ALL faucets shut off... you open one just slightly to allow the pressurized air to escape while maintaining pressure in the system?

I'm assuming this is a pump that's physically located IN the well, VS. in the house sucking FROM the well?

I can't see a leak between the pressure tank and the house system with these symptoms.

I see a pump that's lost its prime... and is pumping air, but no water.

Can you confirm if the pump is in the house or in the well on top, or submerged IN the well?


Rather than edit my post... I want to add this...

My experience shows that home water pumps preffer to work against some resistance. Particularly when purging air from the system. Reduce all resistance and it just sits and pumps air... totally block it and it many times developes enough air pressure to trip the pressure switch... the trick is giving it just enough of a vent to bleed off pressure but keep it closed enough to maintain most of it... If you have a pressure gauge before the pressure tank.. its easier to see this. You want to keep the pressure UP... without actually closing the system entirely until water is flowing. If the pressure drops you opened it up too far.

That was the most quick way I have found to get the system pumping water and purge the air. The pumps that are submerged under water IN the well being the ones least susceptible to this.

It is a shallow well pump located outside the house in a well house of sorts. The pump is not accessible but the diagram would be: pump, line going into the house with a distribution line to the well saver tank in between the pump and house line.
Water shut off on the house side of tank until pump shuts off. Then slowly open shut off just enough to allow flow to the house with the only faucet open is a toilet closet.
The water saver tank does not fill at all. Do I need to open air valve to allow tank to fill?

If the pump needed priming, how could it pump up to 55#? Once it loses prime, it will not pump again until it is primed. That is why I'm not looking at prime as being an issue.

The tank not filling very much is typical. It will fill more as the weeks go by as the air below the diaphragm is dissolved into the water.

You say the pressure drops from 55 to zero. Is this while the pump is still running, or while the pump is off?

Drops while pump is running and pumps right back up to 55# with very little water flow to the house

Sounds like you have two problems. First, you have a waterlogged pressure tank, which cause pressure to drop and rise quickly. Second, your pressure switch is most likely malfunctioning, causing the pump not to kick in quick enough to keep the pressure from reaching zero before turning the pump on.

Does this look anything like what you have?

"It continues to do this until I shut off water into the house at which time the pump shuts off like it should."

If I understand you, it does this even with no faucets on or water being used in the house. However, when you close the shutoff valve to the house, then the pressure gets up to 55, the pump shuts down, and pressure holds at 55. That still points to a leak somewhere in the house. Also consider that even at 55#, you state you don't get much water to the house. It just sounds like a major leak somewhere to me.

However, it is wise to check the tank. There should be a little air valve on top of it, like on a tire. Depress the valve for a few seconds. If water comes out, then your tank is shot. But I'll be a little surprised if that happens.

I don't think the switch is the problem. When pressure drops to zero, it does so with the pump running. When it gets to 55, it cuts the pump off. Sounds to me like the switch is doing its job.

it is a shallow well pump located outside the house in a well house of sorts. The pump is not accessible but the diagram would be: pump, line going into the house with a distribution line to the well saver tank in between the pump and house line.
Water shut off on the house side of tank until pump shuts off. Then slowly open shut off just enough to allow flow to the house with the only faucet open is a toilet closet.
The water saver tank does not fill at all. Do I need to open air valve to allow tank to fill? No... you NEED air in that for it to work. As was mentioned... it is possible as well there is not nearly enough air in it now. THAT is what provides your water pressure in the house not the pump. Simple way to check is drain that pressure tank... pump air into it, I honestly forget how many PSI they should be empty of water... and THEN see if you still have a problem. In any case you will have eliminated ONE possibility if it still does it. It MAY have a diaphram... in fact it likely does, but the older ones like I dealt with didn't and they needed air every couple of years or they waterlog.

I have a home that was winterized, all lines drained with a wellsaver tank. I applied power to the pump and with faucets open to allow air to escape and now the pump will build up to 55psi and then drop to zero. It continues to do this until I shut off water into the house at which time the pump shuts off like it should. If I then open the valves it will do the same thing until I close the valves again.
This lets the check/foot valve and the supply to the house off the hook and puts the problem upstream from the house shut off. If you have no damp spots perhaps you need to call in a leak detection service.
Is this house on a slab or do you have a basement? How old is it and what material are the pipes? Let me know, Tom

The above drawing is pretty much correct but the tank and shut off is all located in the well house within 3 ft of the well.
And as I think more on it, I may not have the water heater shut off but since it is 30 miles away, it will have to wait until after the busy weekend. Thanks for all the help
Ron