Hi, all!

I have the familiar Pumptrol SquareD water pressure regulator; I don't have the model number, but it says 40/60 inside. We recently had to replace our well pump after learning that bladder tanks need to be checked annually :-( and the guy replaced our regulator as well. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble dialing this one in.

We have a calcite bed, a 4x20 sediment filter, and a 4x10 carbon filter. The usual 30 or even 50 psi leaves me with a trickle at the faucets and won't do. I like to have the pump come on at 64-65 psi and go off at 80-82 psi, and had that all working on my old regulator. On this one, however, when I crank down nut #1 to get it to turn on at 64 psi it turns off at about 95 psi even with nut #2 backed all the way off the spring. [I already hear you saying that nut #3, the guy wielding the socket wrench, is the whole problem ;-]

In the course of my searching I saw a comment that one person whose pressure had to be cranked up might have a clogged connection tube; I haven't dug into that yet but will if that sounds like the issue here. I'm more inclined, though, to think that the differential didn't really stay equal when I bumped the on pressure to 64 psi but instead "grew" a bit.

What can I do to get my off pressure back down in the 80s?


TIA & HAND

:-D
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David T-G
http://justpickone.org/davidtg/email/

Typically, you would back off (CCW) the small nut to decrease the cut off pressure. In your case, it sounds like that is not a possibility. It might be that the 40/60 switch just will not do what you are asking it to do. They do make a 60/80 switch. You can see it here.

Pressure Switch, 60-80PSI, 1Port, DPST, 10A - Pressure Switches - Switches - Electrical : Grainger Industrial Supply (http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/SQUARE-D-Pressure-Switch-2PXY8?Pid=search)

Thanks for the pointer! I will definitely think about that; that's probably the much better way to go since that's the designed range of the switch.

Any thoughts on crud or other problems, or does this sound straightforward enough?


:-D
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David T-G
http://justpickone.org/davidtg/email/

The crud deal does happen occasionally, but if I understand you correctly, this is a new switch, and whoever installed it would have noticed a problem in the small pipe leading to the switch. But if that's not the case, then you could certainly pull the switch and check it. Not a hard job.

Let me add this. It is good to perodically check your bladder tank, but you don't need to pay someone to do that. Sounds like your tank bladder gave out, which leads to a waterlogged tank and a short-cycling pump. The easiest way to check your tank is to turn on a faucet, and then watch the pressure gauge. It should slowly and gradually cycle from the low point (pump turns on) to the high point (pump turns off). If it is rapid, taking just a few seconds, then your tank is probably shot.

Do let us know how it turns out. We enjoy seeing these problems through to the end.

I definitely will; thanks! It may be a while before I can get to it :-)/2 but I'll circle back. Of course, since I'll likely go with a suitably-ranged switch I'll also get to see the pipe to check it.


Thanks again!

:-D