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zinzarin · Feb 28, 2008, 07:04 AM

I have a Square D Pumptol switch on the pump/pressure tank at my new house. I've never worked with any of this technology before; it's my first home purchase (yay!) and the only home I've ever lived in that didn't have city water.

The pressure switch cuts off successfully at about 55 psi, but never cuts in. The water pressure is typically settled at 30 psi when I go downstairs and manually trip the switch to build pressure back up to 55 psi.

I have played with the two nuts in the switch to try to adjust the cut in point higher, but nothing has worked. My (probably incorrect) assumption is that I'm making the correct adjustments, but there's something wrong with the switch, preventing it from cutting in at all.

Any thoughts? What can I do to fix this, or at least to come to a more confident assessment of what's wrong with my system?

Thanks for your help!

Rob
Holland, MI

jlisenbe · Feb 28, 2008, 05:26 PM

Before you replace the switch, you might want to check the small pipe that leads to the switch. They can become clogged. Not likely, since the switch cuts off but not on. At any rate, replacing the switch is relatively easy and cheap, if you are comfortable working with electricity. Be sure to cut off the breaker. This site has a pretty good discussion of it.

Replacing A Pressure Tank On A Residential Water Well System

zinzarin · Feb 29, 2008, 05:09 AM

I've had an opportunity to do some more investigating (standing by it while the washer was filling), and have discovered that the switch does cut in, at 20 psi, which is lower than I'd like. Now I'm at a point where the adjustments I'm making to the center nut don't seem to be raising the cut-in or cut-off points. Might I need to lower the cut-off point with the smaller nut in order to raise both with the center nut?

The system is currently set to 20-55 psi, and I'd like that to be 35-55 psi instead.

jlisenbe · Feb 29, 2008, 05:09 PM

Well, the smaller nut will only raise/lower cut off pressure. The large center nut raises/lowers both cut in and cut off at the same time. You might want to just try it. As I remember, a quarter turn of either nut amounts to about 1# of difference, though that is just a rule of thumb. I still will say this. Switches are so cheap that I would not fool with one very long before replacing it. If it's not the switch, you've lost $25.00. If it IS the switch, you've saved yourself a lot of headaches.

speedball1 · Mar 1, 2008, 08:16 AM

To increase the cut in pressure, turn the nut on the tall bolt down. To increase the cut out pressure,(that's the one that will give you more pressure) turn the nut on the short bolt down until the desired pressure's reached. Or simply replace with a 30/50 pressure control. Good luck, Tom

jlisenbe · Mar 1, 2008, 01:53 PM

Turning the large nut clockwise will indeed increase the cut in pressure. It also increases cut off pressure at the same time. My point is simply that Zin, if you turn the center nut, just be aware that you will achieve your goal in increasing the cut in pressure but you will also be increasing the cut off pressure.

jlisenbe · Mar 8, 2008, 09:57 AM

I looked at the image, but it only seemed to address cut out pressure, not cutin. I may have just missed something there. At any rate, it's a great resource. I haven't been able to figure out how to attach images. It only seems to want to attach web images, not files. I have noticed you have a wealth of images that are really helpful.