I have to turn off the circuit breaker so my pump will stop running. It's a new pump and switch. Have good water pressure and it worked well for a few days. Now when I urn it back on I get a
Lot of air before water
Thanks
Kim

This was not a good choice... thanks for no one answering... someone told me this site was very helpful but apparently they were wrong...

Please excuse the delay. Sometimes posts get oiverlooked.

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I have to turn off the circuit breaker so my pump will stop running and when I urn it back on I get a
Lot of air before water

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Is this a submersible or a surface pump?
Several things come to mind.
1) It could be a faulty check/foot valve allowing the suction pipe to drain back and be replaced with air. (that would be the first thing I checked), **OR**
2)There could be a small leak in the suction line that's allowing air to get sucked in the line. Please answer my question about what type of pump that you have. Regards, Tom

The pump and switch are new, so I'm thinking you might have had this problem with the old pump as well?

You seem to have two problems:

1. Pump will not cut off. Could be that the switch is set too high and the pump cannot reach cut off pressure. Try turning the large center nut on the switch counterclockwise to drop the cut off pressure some. BTW, what pressure does you gauge read when the pump is running on without cutting off?

2. The burst of air. On a submerged pump, this could be a low water table allowing the pump to pick up some air. It could also be a leaking wellpipe which allows air into the line when the pump cuts off. When it cuts back on, you get the air first, then the water. That could, of course, also explain why your pump cannot reach cut off pressure, since the leaking wellpipe bleeds off pressure.

3. If the pump is above ground, then refer to Speedball's very good post.

Sorry to be so late in responding. As SB said, sometimes posts just get overlooked.

Thanks Speedball1... it is a surface pump and what is the foot value.. im hoping your not talking about the one in the well...
jlisenbe thank you too... OMG how do I find a leak?? I'm hoping it is just the switch, and yes that is why we replace the pump to begin with... we used the same switch from the old one, same problem so we got another switch and still same problem... worked for a couple of days and back to the breaker I went... just tell me its not the well... =]

A foot/check valve is a one way valve the allows waster to get suctioned into the pipe but won't allow water to leak back out of the pipe once the pomp stops running, A check valve may be found just after the pump on the suction line while a foot valve's located down in the well point.

As a rule if this valve is bad it will cause you to lose prime and fill the suction line with air.
Do you have to prime the pump after it shuts down and sets for a while?
You ask;

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OMG how do I find a leak??

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You're not going to like this answer.
To check for a leak in the suction line or foot valve turn the pump off and watch the gage.
If it falls tom zero and the check valve is OK then the well point must be pulled and the foot valve replaced and the suction line put under pressure and checked for leaks.
I would first check the control box setting to be sure it isn't set too high and the next thing I'd be looking at , (if you loose prime) is the check or foot valve.
Let me know what you hind. Good luck, Tom

What type of tank do you have, bladder or galvanized pressure tank.
Where is the switch located, on the tank or piping directly of does it have a small copper tube connecting it to the tank.
When you change the switch did you check to insure that the hole where it is installed or the tubing connecting it was clear of all rust or possible debris

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we used the same switch from the old one, same problem so we got another switch and still same problem... worked for a couple of days and back to the breaker

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That makes me think that rust or curd is blocking the port of the switch.

If you have a galvanized pressure tank, do you have an Air Volume Control valve, may look like picture below.

hkstroud.. doesnt look like that pic...
they came yesterday... good water pressure but it didn't last the day... runnin water and it just stopped... I went down to check the switch and it does a lot of clickin like it just won't get started, goes both ways, when water is turned on or off... I noticed the wires (2) of them look kind of worn, could they be shortin out...
you're right speedball1 I didn't like that answer... lol... so even if the pump is off and the main switch the gauge should still read something other then a big fat 0? I think it does... how do I know if the gauge is working properly?
thanks again
Kim... =]

I went down to check the switch and it does a lot of clickin like it just won't get started, goes both ways

Kim, could be a waterlogged tank. You tank should have a little air valve on top, like on a tire. Press the valve for a few seconds. If water comes out, then you have found your problem. That doesn't match some of the other symptoms you described, but it sure fits the quote above.

thanks...
we put yet another switch on and it still does that... so off with the lid to the well... my well is only 30ft and there is about 3 1/2 ft of water and moss/seaweed looking stuff on the on side of the well... so we are going to check the foot vavle thingi ma bobber... =]

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Originally Posted by jlisenbe

i went down to check the switch and it does alot of clickin like it just wont get started, goes both ways

Kim, could be a waterlogged tank. You tank should have a little air valve on top, like on a tire. Press the valve for a few seconds. If water comes out, then you have found your problem. That doesn't match some of the other symptoms you described, but it sure fits the quote above.

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lol... got air!. =]

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3 1/2 ft of water and moss/seaweed looking stuff on the on side of the well

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Do you have a dug well, that is, about a 3 foot diameter hole in the ground? How many pipes go down the well, Can you determine how far into the water the well pipe extends?

it's a dug well only 30ft... and there is 3 1/2ft of water... I think we got the problem now... the guy had the pipes hooked up wrong and we kept losing the water and getting air... he fixed and all is good so far... fingers XXXXXed... =]
thank you everyone...

Great on the fix.

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dug well only 30ft

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That's pretty deep for a dug well. Wouldn't want to have to go down there.

hkstroud
we threw a rope down there with a rock, marked it, and we also had a drop light down there... hopefully everything works this time... I don't think the water pressure is too good... but we'll see... =]