When I turn on my jet pump, the pressure goes quickly to 20-22, but after five minutes with a tap running, it stabilizes at 16. When I turned the tap off, it rose to 18. When I turned the pump off, it stayed steady at 20.
It has not risen above 24 this year, though last year it started at 20 , then rose to 30 then cut out.
I have checked all hose connections, the foot valve, and cleaned out all silt from every hose, the pump, and anything else I could get at. No difference.
Goulds' Troubleshooting suggestions say that I could try disconnecting the tubing to the air charger, plugging the hole, and see what happens. Nowhere do they identify that part. Is it the tubing that leads from the pump to the pressure switch ? If so, I assume that I could disconnect that and plug the opening at the pump. Is that what they mean ?
I did replace completely a 1/4 copper tube from the pump to the pressure switch. No difference.
I also turned down both springs in the pressure switch. No difference.
Any suggestions ?

Are you saying the pump goes to 20# (or whatever) but continues running, unable to get above that point? If so, then it certainly sounds like your pump simply will no longer pump up to cut off pressure. How old is the pump?

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Originally Posted by jlisenbe

Are you saying the pump goes to 20# (or whatever) but continues running, unable to get above that point? If so, then it certainly sounds like your pump simply will no longer pump up to cutoff pressure. How old is the pump?

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It is fairly old, but it worked fine last year. Over the winter (when it was unheated and, I thought, drained) the 1/4 in copper tube split ( I have replaced that). Tonight after I turned it off, then turned it back on, the pressure went up to 24psi, and stayed there when I turned it off again. At this point my options are to just live with it, turning it on only when I use it, or to try to get it working as it did last summer. I only need to get through until the fall, when the new building will be built, which will have a new pump pushing from the well, so I don't want to spend a lot of money on it as it will be retired after the new building is in place.
Still, I would like to have more pressure, and have the pump shut itself off. I am stumped.

AllStar, it sounds like your pump at least partially froze over the winter... may have damaged. As a getby, you can adjust your switch down to having the pump turn off at 24#. It's at least worth a try. The problem is this: it might not turn the pump back on until pressure get's down to 10# or so. At any rate, it won't hurt to try. This site gives a nice discussion of how it's done:

How to adjust water pump pressure, pump cut-on pressure and pump cut-off pressure - private pump and well system do-it-yourself repairs

Thanks for the link; it 2was very helpful. I took the whole pressure switch apart and cleaned it. There was no appreciable dirt in it. I turned the larger screw control counter clockwise until the spring is completely disengaged. The pump still comes on, hits 26psi, and would run forever unless I turned it off. I tried slacking off the smaller screw post too, but it made no difference.
Tomorrow I will go to town and spring for a new pressure switch.

Put in a new pressure switch today. Exactly the same response: it hits 26psi and runs forever. There are no leaks. Does this mean that the guts are damaged and it just cannot generate enough pressure, or is there another possible explanation ?

Sounds like you need a new pump. Sure it worked last year but it has to fail sooner or later, especially if it froze with water in it. If you feel comfortable tearing into pump, you can order repair kits for them(impellers bushings, bearings, and gaskets). I suggest a complete new pump and you should be set.

I'll be getting a new pump in Sept to insert in the well, and push instead of pull. Until then, I guess I'll just turn it on when I need it, and turn it off again. The longest I ever need it for is about 10 minutes at a time, and with luck that should not burn it out.

Good call. If your well casing is big enough to take a submesible pump, then do it. Submersible pump will make you much happier. Good luck and please let us know how things work out.

AllStar, sounds like you have a good plan. The submersible pump is something to consider, but it depends to some degree on the depth of the well. Having the pump above ground can be a nice thing.