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twilder6 · Jun 20, 2011, 08:38 AM

My well will not build over 40 -42 psi I checked the air in the tank and it reads 40 psi my pressure switch is a 40 - 60 and the pump runs constantly

jlisenbe · Jun 20, 2011, 08:59 AM

1. Is your pump above ground or in the well?
2. If above ground, how many pipes go into the ground, one or two?
3. Did it make it to 60# OK in the past and has just now started having problems?
4. Don't bother reading the pressure in the tank. When the system is on, it will read about the same as the pressure gauge.

twilder6 · Jun 20, 2011, 10:14 AM

No its in the ground. It just started this problem . I have turned the well off and checked the pressures also. I even tried opening up the fuacet with the well turned off and the pressure never droppped and no water came out

jlisenbe · Jun 20, 2011, 10:45 AM

"i even tried opening up the fuacet with the well turned off and the pressure never droppped and no water came out "

You have 40# of pressure, the pump is running, but you are not getting water?? Am I understanding that correctly?

With submersible pumps such as your, there aren't many options as to why it won't pump up to shut off pressure.

1. leak in wellpipe which won't allow the pump to get up to 60#.

2. Pump is worn out. How old is yours?

One more thing. If you turn off the pump by shutting off the breaker, does the pressure hold steady at 40# (or whatever), or does it drop down to zero?

twilder6 · Jun 20, 2011, 08:36 PM

The well is 8 to 9 years old. No if I shut it off at the breaker it stays at 40 psi as long as the well is running I get water out but if I turn it off at the breaker the pressure stays at 40 and no water comes out

twilder6 · Jun 22, 2011, 07:00 AM

The well is 8 to 9 years old. No if I shut it off at the breaker it stays at 40 psi as long as the well is running I get water out but if I turn it off at the breaker the pressure stays at 40 and no water comes out

jlisenbe · Jun 22, 2011, 01:20 PM

I am guessing that your pressure gauge must be broken, since it reads 40# but you get no water.

If a sub pump will not get over 40# and runs constantly, and assuming the switch doing its job properly, then either the pump is no longer able to get over 40# or there is a significant leak in the wellpipe which prevents the pump from getting over 40#.

However, I'm a little concerned that when you turn off the power, it seems that the system loses pressure. I base that on the fact that you state you get no water even though the gauge reads 40. As I said above, I have a feeling your gauge is defective. When you turn off the system and lose pressure when no water is being used, then you either have a defective check valve, a leaking wellpipe, or a leak in a pipe going to the house.

If you cannot find a leak going to the house, then I would do this. I'd replace the gauge (cheap), then see what happens when power is turned off. Watch that gauge. If it drops steadily, then a leak is happening somewhere which could also explain why the pump won't get over 40. If the pressure holds (which would mean you could still get water when a faucet is turned on), then you start looking at the pump or, less likely, the wellpipe. Your pump is going on 9 years old, so it's possible it could be wearing out.

twilder6 · Jun 22, 2011, 08:07 PM

I replaced the gauge same problem. I even checked the pressure on the tank with a tire gauge and it reads 40 psi

jlisenbe · Jun 23, 2011, 03:24 AM

With 40# of pressure yet you get no water, there is obviously a blockage somewhere. Do you have a filter or water softener? If so, does it have a bypass valve? Also, is there a shutoff valve between the house and the pressure tank? If so, could it be blocked?

I'm kind of racking my brain here. Having 40# of pressure but getting no water unless the pump is running is strange.

hkstroud · Jun 23, 2011, 04:50 AM

Don't mean to butt in here but I think you have a leaking well pipe.
If you get water with the pump running and a faucet open that means the pump is creating enough volume and pressure to over come the leak and the 40 lbs pressure in the tank. But because of the leak it cannot over come much more than the 40 lbs of pressure, say only about 2 lbs. If that is true, the fact that the pressure holds at 40 lbs when the pump is turned off is not a good indicator that there is not leak. You probably can't really tell the difference in 40 and 42 lbs on the pressure gauge. Plus it may take 42 lbs to make the leak occur. The tank pressure will not go below 40 lbs unless you have a ruptured bladder.

To test this logic I suggest you lower the tank pressure to about 20 lbs. If my logic is correct you should be able to pump up to about 40 lbs. You may or may not be able to hold that pressure when the pump is turned off. Probably not, which would defiantly indicate a leak

Not being able to get more than the 20 lbs with the pump running would also indicate a leaking well pipe.

jlisenbe · Jun 23, 2011, 06:39 AM

Good thinking. But I can't figure out why he can't get water even though his system has, and holds, 40# of pressure. That is a mystery.

His system is only 9 years old, so I tended to discount the idea of a leaking wellpipe, but it could be.

hkstroud · Jun 23, 2011, 07:49 AM

My thinking is that the pump is running and will pump water but cannot over come the 40# of pressure in the tank. I am discounting what appears to be an increase of 2# as negligible gauge inaccuracy.
In other words the pump is only really moving water when the faucet is open.
The tank will hold the 40# of air pressure because of the bladder.
Only two things I can think of would cause that, a leak or a defective pump. Hopefully it's a leak.

If pump will over come 20# and pumps up to 40# but then leaks down to 20# when pump is turned off then it's a leak. If pump pumps up to 40# and holds it is most likely a defective pump.

twilder6 · Jun 23, 2011, 07:53 AM

Yes I have a water softener and a filter I bypassed both of them thinking that may have been the problem but it didn't change anything. I will try lowering the tank pressure and see what happens my father in law seems to think my well is either going dry or my pump is bad

hkstroud · Jun 23, 2011, 08:10 AM

I don't think the well is going dry. If it were you would either not have any water at all or you would be able to pump some water, wait a while until the well cavity is replenished and pump some more. You would be able to eventually build the pressure in the tank to the 60# cut off.

Also, I take that this been going on for some time. If the pump is not submerged in water you would probably have burned it up by now.

jlisenbe · Jun 23, 2011, 11:50 AM

If the pump is running and won't build up to cut off pressure, then the only two possibilities I know of are a leak in the wellpipe or a pump going bad. With a 9 year old pump, my money is on the pump.

But I still think it is very odd that you can't get water with 40# of pressure. If there was no water in the tank, then the gauge would read at or near zero, even though you would get a reading of 38# (or whatever it is) from the valve at the top of the tank due to the pressure in the bladder.

Just had a thought. Your pressure tank. Is it painted or galvanized? And is the pressure gauge mounted on the water line near the switch, or on the side of the pressure tank?

hkstroud · Jun 23, 2011, 01:25 PM

no water in the tank, then the gauge would read at or near zero

You are correct of course. My error, I guess I was just over whelmed by a moment of stupidity. Guess I'll have to go with the worn out pump also.

jlisenbe · Jun 23, 2011, 08:41 PM

Probably turn out to be something neither one of us has even mentioned anyway. (<:

40# of pressure but no water really puzzles me.