[jasco88]

I have a well its 6 years old. It has always pumped a little sand from the beginning. I have installed a tornado filter to keep sand out of the house. Now in the past couple months while using water the pump will go to recycle when the pressure valve flips to make the connection to start the pump the gauge will drop from 30 psi to 0 and about 3-5 sec lator the pump starts and runs normal. This doesn't happen on a consistent basis put its becoming more and more common.

Any suggestions.

Thanks

[jlisenbe]

You're saying the points close on the switch, and then the pump cuts on 3 to 5 seconds later? If so, then I'd look at the points... could need filing with an emory board or double folded piece of sandpaper (with, of course, the power turned off).

One more item. Assuming this is a bladder pressure tank, make sure your pressure at the "top" of the tank is set to 2# below the cut in pressure. So if your cut in pressure is 30#, then set the pressure to 28# with the power off and the tank drained.

[speedball1]

when the pressure valve

(control box?)

flips to make the connection to start the pump the gauge will drop from 30 psi to 0 and about 3-5 sec lator the pump starts and runs normal.

I'm not a big pump man but this sounds like the check/foot valve opens up allowing the pressure to fall until the pump picks it up again. Bad points or a bad bladder tank won't lose pressure. A bad check valve will. Your situation would develop the way you describe if the check valve was working intermittently. Regards, tom

[jlisenbe]

Good point. I thought of that, but the owner indicated this happened when water was being used. A defective check valve will cause problems 24/7, not just when water is being drawn. As well, the problem he described is of a switch cutting on and then the pump cuts on 3 to 5 seconds later. That seemed to "point" to corroded points being a possibility. At any rate, Jasco, if your pump is cycling when no water is being used, then you would certainly look at the checkvalve. In case you don't know, the checkvalve is a one way gate that prevents water in the pressure tank from simply flowing back into the well. If it's defective, it will allow water to leak back all the time, thus you will notice your pump cycling when water is not being used.

[speedball1]

But if his check valve were working intermittentl he could lose pressure. I keep coming back to the pressure drop. Only two things would cause the drop he's experiencing.
1) a massive leak, (and that ain't happening) **or** 2) the check of foot valve opening up and allowing the water to drain back down into the well. Could he have two problems? Comon back jlisenbe! Tom

[jlisenbe]

I have seen the kind of pressure drop he is referring to. I have seen the pressure on my well drop from 40 to zero and then right back up as the pump kicks in. Never could quite figure out why. At any rate, I would love to know what could be causing the five second pause between the points closing and the pump kicking in. I suppose that if the check valve allowed the line to leak down all the way to the pump, then he might be noticing a lull between the pump kicking in and the water actually getting to his tank, since the well pipe would be empty when the pump kicked in. Still, a check valve problem should be noticed when the water is not being drawn, at least from time to time.

Speedball, I had not thought of this until now... sand. He mentioned probems with sand. I wonder if sand could be giving his checkvalve problems, causing it to occasionally stick open?

By the way, is this a submersible or jet pump?