Check out some similar questions!

IDrmofLuvnU · Jun 8, 2008, 08:27 PM

Our pressure switch went bad about 8 years ago and we replaced it. It looked like it had been burnt just where the wires connected. We had to replace it again about 7 months ago for the same reason, it looked burnt. Yesterday as I started to take a shower, the water just suddenly stopped. My husband checked the pressure switch and said it looked a little burnt again. We did install a filtering system on the main water line about 2 or 3 weeks ago, because the cold water screen filter on the washer was getting a lot of tiny rocks and green sand stuff in it. Which caused just the cold water not to work very well if at all on the washer. My question is why does our pressure switch keep looking burnt and needing replaced ? My husband said it was because I had him turn the pressure up too much. Even though the pressure switch is preset for the correct water pressure. It just wasn't enough pressure for me. I live in NC and we were in a terrible drought last summer, and still not back to normal. We also pressure washed our house yesterday before the water went off. It took us about 3 hours.
Thanks for any and all help.
Cindy

KISS · Jun 8, 2008, 09:06 PM

I can't see what's happening, but if the wires are discolored, it generally means the wire size is too small or there are poor connections and/or the switch is chattering.

It might be time to re-wire.

IDrmofLuvnU · Jun 8, 2008, 09:14 PM

Thanks ! That thought never crossed my mind. I do know the well was here when we had this house built. So I'm not sure how old any of it is. The man we bought the land from said the well pump was about 1 year old. He never said anything else about it. I think our well is only 65 feet deep, I heard that isn't very deep. I don't know anything about that. When we replaced the pressure switch the first time, my husbands uncle did it and said who ever did it before, didn't know what they were doing because the whole thing was backwards and even the pressure switch was upside down... lol
Thanks again !
Cindy

speedball1 · Jun 9, 2008, 05:04 AM

Hi Cindy,

It looked like it had been burnt just where the wires connected.

Good analysis by KISS. Are the contacts burnt as well. This situation could also be caused by a shorted motor winding exerting too much of a load. I would follow KISSes advice but I would also check the pump.

My husband said it was because I had him turn the pressure up too much

Nah! Turning the pressure up would make the pump work a little harder but the load would would be on the pump and not the control box. Good luck, Tom

jlisenbe · Jun 9, 2008, 04:27 PM

ID, is the well above ground or below ground? I ask because the pump was installed the year before you arrived, and I'm wondering if perhaps it was replaced with a pump that was larger than the original. Thus, it would draw more current than the original, possibly too much for the wire size. One thing I would look for. If the wire is indeed too small, it will probably be producing a good bit of heat in the wire itself where it attaches to the switch. You can easily check by (duh!) feeling of the insulated portion of the wire a few inches back from the switch.

Another thought. With two amateurs (no offense intended) installing the switches, it is possibly you simply did not tighten the screws sufficiently.

IF the pump is above ground, you should be able to see how much current (amps) it will draw, then compare that to the wire size to see if your wire is large enough. I would bet that KISS can answer that one for you.