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wellsfamily · Jul 25, 2009, 09:15 PM

Hello,
This is probably silly but we just replaced a pressure switch on our water well. It is 40/60 so my question is: When all faucets are turned off should the pressure gauge be reading 60psi and when water is running; like dishwasher, etc, should gauge read around 38psi before pump kicks in? Old switch usually read 40psi when we would look at it, but I don't know what it read when water was running. I also don't know if it was a 40/60 switch. I am afraid to turn up pressure cause I don't want to blow water lines with too much pressure. HELP ME PLEASE!

How much air should there be in my pressure tank?

creahands · Jul 26, 2009, 03:42 AM

The switch is working correctly.

Why would u want to increase pressure?

Chuck

speedball1 · Jul 26, 2009, 04:31 AM

my question is: When all faucets are turned off should the pressure gauge be reading 60psi and when water is running; like dishwasher, etc, should gauge read around 38psi before pump kicks in?

If your system's working normally the answer's yes.

I am afraid to turn up pressure cause I don't want to blow water lines with too much pressure.

You already have your cut out pressure 15 PSI over the average house pressure of 45 PSI, why in the world would you want to add more pressure?
Inquiring minds want to know! Cheers, Tom

jlisenbe · Jul 26, 2009, 06:03 AM

With a 40/60 switch, the gauge will read somewhere between 40 and 60. It doesn't matter if water is running or not.

Your system works like this. The pressure will begin to slowly fall when water is being used until it finally drops to 40# or so, at which point the switch turns the pump on. Pressure will then begin to build until it reaches 60# or so and the pump cuts off. Simply turning water on or off doesn't have any immediate effect on pressure... it is all gradual.

wellsfamily · Jul 27, 2009, 09:21 AM

OK. THanks everyone. So we are having problems cause I gauge reads 40psi with no faucets on and when washer or hoses are running it drops to 30 and stays there until water is turned off again. Even turning the pressure switch like it says to has made no difference. ALso, how do I know if my pump is running all of the time? You can hear it if it is off or on?

jlisenbe · Jul 27, 2009, 10:01 AM

Wells, the problem would seem to be that your pump cannot keep up with demand. I would imagine that, once the water is turned off, the pump then pumps up to 60# and shuts off.

As far as how to tell when the pump is running, assuming this is a submerged pump, the easiest way I have found is to simply place your hand on the wellpipe as it comes out of the well. You will feel a slight vibration when the pump is on. You can also look under the grey cover of the switch and see if the points are closed (pump on) or open (pump off). And, yes, you will hear a click when the switch turns off or on. But if you are using water and the pressure is holding at 30#, you can be sure the pump is on.

wellsfamily · Jul 27, 2009, 11:58 AM

Thanks to everyone. Guess I will call a specialist since I don't know squat about the pump or how to fix it. Is it logical for a four year old 2 hp pump to go out? IF not pump going out what could it be?

jlisenbe · Jul 27, 2009, 02:20 PM

Assuming this pump is above ground, it could be problems with the foot valve OR a dropping water table creating problems with pump volume.

Wells, if you call in a pro, do let us know how it turns out.

wellsfamily · Jul 27, 2009, 04:13 PM

We can't get the psi to go above 40 and if you turn off the pump it takes 15 minutes to get to 40 if then. Could it be a back flow valve gone bad. Sometimes it sounds like water is gurgling?

jlisenbe · Jul 27, 2009, 07:25 PM

With the system drained (power turned off and open faucet until water stops running), the pressure at the top of your tank should be 2# below the cut in pressure, which would be 38#.

creahands · Jul 28, 2009, 12:34 AM

Before draining pressure tank, check air pressure with power on. If u get water pressure tank has gone bad. Needs to be replaced.

If pressure tank is good follow directions below to set air pressure in tank.

To check pressure in pressure tank, shut off power to pump and drain pressure tank from valve at bottom of tank. When tank is dry, check air at air inlet with tire gauge. Should read 2 psi lower than low setting for pressure switch.

Chuck

speedball1 · Jul 28, 2009, 05:40 AM

When the pump shats off does the pressure hold? If yes then the check/foot valves OK. If no then replace it. Has a complaint like yours on a shallow well jet pump. Turns out the impeller was damaged and couldn't pull enough pressure. Just a thought. Tom

wellsfamily · Jul 28, 2009, 05:58 AM

Thanks everyone. When you shut off pump pressure drops to zero in nothing flat! Called repairman waiting to hear back as to when they will come out. Just turned well off and only turn it on when absolutely need to...

wellsfamily · Jul 28, 2009, 02:42 PM

Update: It was the pump! Now have new pump and all is right with the world, well or at least in my world, for a little while! Anyway~thanks for everyone's input. I really appreciated it.

speedball1 · Jul 28, 2009, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by creahands

Before draining pressure tank, check air pressure with power on. If u get water pressure tank has gone bad. Needs to be replaced.

If pressure tank is good follow directions below to set air pressure in tank.

To check pressure in pressure tank, shut off power to pump and drain pressure tank from valve at bottom of tank. When tank is dry, check air at air inlet with tire gauge. Should read 2 psi lower than low setting for pressure switch.

Chuck

Hey Chuck,
'Let's get together on terms before we confuse some one. You have giving directions for testing and charging a bladder tank, (see image) while calling it a pressure tank.(see image)
A pressure tank's galvanized and has no bladder. Although they both perform the same function they are completely different .
Let me explain the function of a bladder tank. Pressure and bladder tanks provide a air cushion that produces water pressure in your system so your pump doesn't kick on every time you draw a glass of water. A bladder tank has a neoprene membrane in the center. As the pump puts water into the bottom half of the bladder tank the membrane compresses the air in the top half. When the pressure reaches the cut off point in the control box the pump shuts down. However you still have between 40 to 50 pounds of pressure pushing the water out to your system. As the pressure drops in the tank when you make a draw the pump kicks on and everything starts over again..
A pressure tank has no membrane and uses the air compressed in the tank as the working force.
Hope nthis clears things up. Cheers, Tom

creahands · Jul 28, 2009, 09:11 PM

Sorry Tom

My bad. I do that every so often. Thanks for the correction

Chuck

speedball1 · Jul 29, 2009, 06:15 AM

No problem Chuck,
One ,"I'n sorry " would have been enough.LOL I wasn't trying to prove a point. I was simply correcting a misstatement. You give good answers but we all, myself included, slip up from time to time. Take care, Tom