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irishhat · May 22, 2012, 05:17 PM

Two days ago while at work my wife called to say we lost all water in the house. When I got home it was back on working just fine. Today while putting water in my pool it stopped. I checked the pressure switch that I had replaced just a few months ago. When I replaced it I found the short copper pipe was clogged clean out and put back on with the new switch. Not the issue this time. Not sure what it could be. The water did come back on about an hour later, but I took a shower and the water pressure is dropping once again. The switch has trip to start to fill the tank, but nothing. Possible switch bad? Tank going? Not the circuit breaker, not tripped. Still I flipped it off and back on again just to be sure. Well Pump going? Does anyone have any solutions?

jlisenbe · May 22, 2012, 06:23 PM

Let's go through a few basics.

1. Check your tank to make sure it is not waterlogged. Should be a small air valve towards the top. Press the valve stem for several seconds. If water comes out, then the tank should be replaced.
2. Check your pressure gauge. When pressure drops in the house, is the pressure dropping on the gauge as well?
3. When the water pressure goes away, pull the grey cover off the switch and see if the points are touching. If they are, then the pump should be on. Is it?
4. If the points are not touching, but there is no pressure, then the problem would center around the switch.
5. Lastly, once the pump gets up to cut off pressure and stops, will the system hold that pressure when no water is being used?

irishhat · May 22, 2012, 08:13 PM

Thanks for your follow up questions.
No valve stem at the top, but a red screw type valve. No air no water?
Pressure gauge does drop as water pressure drops.
All point are touching after removing grey cover. Pump not on??
And lastly the system will hold at top pressure, so long as I don't use the water..
Possible the well pump?
This one has got me. I am good with just about anything around the house, but my wife said we will have to for the first time call the guy to fix something.
Thanks again..

Originally Posted by jlisenbe

Let's go through a few basics.

1. Check your tank to make sure it is not waterlogged. Should be a small air valve towards the top. Press the valve stem for several seconds. If water comes out, then the tank should be replaced.
2. Check your pressure gauge. When pressure drops in the house, is the pressure dropping on the gauge as well?
3. When the water pressure goes away, pull the grey cover off the switch and see if the points are touching. If they are, then the pump should be on. Is it?
4. If the points are not touching, but there is no pressure, then the problem would center around the switch.
5. Lastly, once the pump gets up to cutoff pressure and stops, will the system hold that pressure when no water is being used?

jlisenbe · May 22, 2012, 11:59 PM

Look at the link below. You can see the air valve towards the top of the tank. It looks like what you have on a car tire. The second link will show what you will have when water comes out of the valve.

http://411plumb.com/wp-content/uploa...adder-Type.jpg

http://inspectapedia.com/water/Water...t_023_DJFs.jpg

If the points are touching, the pump should be on. Is your pump in the well or above ground?

irishhat · May 23, 2012, 04:36 AM

No water came out. Pump still not running and the pump is in the ground.

Originally Posted by jlisenbe

Look at the link below. You can see the air valve towards the top of the tank. It looks like what you have on a car tire. The second link will show what you will have when water comes out of the valve.

http://411plumb.com/wp-content/uploa...adder-Type.jpg

http://inspectapedia.com/water/Water...t_023_DJFs.jpg

If the points are touching, the pump should be on. Is your pump in the well or above ground?

creahands · May 23, 2012, 06:17 AM

If your system is bringing pressure up over time then pump is working. You may have overtaxed the well and are running out of water.

The contacts in the pressure switch will remain closed until the shut off pressure is reached. This would be one sign that you are well is dry and needs time to refill.

Chuck

jlisenbe · May 23, 2012, 05:58 PM

Might add that most submersible pumps have a thermal switch that turns them off when they are running dry. You can generall tell when the pump is running by feeling of the wellpipe as it comes out of the ground. When the pump is off, there is a vibration which can be felt. If the switch points are closed but the pump is not running, then a dry well could be the problem.