Pump will not cut off

[riverboatdon]

So I have a 2 pipe well pump that pumps water from my 60ft well, there’s 38 ft of water in there and 55ft of pipe. Recently I had a bunch of mud stir up in the bottom and get sucked into my pump. So I replaced my foot valve and a whole new water filter housing and filter. The water runs out of the pump at 20psi. The pump ran continuously and wouldn’t cut off once I replaced those things. So I changed the points (pressure switch) with new 20/40 points. Made sure the clear tube that comes off the side of the pump housing and runs to the nipple on the points is clean and clear, and again it wouldn’t click off. So I started suspecting the diaphragm was bad considering my pressure gauge wouldn’t read above 0 psi. So I replaced it with a brand new 20 gallon diaphragm tank, new T to the tank, and I have good water coming out of them. But still I cannot get it to go above 20psi so the pump runs continuously. The air pressure in the tank is 18 psi or within a psi or 2 of that on the high side. I have a shutoff valve right on the other side of the filter so no water is running to the house just within 5 foot of the pump and diaphragm tank. So my question is what could be causing it to not build the 40 psi to cut off? My guesses are 1 the pump when it sucked up the mud and sand it damaged the teeth on the compressor and cannot produce enough pressure to fill up the tank and cut off the points. Or the pipe that runs down into the well into the water has a hole in it. Anyone else have any suggestions on what it could be besides those things?

 

[Valveman]

20 PSI and having stirred up the mud are both indications that the jet nozzle is clogged up. Usually there is a plug just under where the suction pipe attaches. Use a wire hanger or small wire to poke through the jet nozzle and clean it out. Sorry you bought all that new stuff because I am pretty sure that is your only problem.

 

[riverboatdon]

20 PSI and having stirred up the mud are both indications that the jet nozzle is clogged up. Usually there is a plug just under where the suction pipe attaches. Use a wire hanger or small wire to poke through the jet nozzle and clean it out. Sorry you bought all that new stuff because I am pretty sure that is your only problem.

It was much needed anyways. The diaphragm tank had about 20 pounds worth of sediment in it. I just moved in 3 months ago so I haven’t had time to check these things but I will give the jet nozzle a check. I have an ever built 1hp convertible jet pump. If you by chance have any familiarity with it can you confirm that’s where the jet nozzle is?

 

[riverboatdon]

20 PSI and having stirred up the mud are both indications that the jet nozzle is clogged up. Usually there is a plug just under where the suction pipe attaches. Use a wire hanger or small wire to poke through the jet nozzle and clean it out. Sorry you bought all that new stuff because I am pretty sure that is your only problem.

Update, I cleaned out the jet nozzle if it’s the one on top of the pump next to the 2 pipes and still nothing above 20 PSI, my diaphragm tank is barely filling up. It’s at 20psi of air pressure.

 

[Valveman]

Next thing to check is if you have a suction leak. Foamy shaving cream on any connection before the pump will let you see a hole sucked in the foam where you have a suction leak. Then as long as there is plenty of water in the well the next thing to check is the pump impeller for damage like melting.

 

[phoenixmac]

20 PSI and having stirred up the mud are both indications that the jet nozzle is clogged up. Usually there is a plug just under where the suction pipe attaches. Use a wire hanger or small wire to poke through the jet nozzle and clean it out. Sorry you bought all that new stuff because I am pretty sure that is your only problem.

What about backpressure?

 

[Valveman]

Sorry I brain farted on the two pipe system. The jet nozzle that is probably clogged up is on the ejector at the bottom of those two pipes. Yes you also need back pressure and should have a back pressure valve you can try adjusting?

 

[rhr4223]

The reason yours is a twin pipe system is because you are drawing your water below the 25-28 foot limit of shallow well pumps. That means the jet body of your two pipe system is down in the well. To clean the jet you have to lift out the jet body to access the nozzle. If you can see your well cap outside, that's a fairly easy fix; remove the cap and lift out the pipes and jet body. If the installation was done using a sanitary well cap, meaning it was all buried underground and then covered, accessing it would mean digging everything up, (and yes I had to work on such an installation; in Maine, in February when everything was frozen). Desperate, I called an old friend experienced in two pipe systems. His answer was, to reverse the two pipes at the pump, meaning the suction and the return, re-prime the pump and then turn it on. I did and the reverse flow actually un-plugged the jet. I got real lucky that day. One other rare possibility is, prolonged use of a pump sucking sandy water can eventually wear out the tight clearances between the guide vane and the impeller and that would reduce the effectiveness of the pump but I doubt that's your problem. I believe your jet nozzle is plugged. Good luck.