Is it possible to mess up a new pressure switch?

[butch]

OK, currently my pump is not cycling correctly. Pressure switch is new but I've monkeyed with the adjustment screws pretty much. I'm wondering if I ruined it by monkeying with the adjustment screws too much.

Context: Had a bad leak in water line coming into house. Before I replaced pressure switch, pump could not reach cut out pressure and therefore apparently would run until it just cut off, pressure would then fall to almost zero, by passing the cut in pressure altogether.

At first, I was not sure what exact problem was so I replaced pressure switch as a first step in isolating problem with pump, before I found and fixed the leak.

In my efforts to try to lower the cut out pressure (it's a 40-60 switch with a low pressure safety cut off function) for the pump, I first monkeyed with the cut out pressure screw on the new switch...trying to lower cut out pressure so that pump would not keep running till it finally cut off. Pump would reach 40 or even 50 + pressure but no better. Never could get it to cut out correctly...pump just ran and ran until the safety switch cut it out completely.

I did find and fix the leak, but the pump still won't cycle correctly. I've tried adjusting pressure cut in/cut out points via both adjustment screws. Pump still not cycling right.

Once pressure falls almost to zero, I manually activate via the little start rod (those found on switches with the low pressure auto cut-off safety feature). Now that leak is fix, pump quickly raises pressure up to 40si or so, and it will run and run till up to 50 psi or so but never high enough to cut out (60 psi). So now even with leak fixed, pump still runs and runs, won't cut out, then stops entirely, then falls to almost zero, by passing switch cut in pressure of 40 psi.

I did check my res tank...it had fallen to 21 psi. I pumped ii up to 38 psi since my new switch was a 40-60 with low pressure safety cut off.

Pump still won't cycle. I can manually activate it. Pressure climbs quickly if all faucets are closed, then climbs slowly to 50 or 52 psi, but not beyond that. Eventually it just cuts off, apparently, and then falls right past the cut in pressure to zero.

Question 1: Could I have totally screw up and confused the pressure switch (when adjusting the pressure screws up and down) to the point that it just won't work right at all? I'm heading to town to try still another new switch...but I'm asking the question because I'm really curious.

Question 2: Pump had 244 volts power to the switch and then down to the pump. I can hear pump running fine, 275 feet down, no apparent leak in supply line up from the pump--none that I can hear at least. Still, pump never gets to cut out pressure and does not cut in at rated cut in pressure.

I have not checked pump amps, only volts to and from. Could the amps be an issue?

I'm desperate. And very much in need of a fix here before my wife's head explodes. Thanks in advance for ANY leads here.

 

[sarg]

First note I am a novice .... but to share an experience .... I too messed with a newly installed switch just as you describe. I was told ... and learned the hard way .... messing with the smaller spring to attempt to change the cut-out setting will alter the factory setting and it will be "extremely" difficult to get it back to the original spec.
After some frustration I replaced the switch again and my problems went away. The large spring for the "range" adjustment is easy to adjust as long as you adjust the tank pressure as well .......... but the smaller adjustment is VERY touchy.

 

[Valveman]

Just loosen the small adjustment until it no longer touches the spring. This will make for about 17 PSI between on and off, which is fine. Them loosen the large adjustment screw until the pump shuts off at the desired pressure.

 

[butch]

OK, currently my pump is not cycling correctly. Pressure switch is new but I've monkeyed with the adjustment screws pretty much. I'm wondering if I ruined it by monkeying with the adjustment screws too much.

Context: Had a bad leak in water line coming into house. Before I replaced pressure switch, pump could not reach cut out pressure and therefore apparently would run until it just cut off, pressure would then fall to almost zero, by passing the cut in pressure altogether.

At first, I was not sure what exact problem was so I replaced pressure switch as a first step in isolating problem with pump, before I found and fixed the leak.

In my efforts to try to lower the cut out pressure (it's a 40-60 switch with a low pressure safety cut off function) for the pump, I first monkeyed with the cut out pressure screw on the new switch...trying to lower cut out pressure so that pump would not keep running till it finally cut off. Pump would reach 40 or even 50 + pressure but no better. Never could get it to cut out correctly...pump just ran and ran until the safety switch cut it out completely.

I did find and fix the leak, but the pump still won't cycle correctly. I've tried adjusting pressure cut in/cut out points via both adjustment screws. Pump still not cycling right.

Once pressure falls almost to zero, I manually activate via the little start rod (those found on switches with the low pressure auto cut-off safety feature). Now that leak is fix, pump quickly raises pressure up to 40si or so, and it will run and run till up to 50 psi or so but never high enough to cut out (60 psi). So now even with leak fixed, pump still runs and runs, won't cut out, then stops entirely, then falls to almost zero, by passing switch cut in pressure of 40 psi.

I did check my res tank...it had fallen to 21 psi. I pumped ii up to 38 psi since my new switch was a 40-60 with low pressure safety cut off.

Pump still won't cycle. I can manually activate it. Pressure climbs quickly if all faucets are closed, then climbs slowly to 50 or 52 psi, but not beyond that. Eventually it just cuts off, apparently, and then falls right past the cut in pressure to zero.

Question 1: Could I have totally screw up and confused the pressure switch (when adjusting the pressure screws up and down) to the point that it just won't work right at all? I'm heading to town to try still another new switch...but I'm asking the question because I'm really curious.

Question 2: Pump had 244 volts power to the switch and then down to the pump. I can hear pump running fine, 275 feet down, no apparent leak in supply line up from the pump--none that I can hear at least. Still, pump never gets to cut out pressure and does not cut in at rated cut in pressure.

I have not checked pump amps, only volts to and from. Could the amps be an issue?

I'm desperate. And very much in need of a fix here before my wife's head explodes. Thanks in advance for ANY leads here.

First note I am a novice .... but to share an experience .... I too messed with a newly installed switch just as you describe. I was told ... and learned the hard way .... messing with the smaller spring to attempt to change the cut-out setting will alter the factory setting and it will be "extremely" difficult to get it back to the original spec.
After some frustration I replaced the switch again and my problems went away. The large spring for the "range" adjustment is easy to adjust as long as you adjust the tank pressure as well .......... but the smaller adjustment is VERY touchy.

Thank you for replying. Just saw this.

 

[butch]

Just loosen the small adjustment until it no longer touches the spring. This will make for about 17 PSI between on and off, which is fine. Them loosen the large adjustment screw until the pump shuts off at the desired pressure.

Just saw this. Thank you for replying! I understand your suggested action, but because even with a new pressure switch, I can't get the pressure above 30/35 in any event, I'm thinking that even if I can adjust the screws to get the pump to cycle properly, I'll stilI have the issue of system not reaching the cut out pressure that it should (and that I need to keep adequate pressure in the top story of my house.) The switch I replaced had a low pressure safety cut off. I replaced it with a 40-60 that has no safety cut off. (Tired of hearing my wife complain about "no water!"). I made sure pressure tank had no water in it and I restored it to 38psi. OK, Voila, pump is not shutting off any more and we have water without my having to manually restart...but pumps been running for two days now, pressure varying up and down according to load, as low as 22 psi or so, up to 30/35 or so, but never cuts out. (I was going to just shut power down after she and kids retire this evening. Cut back on in the AM. Just to ensure no well water pump out or pump burn out.) Since the pressure would not still get to cut off pressure after installing the new switch, I was thinking that it was either another leak, maybe in the supply line up from the pump, or maybe the pump was going bad. I tried to check possible leaks by ensuring all faucets closed and shutting down power at the pump. Pressure holds. But it won't go above 35 when I return power. If I shut down power and then drain off pressure at the well head, upon returning power the pressure climbs quickly back up to about 30/35 but stalls there. Voltage to and from pump is good. I would check amps to and from pump but I don't have ammeter. I hear you on how to adjust screws as you suggested above and I'm certainly willing to give it a try...that might at least get the system to cycle. If your suggested adjustment would in fact make the pump reach the higher needed cut out pressure, I'm all over it. If you can advise me again given all this backstory verbiage, I'm all ears. And VERY grateful. Thank you!

 

[butch]

Just saw this. Thank you for replying! I understand your suggested action, but because even with a new pressure switch, I can't get the pressure above 30/35 in any event, I'm thinking that even if I can adjust the screws to get the pump to cycle properly, I'll stilI have the issue of system not reaching the cut out pressure that it should (and that I need to keep adequate pressure in the top story of my house.) The switch I replaced had a low pressure safety cut off. I replaced it with a 40-60 that has no safety cut off. (Tired of hearing my wife complain about "no water!"). I made sure pressure tank had no water in it and I restored it to 38psi. OK, Voila, pump is not shutting off any more and we have water without my having to manually restart...but pumps been running for two days now, pressure varying up and down according to load, as low as 22 psi or so, up to 30/35 or so, but never cuts out. (I was going to just shut power down after she and kids retire this evening. Cut back on in the AM. Just to ensure no well water pump out or pump burn out.) Since the pressure would not still get to cut off pressure after installing the new switch, I was thinking that it was either another leak, maybe in the supply line up from the pump, or maybe the pump was going bad. I tried to check possible leaks by ensuring all faucets closed and shutting down power at the pump. Pressure holds. But it won't go above 35 when I return power. If I shut down power and then drain off pressure at the well head, upon returning power the pressure climbs quickly back up to about 30/35 but stalls there. Voltage to and from pump is good. I would check amps to and from pump but I don't have ammeter. I hear you on how to adjust screws as you suggested above and I'm certainly willing to give it a try...that might at least get the system to cycle. If your suggested adjustment would in fact make the pump reach the higher needed cut out pressure, I'm all over it. If you can advise me again given all this backstory verbiage, I'm all ears. And VERY grateful. Thank you!

I have not tried your suggested adjustment yet. This is a 1 hp pump. Rated at around 12 or 13 gallons minute, I think. If I'm reading my digital multimeter right, I think it's drawing about 14 or 15 amps at the pressure switch and switch sending same to the pump.