Replaced the pump with Gould's Centri Pro, .5hp, 4" submersible, the wiring from the pump to the pressure switch, and the pressure switch (when the old pump repeatedly surged to no water, tripped the breaker, and more).
The tank holds steady pressure.
Now, the pump initially turns on, fully charges the system, and then shuts off, remaining stable until water is turned on elsewhere, and the system begins to drain.
BUT, when the pump turns on again as the system drains, it most often fails to fully recharge the system (even when there is no running water elsewhere), fails to shut off, and the pump runs continuously such that the cold metal fitting above the well cap turns from cold to warm.
Initially, the pump maintained pressure 30 to 40 psi below the shutoff point as water ran from a garden hose.
But, last night, the system emptied with no water flowing from the faucets.
I had found that if I unplugged the power, or flipped the breaker off for a full minute or more (but not less), and then restored power that the system would rapidly recharge and the pump would shut off.
Last night, however, I did so, and the pump didn't turn on after a minute.
But, as I stood there looking at the pump trying to figure it out, a few minutes later, the pump suddenly turned on and fully recharged the system.
To clarify, when we pulled the old pump from the well, the bottom 8' or so of the pipe was coated in a thick wet iron sludge.
Further confusing us, when reasserting the same pipe with the new pump attached, it wouldn't go down as far as the old one, and we had to remove about 16" of pipe to let it rest at the same point as before; which I'm hoping is on the bottom of the casing screen.
We wondered whether all the scale falling from inside the casing as we pulled the pump out piled up on the bottom of the casing (on top of the screen bottom - assuming there is one), causing the pump to sit that much higher than the old one, as the pumps were not that much different in height.
Additionally, the old pump was replaced because it surged until there was no pressure, it also pumped heavy iron water, and sometimes black specks, at startup occasionally.
The new pump system has several of the same symptoms as the old pump...
Any ideas?
The tank holds steady pressure.
Now, the pump initially turns on, fully charges the system, and then shuts off, remaining stable until water is turned on elsewhere, and the system begins to drain.
BUT, when the pump turns on again as the system drains, it most often fails to fully recharge the system (even when there is no running water elsewhere), fails to shut off, and the pump runs continuously such that the cold metal fitting above the well cap turns from cold to warm.
Initially, the pump maintained pressure 30 to 40 psi below the shutoff point as water ran from a garden hose.
But, last night, the system emptied with no water flowing from the faucets.
I had found that if I unplugged the power, or flipped the breaker off for a full minute or more (but not less), and then restored power that the system would rapidly recharge and the pump would shut off.
Last night, however, I did so, and the pump didn't turn on after a minute.
But, as I stood there looking at the pump trying to figure it out, a few minutes later, the pump suddenly turned on and fully recharged the system.
To clarify, when we pulled the old pump from the well, the bottom 8' or so of the pipe was coated in a thick wet iron sludge.
Further confusing us, when reasserting the same pipe with the new pump attached, it wouldn't go down as far as the old one, and we had to remove about 16" of pipe to let it rest at the same point as before; which I'm hoping is on the bottom of the casing screen.
We wondered whether all the scale falling from inside the casing as we pulled the pump out piled up on the bottom of the casing (on top of the screen bottom - assuming there is one), causing the pump to sit that much higher than the old one, as the pumps were not that much different in height.
Additionally, the old pump was replaced because it surged until there was no pressure, it also pumped heavy iron water, and sometimes black specks, at startup occasionally.
The new pump system has several of the same symptoms as the old pump...
Any ideas?
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