Tank does not pressure above 30 psi. Bad pressure switch? Bad well pump?

[Toxarch]

Disclaimer: The house and well are less than 5 years old. There was a hard freeze in February, some frozen pipes in the house but no burst pipes. I am not a plumber. Sorry for the large pictures.

We have had a lot of rain lately so I turned off the sprinklers. I run the sprinklers late at night so that they are done running by morning and I have good pressure for the showers. This problem seems to have started within the last 2 weeks since I shut the sprinklers off. I did shut off the valve to the sprinkler line while troubleshooting this. I also flipped the well breaker off and back on.

I have noticed a lot of low pressure when running the faucets. You really notice it when 2 things are running like the toilet tank filling back up and the faucet running.

I believe the pressure switch is a Square D 30/50.


I checked the meter on the water softener and it shows that there is not any water flowing inside the house.


Here is well power box incase you need to know that:


Here is the tank pressure with everything off. This is normally close to 60psi.


This is my pressure when a faucet is open:


Pulled the cover off the switch, disengaged it with the lever, and tested the voltage across the wires.
1-3 was 120v
2-4 was 120v
1-4 was 240v
2-3 was 0v




It would not disengage the contacts without flipping the lever up.

I am afraid that since it is not running the well pump when the contacts are closed, that it is a bad well pump. I am hoping not. I am hoping that it is just the switch since that is a $30 part. But like I said, I am not a plumber so I am here to see if you have any ideas or things I should try. I think the well is somewhere around 340 feet deep and I would assume that it does not flow naturally without a pump.

Thoughts? Anything I should try? Any more info you need?

 

[Valveman]

Probably a red button underneath that Centripro box. Push hard to reset. If that works you need to keep it from tripping the overloads again, which means don't let is cycle on/off while the sprinklers are running. If pushing the red button doesn't work, it may have cycled too many times already.

 

[Toxarch]

I tried pushing the red button. It does move but it does not seem to be tripped.

I closed off the water valve after the pressure switch and turned off the breaker to the well pump. I connected a hose and tried to drain off any water in the tank. I can rock the pressure tank and it feels empty. Using an air gauge, the pressure in the tank reads 34.5 psi. Shouldn't that be like 48 psi with a 30/50 pressure switch?

 

[Valveman]

25-28 PSI air charge in the tank would be correct for a 30/50 switch. Check to see if you have 240V on the L1, L2 lines in the Centripro box? The pressure switch will have to be made to check this. If the Centripro box is not clicking and buzzing and pushing the red buttons doesn't help, you may not be getting 240V power to the control box.

 

[Toxarch]

It could be a 40/60 switch. I am not sure. During the home inspection, I thought he mentioned that the well kicked on at 30 and off at 60. When I tried looking up a 30/60 switch, there weren't any so I assumed it was a 30/50 switch.
Between 1 and 4 is 240v so I would assume that it is getting 240v.

 

[Valveman]

It could be a 40/60 switch. I am not sure. During the home inspection, I thought he mentioned that the well kicked on at 30 and off at 60. When I tried looking up a 30/60 switch, there weren't any so I assumed it was a 30/50 switch.
Between 1 and 4 is 240v so I would assume that it is getting 240v.

Yes, but are you getting 240V on 2 and 3 all the way to L1, L2 in the control box?

 

[Toxarch]

The control box clicks when I open and close the contacts on the pressure switch. I have not opened the control box to test the wires inside.

I looked in my home appliance warranty agreement and they do cover "all components of the well pump". There is a plumber coming to look at it tomorrow evening.

 

[Valveman]

If the control box just "clicks" and no water comes out, either the pump is running and the pipe or shaft is broken, or the wires are broken before they get to the pump. A clip around amp meter would show full load amps if the pipe is broken, about 50% amps if the pump shaft is broken, and zero amps if the wire is broke.

 

[Toxarch]

It pumps water when the control box clicks on and stops pumping when I flip the switch on the pressure switch. To me, it's almost like the 240v motor is running on 120v.

 

[Valveman]

It pumps water when the control box clicks on and stops pumping when I flip the switch on the pressure switch. To me, it's almost like the 240v motor is running on 120v.

So new information! If the pump is working and just cannot build any pressure so you have to shut it off manually, then there is most likely a leak somewhere. If there is a check valve before the tank, remove it. Then if pressure drops when no one is using water it confirms a leak underground of down the well. The pump will be pulling full amps as it is pumping full flow, it is just not getting to where you need it.

 

[Toxarch]

L1/L2 is 240v
blk/red is 340v

 

[Toxarch]

Home warranty company said the well coverage was not on my policy. Called a local well company and they sent a truck out.
At first he thought the well was drying up. Then his boss said to pull the motor and maybe the impeller shaft was wearing out. Pulled the pump motor out and right away spotted the cracked motor housing. The house is 5 years old this year so hopefully the motor is still under warranty.





New pump is all stainless including stainless impeller.

 

[Valveman]

The leak at the pump is hard to figure out. It is below the lowest check valve so only leaks when the pump is running. Still should have been drawing full load amps and not getting full load of water out the top would have been the clue. Mush better pump this time. I don't like pumps with crimped on head like the old one for that very reason.

 

[Jeff Handy]

Is that the new or the old pump up on the truck?

Never mind, must be the new one.

 

[Toxarch]

Thanks for the help Valveman.

The check valve at the top of the well had gone bad and was replaced. The one at the bottom was still good. It was drawing 10.4 amps. I had not checked the amp draw from the motor.
Yes, that is the new pump on the truck.