Well with too much pressure?

[underpressure]

Hello all!

My problem is relatively simple: we have a well outside, that the previous homeowner installed solely for watering his garden. We've been trying to do the same, but it hasn't exactly worked out. This well has four hose hookups, and we've got a sprinkler attached to one of those. When we turn the well on using the 220v breaker in the garage, the sprinkler comes on, but water begins spraying out of the other 3 outlets. If we turn any of these 3 off using the valves on the end of them, the pump sputters for ~10 seconds, and then blows the breaker. We don't believe that the well has a pressure tank, (unless it is underground?) but in the pit, there is a pipe with something that looks about like this attached to it. If we try to adjust that, using instructions like you would find on this page, nothing seems to happen. Is this because there isn't a pressure tank? What is the best way for us to water the garden without spraying water all over the yard? If pictures could be helpful, let me know and I can go take some ASAP.

Thanks in advance!

 

[johnjh2o]

What can be happening is the line that connects to the bottom of the pressure switch may be plugged not allowing the pressure switch to sense the water pressure. It can also be that the pressure switch is bad.

 

[phishfood]

Yeah, but if they don't have a pressure tank, the pump is going to have to run constantly to supply the sprinkler with water. It almost sounds as though the single sprinkler isn't enough to prevent the pump from building up too much pressure?

 

[chukar]

Depending on your well setup it is possible to have the pressure tank in a garage or even den the well, if your blowing a breaker you may want to check your wiring connections and as stated above replace the pressure switch.

The pressure switches tend to come preset to a certain range like 30-50psi or 40-60psi. If your watering your lawn you may want to use a larger pressure tank, to not over draw your well.

But as I said above use a multimeter to check your wiring first, it sounds like that's your main issue, test each component, but be careful 220 does sting when you get zapped more then 120v

 

[speedbump]

If you don't have a tank or if the tank you can't find is bad (waterlogged) and the motor is turning on/off real fast (because the points in the pressure switch are hammering on/off) you will take out your motor in short order. Cycling a pump motor is very bad for it. If using all four faucets keeps it from cycling, that's a good thing.