AmyDavid

Husband is at work and I've no well water coming in. I've checked the breaker and there is power to the pressure tank. I've tried to reset the pressure switch but its clicking but not kick starting the pressure. I've tested the wires and pressure box with a volt meter and the wires that run down into the well aren't showing anything - I'm assuming therein lays my problem?

Atlantic Xpat

I find the pressure switch a bit tempramental and have to play with it - clicking it backwards and forwards several times before the pump kicks in. If it's like mine, there is a cover that can be removed to expose the contacts and a little lever to the right that you use to reset.

Also, check the fuse for the well pump. Likely a seperate box and fuse from your main circuit breaker panel. I have a switch box and a fuse box with screw out fuses. Turn it off before checking the fuses.

Otherwise call the well pump man. Known round these parts as "he, who charges like a wounded buffalo!"

AmyDavid

I'm sure this is a stupid question but I will ask
It anyway - if the fuse went would it always trip the breaker?

iaink

The well pump is likely running off 220V, so there are 2 fuses to check as that is made up of two lots of 110 and a floating ground, like the drier and stove circuits. One 110V phase may be live the other not, so be carefull you dont get a shock.

In the past when this has happened to me its been a dirty pressure switch and flicking it on and off a few times has fixed it.

If you have voltage one side of the switch (110, or 220?) but none on the pump side then it sounds like the pressure switch contacts. If there is no voltage on the panel side of the switch either then its probably the fuse/breaker gone tripped.

AmyDavid

Okay when you say the switch do you mean the pressure box -on which the pressure lever is? If so then I had voltage on the side where the lever is, but not the other - not sure what the voltage is as it just flashes red to show there is voltage.

AmyDavid

K I have just searched for my pressure switch and it would appear that it shuts the pump down when the water pressure is under 10psi. Should I be able to see the pump when I look down my well? I am sure I could see it this morning but have never noticed that before.

iaink

Yeah, the pressure switch is what counts.

If its shutting off at 10psi then something has happened, it should turn the power on to the pump at about 20psi and turn it off at around 80 or so (according to my creaky memory)

Whether you can see the pump depends how deep the well is, and if its drilled or dug. Mines 60ft down a 6" steel pipe, no chance of seing it.

By the sounds of it you might be able to fiddle with the pressure setting screws... but just be carefull you have the power off off... this was what I was doing when I found out about the 240 being made up of 2 lots of 120... the single poll switch that the previous idiot owner of my house had to turn off the pump only turned off half the power and I got a jolt for my trouble...

What you are looking for is the adjustment nuts on the switch


...this link is describes the process about half way down...
http://www.thecenterforrainwaterharv...urization3.htm


Does your well have a breaker at the electrical panel, or an old school switch with those screw in fuses, it could be that one fuse has blown and there is not enough voltage to do the job, but from what you have described with the pump tripping off at 10psi it sounds like the pressure switch is the problem, it would be odd for the settings to change in their own.

Greenhill

Whenever I have to restart the pressure switch here (after a power outage), I have to slowly, gently, lift up the lever until the contacts click. Then I have to watch the pressure gauge go up, while not letting go of the lever, until the needle has stopped moving around.

Fiddly thing it is, but doing it this way seems to work each time.

Atlantic Xpat

That's exactly my experience. IIRC our well pump comes on at 20 and shuts off at 60. There is a gauge by the pressure switch showing the pressure.

I can't see my pump because it is 260ft down a 6" pipe!

AmyDavid

That is what I usually do and was trying to do this morning but it was having none of it. Nothing happening at all. So hopefully this is shot and we just need a new one

AmyDavid

Maybe it wasn't the pump I could see then - it was dark and I was scared lol. I will get OH to look once he is home.

The well has a breaker at the electrical panel I think and that was fine when checked this morning. I am praying it is just the pressure switch.

Greenhill

What's the air pressure inside the pressure tank? (If it doesn't have a gauge you can use a tyre pressure gauge to check it.)

Atlantic Xpat

Of course the worst case scenario is that your well has run dry. Our used to do this once every 18 months or so and usually around this time of year not the summer. Do you know what the flow rate of the well is? Did you use a lot of water in the past 24 hrs? Have a leaky tap? If it has run dry then leaving it for a period should allow it to recover & then you can reset the pressure switch and it'll start up again.

AmyDavid

Not sure - I would need to check that later with a pressure gauge.

AmyDavid

I guess we did use quite a bit but I wouldn't say anymore than a usual weekend? It has run dry once before but that as in the Summer when I let the kids play on the slip and slide all afternoon - oops.

I am hoping that once I get home, it will have righted itself!