water pump problems - DIY Chatroom

excb-terry · 10-26-2009, 11:05 PM

My water pump is set to cycle from 42 lbs high to 30 lbs low. When it get down to 30 lbs the pump comes on. When it reaches 39 lbs, the pump labors for 5 to 10 minutes slowly pumping up one lb at a time. It pumps quickly from 30 lbs up to 39 lbs and then stalls. Is my water pump failing?

Plumber101 · 10-26-2009, 11:07 PM

How deep is the well and how old is the pump?

excb-terry · 10-26-2009, 11:10 PM

The pump is down about 200 feet. It was put in 15 years ago.

Yoyizit · 10-26-2009, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by excb-terry

When it reaches 39 lbs, the pump labors for 5 to 10 minutes slowly pumping up one lb at a time. It pumps quickly from 30 lbs up to 39 lbs and then stalls. Is my water pump failing?

Is it following the pump curve?
That is, as the tank builds pressure the pump faces more and more resistance (increasing head) to putting more water in that tank.
If it takes 5 to 10 min. to go from 39 to 42, how long does it take to go from 30 to 39?

excb-terry · 10-26-2009, 11:17 PM

Not really. It seems to run normal till it gets to the last 3 lbs. Then it labors for 5 to 10 minutes to make up one lb. I dropped the top end pressure down to 38 lbs and the pump works normal now. However, it does not hold as much water and the pump has to work more often.

excb-terry · 10-26-2009, 11:26 PM

It takes about 3 to 4 minutes to go from 30 to 39. It will go up to that while the water is running. However, it will not make up the last 3 lbs while the water is running and then labor to make up the last three lbs when the water is shut off.

excb-terry · 10-26-2009, 11:29 PM

I do not want to have to replace a pump with a foot of snow on the ground this winter, so I am inclined to just say it has lived its useful life and needs replaced. I just thought I see if I could get a reasonable shot at not replacing it.

Plumber101 · 10-26-2009, 11:32 PM

On the pressure tank there is a schrader valve. Remove the cap and take a pen and depress the valve quickly. If you get air - good, If you get water the tank is water logged and needs to be replaced

I am thinking that the tank bladder has failed or the staging in the pump is going out

excb-terry · 10-26-2009, 11:36 PM

The tank pressure was at 32 lbs since it was installed 4 years ago. I lowered the pressure to 26 lbs. I have to wonder if I had too much pressure in the tank over the last 4 years and that weakened the pump.

Yoyizit · 10-26-2009, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plumber101

the staging

Tonight I have learned something.
http://www.engineersedge.com/pumps/multi_stage_pump.htm

Plumber101 · 10-27-2009, 12:10 AM

Tank pressure should be 2 psi below kick in pressure

Double check the tank for water at valve

Q. Have you noticed that when you run the cold water that at some point it may turn warm and even hot?

Gary Slusser · 10-27-2009, 02:59 AM

It's not the pressure tank. If it were water logged, the pressure would rise faster instead of taking 4-5 minutes.

You may have a water leak between the pressure tank and pump; most likely in the drop pipe the pump is hung on. Or the water level has fallen in the well and the pump can't build enough pressure from that depth.

Shut off the water past the pressure tank and watch the gauge. If in 5-10 minutes it doesn't fall, you don't have a leak or it's very small or the pressure is to low for it to leak. If it falls you have a leak.

If it doesn't fall you need to check the ohms, continuity and for shorts of the power cable from the switch to the pump, and then amps.

There should be 20 lbs difference between the turn the pump on and turn it off switch settings. And 1-2 psi less air pressure in the tank than the turn the pump on setting. You check the air pressure with no water in the tank.

Go here for electrical checks.
http://www.franklin-electric.com/bus...M/default.aspx

AllanJ · 10-27-2009, 10:43 AM

You can get by on a failed pressure tank if you recalibrate it often, to make up for air lost by dissolving in the water. Some tanks are most easily calibrated by being drained first and then the next pump cycle gets it close to the desired pressure and air space volume and you fine tune it immediately by releasing air or pumping in more air at the top valve.