Pummptrol Sqr-D sticks and wont turn on unless tapped

I live in the virgin Islands and my home uses cisterns (we catch our own rain water). I have a simple bladder pressure tank and a 1.5HP pump with a pumptrol square-D attached to it. I have the tank set to 28PSI with a 30 PSI "kick on" and a 50 PSI kick off. So all this stuff should be set correctly

Recently, i found out that my bladder pressure in the tank was low. the syptom that lead to the investigation was the on/off cycling of the pump at the end of its repressure cycle.

Now that I added the pressure, i have a new problem....

The Pumptrol gets stuck and does not turn on when it is supposed to. so sometimes, our water pressure drops to a trickle but the pumptrol still doesnt kick in. Oddly, all i need to do in order to get it to kick on is to tap the pumptrol-D lightly with my knuckle.

Why is is sticking? Can i adjust this in my favor by doing something like turning those screws that have springs attached to them? clearly, this is some sort of mechanical balancing act that is not playing out at the end of the pressure cycle correctly

Can anyone guide me to a document that describes how to use / adjust those springs? Or better yet, just tell me exactly why it is sticking at the end of the pressure cycle and how to make it work correctly?

Thanks,

Glenn

Sleepdoc said:

the symptom that lead to the investigation was the on/off cycling of the pump at the end of its repressure cycle.

Click to expand...

I don't understand this can you elaborate?

Sleepdoc said:

The Pumptrol gets stuck and does not turn on when it is supposed to. so sometimes, our water pressure drops to a trickle but the pumptrol still doesnt kick in. Oddly, all i need to do in order to get it to kick on is to tap the pumptrol-D lightly with my knuckle.

Click to expand...

The tube to the pressure switch is probably clogged up, i.e. it's not seeing the pressure drop, take it apart and clean both the switch and the tub.

Sleepdoc said:

Can anyone guide me to a document that describes how to use / adjust those springs? Or better yet, just tell me exactly why it is sticking at the end of the pressure cycle and how to make it work correctly?

Click to expand...

You don't really need to adjust it, but here's the instructions:

Turn the big nut in the center clockwise, down to raise the cut on pressure, the small nut adjusts the range of the cut-in to cut-out, clockwise I believe widens it.

Rancher

Rancher said:

I don't understand this can you elaborate?

Click to expand...

Well. The pump would run up the pressure once the pressure dropped enough (like during a long shower), but at the end of the cycle, when the pump should simply reach its target pressure and turn off, it wouldn't. rather it would turn on and off rapidly a few times in a not so rhythmical way, thus cuasing the pipes to "bangitty bang ..bang ..bang ..bang bang off"

sorry, but thats the best description i can give.

I'll give the tube a look and see if that is what is at fault.

Thanks for the education. hopefully, its simple and i wont screw it up by taking it apart to clean it.


Sleepdoc

That description makes me think you don't have a tank, or you have one that is totally waterlogged. Once you get the pump to turn off after the hammering, how much water can you use before the pump comes back on again?

bob...

Sleepdoc said:

I have a simple bladder pressure tank and a 1.5HP pump with a pumptrol square-D attached to it. I have the tank set to 28PSI with a 30 PSI "kick on" and a 50 PSI kick off.

Click to expand...

Sounds like he has a bladder tank and know how to adjust the pressure. You did turn the pump off and drain the tank before you set it to 28 psi, correct?

Rancher

Rancher said:

Sounds like he has a bladder tank and know how to adjust the pressure. You did turn the pump off and drain the tank before you set it to 28 psi, correct?

Rancher

Click to expand...

Yes sir. Ran the water down to no flow. then opned the connection at the bottom of the tank and drained off 100% of the water. Then set the 28 PSI.

Once you get the pump to turn off after the hammering, how much water can you use before the pump comes back on again?

bob...

Click to expand...

I'm not sure how to answer that question. i mean obviously the scientific answer would be in a volume such as XX gallons. but I have never directly meaured the gallons that are used between pump kick-ons and kick-offs. I suppose i could estimate that my shower head has a regulator that provides 2.5 gallons per minute, and it is not uncommon for me to hear at least 5 minutes of silence between pump "kick-ins" while showering. So as a VERY VERY ROUGH ESTIMATE, that would eqaute to 2.5 gal per min times 5 minutes. So maybe12.5 Gallons? Am I answering this question properly? and FYI. This pump has behaved this way since the first day I bought the house 5 years ago. I have only had to change the pumptrol once, about 1 year ago. and I only learned how to set the pressure to 28 PSI after emptying the tank about 8 weeks ago.

Great help so far guys. Please continue this dialogue as much as you feel more thought and ideas can be helpful.

Glenn

I don't have any more suggestions. Can you take a snapshot of your system and post it here so we can see what you have?

bob...