Bad pump or check valve

[Jtsea3]

I have a 75' well installed in 1995 original to the house, afaik, I've owned since 2016. I installed a CSV in 2017 to stop short cycling (thx Valveman, that thing is awesome). Pump recently started running all the time - On ~35 seconds, reach 60psi, off for ~40 seconds. Rinse & Repeat perpetually. I could hear water drain back as pressure dropped to cut-in pressure of ~40psi and pump back on. Confirmed this same activity with house lines completely shut off. Figured it would wear motor out so I only turn pump breaker on to shower and refill the toilet tanks to limp along.

No visible or known leaks, but we have 3' of snow on the ground.
Seems like a bad check valve in the pump, or just failing pump?

I have a Franklin 1-1/2hp Controller - model 2823008110
No insight on what the pump may be, but I assume it's a 1/2 or 3/4 hp (3br, 2ba house). Given the age I will replace the pump.

I Plan to use a Grundfos Model 10S05-9 Series 10S-SP with a Franklin 1/2HP motor 2145059004 unless there's an alternative suggestion.
Do I need any other components? Pitless Adapter O-ring?
Is the check valve integrated into the new pump or do I need a separate part?
Seems a bit tricky to slip the pitless adapter back into it's socket 6' down my 6" well pipe? Any insights?

Thanks to the knowledge pro's here, you share great info.

 

[Reach4]

The symptoms you describe could also be due to a leak-- in the yard, at the o-ring, down the well on the pipe, or at the check valve. Maybe look down the casing at night with a bright flashlight or reflecting the sun down the hole in bright sunlight. And listen while the pump is cycling. If the leak is at the o-ring, you could maybe just replace that.

On the pitless, do you have info? It is recommended to replace the o-ring, but if you don't know what the o-ring is, that gets harder. Your local hardware store may have an o-ring kit with a suitable ring. Take good pictures of the pitless this time. If the o-ring is new or used, lube it. I would like Molykote 111 for this.

A Franklin 1-1/2hp Controller - model 2823008110 with a 1/2 or 3/4 inch pump would be unusual. It is possible the pump was replaced at some point with a 2-wire pump, and the controller electrical stuff was bypassed.

Reading the current on one of the pressure switch wires would be interesting. A clamp-around ammeter would be the tool for that.


Do you plan to do the change-out yourself? Just adding a check valve at the pump, and putting the same pump back seems reasonable for your 5 inch well or 4-inch PVC-cased well. 4-inch steel is special...
Is this a 4-inch steel casing or what?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Valveman]

Sorry for your problem. As a temporary fix you could add a check valve prior to the CSV. This will stop the water in the pressure tank from going back down the well and the pump will stay off and at 60 PSI until you use some water. However, if there is a leak in the drop pipe the added check valve will cause air to spurt and try to blow a glass out of your hand at the sink. If it is a faulty check valve on the pump, you may not see any air. But the added check valve will cause a loud water hammer "thump" when the pump is called to start. The added check valve is a temporary fix as well as a way to further diagnose where the problem is.

The regular pitless with a tongue and shoe type connection is easy by just using a light you can easily see to drop it in place.

 

[Jtsea3]

Thanks for the advice. I will do further investigation on the Pitless. I will likely do the work, plumbers and well companies around here are few and backed up 6+ weeks. Seems like the biggest pain will be having to dig out and do the work in the snow.

Will fab a T-Handle and attempt to pull and photograph the Pitless.

Given the well depth and house size, it seems like a 1.5 HP pump would be overkill? If I do replace it since the controller is a 1.5, should I just go with a 1.5HP Franklin motor?

 

[Jtsea3]

Oh, and the well casing is a 6" steel.

 

[Reach4]

With a 6 inch casing, a 4 inch pump with a flow inducer would be good. A flow inducer is useful to cool the motor and make the pump last longer.

You could consider a 10 gpm 1/2 hp pump with a 2-wire Franklin motor, but if you wanted more pressure potential, you could go with a 3/4 hp motor. 1.5 HP seems overpowered.