Pump running switch not working help!

[Gcprzewrocki]

Hi there! This is a lot of words so I’m sorry but I need some help. So we had a fluctuating water pressure issue (few min high few min lo) Replaced the pressure switch. Saw the old one had burned contacts and full of sediment. Didn’t fix the issue. Went to check that the air pressure in my tank was set to match and water poured out of the air spot. So my tanks waterlogged. Had a plumber come out to replace my tank. Ran water for 5 min went great so I sent him on his way. Went to hop in the shower and got zero water after 15 min. Took 4 min to get water again. So this is my new cycle. Ran the faucet the next hour same cycle. So I watched my pressure gauge and switch. Gauge goes up and up and up pressure switch doesn’t tell the pump to turn off. Maybe the nipples clogged. Cleared out the nipple. Removed the pressure switch to make sure it wasn’t clogged or new contact points burnt. Still looks brand new. And it’s still not working. No clicks. So I’m thinking my pumps just running until it gets too hot and shuts itself off til it’s cool enough to run again and that my new cycle? I cant really find what I’m looking for on google and I’m not a plumber but I am relatively handy. If there was a leak between my pump to my tank it wouldn’t build pressure right? If there’s no clog in my nipple the pressure switch should be reading and clicking on and off right? I don’t want to fry my pump or burst my new tank. So I’ve been using the breaker to turn it off and on when I need water. But I can’t do that indefinitely. And I can’t afford to have the plumber come back. It was an entire paycheck for him to just replace my tank. Please help me figure out what to do or where to look!

 

[Valveman]

Make sure the pressure gauge is good. If it goes to zero when the pump is off and the tank is empty the gauge is good. But if it goes to 60 and doesn't shut off the pump, either the nipple is clogged, the diaphragm is packed with sand, or the points have already melted together.

Running until the pump gets hot is not good. It trips the thermal overload the motor, which takes a minute or three to cool down and the motor just magically starts up again. If the pump does not start when the pressure gets down to 40 and the switch clicks, the thermal overload is still cooling off.

All the problems you listed are caused by the pump cycling on and off too much. Cycling will break the bladder in the tank, burn the pressure switch points, stir up sediment, and other things. Once the thermal overload in the motor starts tripping, the motor is due for a replacement.

Sorry you spent your whole check on a pressure tank. if you had gotten a PK1A kit instead, your problems would have been solved. But since you already have a new tank and switch, the CSV1A Cycle Stop Valve is all you need to solve all those problems.

PK1A Pside-Kick Pressure Tank Kit – Cycle Stop Valves, Inc

Buy It! Interactive Animation Installation Video General Information Typical Applications Specifications Dimensions Installation Instructions Troubleshooting VFD Controller Replacement WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including nickel, which is known to the State of California...

cyclestopvalves.com

CSV1A CYCLE STOP VALVE

Compare to the Competition Model CSV1A CYCLE STOP VALVE is recommended for 1 to 25 gpm and is adjustable from 15 psi to 150 psi. It is a stainless steel valve with a molded thermoplastic spring cage. It also has three additional ports (2 - 1/2" and 1- 3/4") and can be used as a pressure tank...

cyclestopvalves.com

 

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[Gcprzewrocki]

Make sure the pressure gauge is good. If it goes to zero when the pump is off and the tank is empty the gauge is good. But if it goes to 60 and doesn't shut off the pump, either the nipple is clogged, the diaphragm is packed with sand, or the points have already melted together.

Running until the pump gets hot is not good. It trips the thermal overload the motor, which takes a minute or three to cool down and the motor just magically starts up again. If the pump does not start when the pressure gets down to 40 and the switch clicks, the thermal overload is still cooling off.

All the problems you listed are caused by the pump cycling on and off too much. Cycling will break the bladder in the tank, burn the pressure switch points, stir up sediment, and other things. Once the thermal overload in the motor starts tripping, the motor is due for a replacement.

Sorry you spent your whole check on a pressure tank. if you had gotten a PK1A kit instead, your problems would have been solved. But since you already have a new tank and switch, the CSV1A Cycle Stop Valve is all you need to solve all those problems.

PK1A Pside-Kick Pressure Tank Kit – Cycle Stop Valves, Inc

Buy It! Interactive Animation Installation Video General Information Typical Applications Specifications Dimensions Installation Instructions Troubleshooting VFD Controller Replacement WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including nickel, which is known to the State of California...

cyclestopvalves.com

CSV1A CYCLE STOP VALVE

Compare to the Competition Model CSV1A CYCLE STOP VALVE is recommended for 1 to 25 gpm and is adjustable from 15 psi to 150 psi. It is a stainless steel valve with a molded thermoplastic spring cage. It also has three additional ports (2 - 1/2" and 1- 3/4") and can be used as a pressure tank...

cyclestopvalves.com

So if the switch is not clicking at all? I did double check the gauge was working. My dad has a little gauge you spin on the end of a spigot and it was within 2psi of each other. I did try loosening/tightening the big spring on the switch to see if it just wasn’t right and it still never clicked. The contact points are clean. The nipple is clear. I didn’t check the diaphragm since the little space to screw onto the nipple was clear. This is in a crawl space so I don’t have a good spot for a release valve unless I can attach a hose to outside. When I went down to check the gauge the first time when there was zero water the gauge read zero so I tapped the switch and it did click on. But in 3 hours of fiddling and watching that was the only click.

 

[Gcprzewrocki]

Make sure the pressure gauge is good. If it goes to zero when the pump is off and the tank is empty the gauge is good. But if it goes to 60 and doesn't shut off the pump, either the nipple is clogged, the diaphragm is packed with sand, or the points have already melted together.

Running until the pump gets hot is not good. It trips the thermal overload the motor, which takes a minute or three to cool down and the motor just magically starts up again. If the pump does not start when the pressure gets down to 40 and the switch clicks, the thermal overload is still cooling off.

All the problems you listed are caused by the pump cycling on and off too much. Cycling will break the bladder in the tank, burn the pressure switch points, stir up sediment, and other things. Once the thermal overload in the motor starts tripping, the motor is due for a replacement.

Sorry you spent your whole check on a pressure tank. if you had gotten a PK1A kit instead, your problems would have been solved. But since you already have a new tank and switch, the CSV1A Cycle Stop Valve is all you need to solve all those problems.

PK1A Pside-Kick Pressure Tank Kit – Cycle Stop Valves, Inc

Buy It! Interactive Animation Installation Video General Information Typical Applications Specifications Dimensions Installation Instructions Troubleshooting VFD Controller Replacement WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including nickel, which is known to the State of California...

cyclestopvalves.com

CSV1A CYCLE STOP VALVE

Compare to the Competition Model CSV1A CYCLE STOP VALVE is recommended for 1 to 25 gpm and is adjustable from 15 psi to 150 psi. It is a stainless steel valve with a molded thermoplastic spring cage. It also has three additional ports (2 - 1/2" and 1- 3/4") and can be used as a pressure tank...

cyclestopvalves.com

I should have watched the videos before talking about release valves. I realize now that’s not what you were recommending. I’m sorry. That csv would def solve my issue. I’m not sure I have the space for it tho. There’s not even a foot of pipe from where it comes into the crawl space to where it goes to the tank. I may be able to add some pipe to make it work but the space and set up is just awful in that crawl space.

Also I do know that having the pump go into the thermal overload thing is awful. Once I realized that’s what was happening I immediately went to using the breaker to turning the water on and off (for less than the 15 min running time) so it wouldn’t get to that point that until we can figure out what to do.

 

[Bannerman]

Post a closeup photo showing your pressure switch with the cover removed. Specify which wires lead to the pump.

 

[Gcprzewrocki]

Post a closeup photo showing your pressure switch with the cover removed. Specify which wires lead to the pump.

The ones circled go to the pump I believe. They have the little blue wire ends on em.

 

[Reach4]

Went to hop in the shower and got zero water after 15 min. Took 4 min to get water again. So this is my new cycle. Ran the faucet the next hour same cycle. So I watched my pressure gauge and switch. Gauge goes up and up and up pressure switch doesn’t tell the pump to turn off.

This description does not seem consistent. Water pressure going to zero does not seem to go with the pressure switch not cutting off.

I don't have a particular theory, but I have a couple questions.
1. How high does the pressure gauge go, that you have seen?
2. Does your pressure switch have a lever? I am thinking you would have mentioned that, but maybe you think levers are the norm.

 

[Gcprzewrocki]

This description does not seem consistent. Water pressure going to zero does not seem to go with the pressure switch not cutting off.

I don't have a particular theory, but I have a couple questions.
1. How high does the pressure gauge go, that you have seen?
2. Does your pressure switch have a lever? I am thinking you would have mentioned that, but maybe you think levers are the norm.

No levers. The pressure gauge goes up to 100psi stays there for a bit and then drops down to zero. I had called the plumber after getting out of the shower he said that maybe a bit of sediment got caught up in the nipple and to run some water to flush it out. So I ran the kitchen faucet constant for the next 2 hours and timed it with a stop watch. 15 min water 3-4 min no water. So then I watched the pressure gauge and it went up to 100 and down to zero in that cycle. Called plumber again and he said that my pump is running til thermal overload (so the 15 min of water pressure) and then shutting off to cool off (my 4 min of no water). So then I took off the pressure switch used a turkey baster brush to clear out the nipple checked that the contact points were clean and they were. And then tried to adjust the pressure switch spring but still no clicking was happening. This is all a lot of words. I may not have explained well trying to condense.

 

[Fitter30]

Need a clamp on amp meter to see if the pump is actually running and can also check voltage with it.

6 Function Mini Clamp Meter

Amazing deals on this 6 Function Mini Digital Multimeter at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[Valveman]

If the gauge goes to 100 yet the pump does not shut off, you might just need a new pressure switch.

 

[Fitter30]

Pull the switch run a part of a metal coat hanger down the nipple into pipe. See if the contacts are stuck together.

 

[Reach4]

The ones circled go to the pump I believe. They have the little blue wire ends on em.

I agree. Convention is to have the wires from the breaker on terminals 1 and 4, and the wires to the pump on 2 and 4. Electrically that does not matter, but following the convention can make troubleshooting by others easier.

Replace the pressure switch. They are cheap. Changing is easy. Just remember to turn off the 2-pole breaker first.