educateme
New Member
- Messages
- 17
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
Hi I had the post from earlier about changing my shallow well jet pump for a new one, and I did manage to swap the units and resolder the copper pipes. I have a 3/4HP Sears Hydroglass Shallow Jet pump, on a 40 PSI Sears Bladder vertical pressure tank.
I actually had to do the pump repair job twice since one of the 1 inch copper outlet pipes had a weeping leak at the screwin junction of the pipe to the plastic upper pump outlet hole, even though I had taped with lots of teflon etc.
The first time I did this job 2 nites ago, things seemed OK (except for the water leak above) once the pump was running, it would go up to 60PSI and shut off, down to 40PSI and come on. I primed the pump by filling thru the small hole on top and then screwed in my pressure gauge in that hole.
There was also some sort of a suction plug on the lower part of the Jet pump, near the Inlet side on the bottom, its NOT the draincock valve, but it is another plastic plug that has some suction when the pump is running, and if I turn off the pump, the water will run back out of this hole. I dont know if this is important, but tonite I did pull this plug out, and put it back in, whatever its for, it seems it could be an air control for the jet ?
Meanwhile, since the first install had the leak, today I drained the water pressure from the system, unsoldered the vertical output pipe, reapplied the teflon tape and attached the pipe more tightly to the outlet and soldered it back, I think its good now.
Note: On this pump there One inlet, and there are two Outlet ports. One is a vertical port, and that pipe goes up into my house water supply. The other port is horizontal and that has a pipe that goes out and down and attaches to the bottom of the pressure tank. All these pipes are 1 inch copper soldered joints. Only today I checked the air presssure on my tank when I guessed it was empty(since the pump would not shut off) and put in more air, the air PSI was empty. BTW: I did not check or measure my tank air pressure the first day, so I didnt think to compare it to now, but tank and water pressure seemed Ok til today
Somehow, I think the pressure tank is losing air, maybe thru some valve on the pump, the pump will not shut off and it never reaches over 54 PSI according to the water pressure gauge. It is supposed to shut off at 60 PSI but doesnt get up to it.
When I turn the pump off with the power switch I can then hear air and water passing thru the copper pipe that goes down to the pressure tank from the pump. It sounds like air and water are moving but there is no place that I can see air or water coming out. All faucets are closed. After about 1-2 minutes of this hissing and gurgling the pump pressure gauge drops to zero and the noise stops. There is some sort of leak, but where?
I was wondering if there was any way to tell if the tank is any good, it seems to be holding 38 PSI on the air port. Maybe I somehow got the priming messed up with air in my lines, or the pump or pressure switch is clogged or the bladder broke on the tank.
Surely the noise in the tank and pipes after I turn the pump off is a sign of something wrong......any ideas where I can look for air getting in, or out of the tank, or some other thing that might be broken? Is the Inlet check valve on the new pump going bad and letting air and water run down into the well?
If the bladder on the tank failed inside would it still hold the air pressure in the top of the tank, and be able to keep the pressure inside, or is a broken bladder allowing air pressure to escape once the pump shuts off? I dont see air in my water when I run it. Right Now with no pump or water pressure in my home, the air tank is showing 38PSI with an air gauge, and it is hollow empty sounding when I bang on it.
Sorry for the wordy mssg...What to do? Help!
I actually had to do the pump repair job twice since one of the 1 inch copper outlet pipes had a weeping leak at the screwin junction of the pipe to the plastic upper pump outlet hole, even though I had taped with lots of teflon etc.
The first time I did this job 2 nites ago, things seemed OK (except for the water leak above) once the pump was running, it would go up to 60PSI and shut off, down to 40PSI and come on. I primed the pump by filling thru the small hole on top and then screwed in my pressure gauge in that hole.
There was also some sort of a suction plug on the lower part of the Jet pump, near the Inlet side on the bottom, its NOT the draincock valve, but it is another plastic plug that has some suction when the pump is running, and if I turn off the pump, the water will run back out of this hole. I dont know if this is important, but tonite I did pull this plug out, and put it back in, whatever its for, it seems it could be an air control for the jet ?
Meanwhile, since the first install had the leak, today I drained the water pressure from the system, unsoldered the vertical output pipe, reapplied the teflon tape and attached the pipe more tightly to the outlet and soldered it back, I think its good now.
Note: On this pump there One inlet, and there are two Outlet ports. One is a vertical port, and that pipe goes up into my house water supply. The other port is horizontal and that has a pipe that goes out and down and attaches to the bottom of the pressure tank. All these pipes are 1 inch copper soldered joints. Only today I checked the air presssure on my tank when I guessed it was empty(since the pump would not shut off) and put in more air, the air PSI was empty. BTW: I did not check or measure my tank air pressure the first day, so I didnt think to compare it to now, but tank and water pressure seemed Ok til today
Somehow, I think the pressure tank is losing air, maybe thru some valve on the pump, the pump will not shut off and it never reaches over 54 PSI according to the water pressure gauge. It is supposed to shut off at 60 PSI but doesnt get up to it.
When I turn the pump off with the power switch I can then hear air and water passing thru the copper pipe that goes down to the pressure tank from the pump. It sounds like air and water are moving but there is no place that I can see air or water coming out. All faucets are closed. After about 1-2 minutes of this hissing and gurgling the pump pressure gauge drops to zero and the noise stops. There is some sort of leak, but where?
I was wondering if there was any way to tell if the tank is any good, it seems to be holding 38 PSI on the air port. Maybe I somehow got the priming messed up with air in my lines, or the pump or pressure switch is clogged or the bladder broke on the tank.
Surely the noise in the tank and pipes after I turn the pump off is a sign of something wrong......any ideas where I can look for air getting in, or out of the tank, or some other thing that might be broken? Is the Inlet check valve on the new pump going bad and letting air and water run down into the well?
If the bladder on the tank failed inside would it still hold the air pressure in the top of the tank, and be able to keep the pressure inside, or is a broken bladder allowing air pressure to escape once the pump shuts off? I dont see air in my water when I run it. Right Now with no pump or water pressure in my home, the air tank is showing 38PSI with an air gauge, and it is hollow empty sounding when I bang on it.
Sorry for the wordy mssg...What to do? Help!