Quality pressure switch

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Thassler

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I'm in need of a replacement pressure switch, wonder if anyone could recommend a good one and also a good quality pressure gauge. 2 wire, 1.5hp pump, 240V, sitting at about 375'. Thanks.
 

Pumpman

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I use Square D Pumptrol switches. They come factory set at 20/40, 30/50 and 40/60.
A good gauge should be liquid filled and expext to lay out about $20 for a good one.
The switch should set you back about the same amount.
Ron
 

Thassler

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Thanks pumpman, I found a pressure switch on the web but that site didn't seem to carry any gauges other than what I could get at the local big box shop. Any thoughts on a supplier for pressure gauges? Thanks again.
 
R

Rancher

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I can't read speedbumps web site from here so he may carry liquid filled pressure gauges...

But Grainger's sure does, about $20.00, just do a search on pressure gauges, click on the liquid filled link... 13 pages of them.

Rancher
 

Alternety

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I recently ordered a switch from Graingers. They did not process it. I am aparantly not a suitable customer.
 

Thassler

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I'm actually grasping at straws trying to troubleshoot a PumpTec unit I have protecting the pump. It will sometimes trip (overload) upon startup. Franklin (mfg) tech support seems to think that the pressure switch could be bouncing. Thanks for the replies everyone.
 

Thassler

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Pressure switch is on the Tank 'T'.
The well room is some distance from the house however. Well is 375' and about 80' horizontal to well room. All equipment is in the well room; tank, Pumptec, iron filter ect .. 3/4 PVC runs about 375' from well room to our house.
 
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Rancher

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The only thing I can think of is that you don't have a cycle stop valve... j/k :D

Is the air pressure in you bladder set correctly, i.e. 2 psi below the cutin of the pressure switch?

Rancher
 

Speedbump

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You have a fair amount of friction loss in the long 3/4" pipe run to the house. If the switch is actually double clutching because of some sort of water hammer, you can put a pulsation plug up in the female part of the switch. It will stop the double clutching if that is the only problem.

bob...
 

Thassler

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lol Rancher - the CSV cure all. I'd actually like to try one, the constant pressure sounds tempting. I'm running 40/60 and the tank psi is 38. I've had this Pumptec problem since day 1 (well install was about 3 yrs). I've never been able to coincide any environmental conditions with the times that it trips, other than 80% of the time it happens while in the shower with soap in my face. Franklin Electric says that upon cut-in, it would only take the slightest power loss to trip an 'overload' on the pumptec. I've only actually witnessed the Pumptec tripping about 3 times. Every time it was at cut-in, I've never noticed it tripping after the pump was running.

If anyone's bored, here's the email conversation with Franklin Electric support.
If anyone has any ideas I'd love to here them.

**********************************************
Email conversation with Franklin Tech Support:

I have a Pumptec Plus that was installed new with my well system about 3 years ago. Since the initial installation I've had a problem of frequent tripping. I'm getting the flashing yellow light indicating an overload. The unit might be fine for a couple of days and then trip again. The problem has seemed to get worse over the past month and I will get at least 1 fault a day. The unit is located about 300' from the house so we simply cycle the breaker at the service panel to reset it. I've checked the voltage (Fluke multimeter) at the unit and it stays within the range of 243V to 247V. When the pump starts, the voltage will drop for an instance to around 225V but then returns to about 238V while the pump is running.
Could this be a defective unit or is it more likely a voltage drop or other problem? I've tried calibrating the unit several times following the instructions in the manual. When I press the reset button to take the "snapshot", the pumptec will attempt to run the pump (flashing green) and then immediately go into an "overload" fault. It does this everytime I attempt a calibration. This is the only thing that makes me think the unit could be defective. I have no problem with purchasing a new unit, but I'd hate to buy new and still have the same problem. I do not want to bypass the unit due to a low yeilding well. Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated.
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thassler,
What type of motor do you have this Pumptec-Plus on? If it is a 2-wire motor (w/o a control box) the symptoms of the overload trip after calibration is normal. The reason for this is the Biac switch will not reset in less than 5 seconds and the Pumptec-Plus will stop and restart after calibration quick enough that the motor will not start and trip the Pumptec-Plus out for overload.
I am wondering if there could be a momentary power outage and the same symptoms (as when you calibrate) may happen to the Pumptec-Plus when this happens. This could also be caused from a bouncing pressure switch or control relay.
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Thanks for the response. Yes, it is a two wire motor so that would be the reason for overload trip on calibration. I havn't noticed any power interruptions at the times it trips. Murphy's law seems to follow me, so it only seems to trip when I'm in the shower <lol>. The Pumptec is wired in 'after' the pressure switch so is powered off until cut-in pressure. Could that cause any problem? Should I try wiring the pump-tec 'before' the pressure switch? Due to a low yield well, my static level fluctuates quite a bit. Should I try to calibrate at highest static level or wait till it drops after some water use. Well is 400', static level is about 125', pump sits at about 375'. Should I be looking at voltage drop/fluctuations? Grasping at straws here, I'm wearing the breaker out on the service panel <grin>.
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thassler,
The location of the Pumptec-Plus should not make a difference.
I would calibrate the unit with the water table as high in the well as possible. This will give you the best protection for under load and it should never see an overload since a fully recovered well is the highest load it should ever see.
Your comment about seeing it trip at turn on makes me wonders if the pressure switch is bouncing and causing the problem. It only takes a momentary power interruption to cause a problem. You might want to look at replacing the pressure switch.
I am just like you fishing for a possible cause of the problem and a solution.

Thanks,
Water Systems Service Engineer
Headquarters
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Speedbump

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thassler,

Do the points on the switch double clutch when the motor starts. In other words, do they close open then close again?

bob...
 

Thassler

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<Do the points on the switch double clutch when the motor starts. In other words, do they close open then close again?>

Not at the times when I've been watching them. But, I've never been watching the contacts when the Pumptec has tripped. Most of the time everything works as it should. Three weeks ago I was getting 1 to 2 overload trips a day. Last week I only had 2 overload trips for the whole week. I'm in a rural part of the county and I'm beginning to wonder if I'm simply getting voltage fluctuations that cause the Pumptec to think it is outside it's calibrated threshold. I just don't think it's the pressure switch but I thought I'd try one anyway just to eliminate that part of the equation.
 

Speedbump

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One thing that you mentioned that bothered me was the voltage dropping to (I think) 225 or so from a voltage much higher. That could be a lot of the problem. The wiring going that 300+ feet may be too small causing this problem.

bob...
 

Thassler

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Uhg, I was afraid someone would say that.
I got #4 Alum Triplex from the house to the well room 300+ ft
Then #8 copper down the hole.
I hope that's not the problem - Blah....
 

Raucina

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The wire size is okay, but aluminum is always suspect at the connections. If a corrosion inhibitor was not used at the connections and they were not torqued to specs and then retorqued after some use, you may be getting some voltage lag at startup just slightly below the pump tek threshold.

You could remove the pumptek which may well be 'oversensitive' and replace it with a pressure switch with a low pressure cut-off. They are only about 30 bucks and wont let the pump run if the pressure drops below about 25psi.... if that trips out, then you are pumping air, and you have your solution. Lot less mystery than the pumpteks electronics.
 

Thassler

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Thanks for all the help. I think it's just haunted, it hasn't tripped since the original post. I might just try a new pressure switch and see what happens. I need to install a pressure relief valve also anyway. Thanks again...
 
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