Lost Pressure: Bad Pumptrol

[watti]

Recently my water pressure took a dive and I went into my crawlspace to check it out. I have a well, and in the crawlspace I have a 20 gal. bladder tank and a Pumptrol pressure switch (I do not have the model # right now). There is a gauge from the well and before the Pumptrol switch. It reads 40 lbs.

When my wife turns on the water in the house the pressure drops to 30 on the gauge. It stays there for about 2 minutes and then it drops rapidly to about 15 or so. At the same time the Pumptrol makes a very large click sound and nothing else happens. I assume it is not filling the bladder tank.

I think the Pumptrol switch needs to be replaced. Am I right? There is not a simpler way to fix this like a fuse or something in there?

How difficult is this to replace? I am reasonably handy but I really do not want to do soldering if that is necessary. I looks like the Pumptrol I have is on a the stem of a "T". Does a new one just thread right on there also? How do I choose a new model to replace the old one?

Thanks for you help!

[valveman]

The problem may not be your pressure switch. You need to make sure that voltage is getting through the switch to the pump. If you have voltage to the motor and it is still not starting, you may have motor or control box problems. If voltage is not getting through the pressure switch to the motor, then you can replace the switch as per instruction on this thread.

http://www.terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26174

[Gary Slusser]

IF the switch contacts are open when the pressure falls, then it sounds to me that the switch isn't seeing real time pressure reduction, the primary cause is rust in the nipple the switch is plumbed on blocking the water from getting up into the switch.

Take the switch off the nipple and poke a screw driver down through it to open the nipple if it is blocked. If you have a jet pump, the tubing to the switch, the fittings on each end of the tubing and the fittings on each end can be blocked too. Put the switch back on or replace with a new switch and if there was blockage, that was the problem.