no well water - again

I'll start with today's problem and then give more details. We flushed a couple of toilets and made coffee this morning. A couple of hours later we had no water. I went out to the well and accidently bumped the pressure switch housing. The pump started. I primed the pump using a sump pump and a stock tank as I have done many times before after power outages. Very quickly after the pump was primed the water would stop running.

This is a two inch well with a myers 1hp model hj100D installed in february 09. Well depth is said by driller to be 160 feet. It has a 20 gallon Pressure Tank set to 18 psi. The pressure switch is set 20 to 40.

This is for a very small house with low water usage. We do water a large garden and use a washing machine. I am experienced at electrical and plumbing work. I have a working multimeter and an amp meter. I have all the tools commonly used by plumbers and electricians. I have slightly more than zero experience and knowledge of wells.

About ten days ago I replaced the pressure tank because it had no pressure and could not be charged from an air compressor. The guy who sold me the place graciously sent out professional well people. By the time they got here there was little left to do. They checked everything.

The pump actually shut off at 45 psi. Running the water briefly and then turning it off did cause the pump to shut off in about 1 minute and 45 seconds.

We had water for about ten days. We did have to catch up on dishes and clothes washing for two days.

The bumping of the pressure switch thing bothers me but I don't believe that is the underlying problem.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Use some logic in determining what is/is not happening.
If the pump should be running and is not, are the points in the pressure switch open or closed?
Are the contacts clean or are they burnt and causing a voltage drop?
Have you set the bladder pressure properly given the cut in/cut out settings of the pressure switch?

It sounds like a pressure switch problem or a plugged 1/4" nipple below the pressure switch is plugged. Replace the nipple and possibly the pressure switch!