auntyzoom
New Member
What a great forum!
My issue/problem regards changing my old, totally 'gravity feed' H20 system into perhaps the 19th century... For 20yrs I've lived with a simple gravity flow from spring to storage tank & on into the house. (MINUS pressure) It got old at least 10 yrs ago, but I'm stubborn. Recently, my H20 (metal) storage tank sprang leaks that couldn't be repaired & I now find myself wandering in a waterless wonderland, which consists of NO water at the moment. That's the short version.
A few yrs ago I bought a Redjacket pump/Flotec pressure tank combo which, reading handwriting on the wall, appeared to be a smart thing to do. So far so good. But still no water in the house!
About the source: Throughout this area, all homes get water from nearby springs. We're fortunate in being so remote that there are no factories, cattle ranches, or the other usual suspects to pollute our springs/sources and water tests on at least MY "system" consistently yield results showing only "a trace of iron" - so that's not a problem, nor is it the issue here...
Removing the old leaking holding tank was/is almost impossible due to location, so I bought a 550 gal poly water tank & connected it to the RJ pump/p-tank as a shallow well set up. Both the H20 tank (which is still gravity fed) and pump combo are together on the same level & in fact, next to each other.
I hard wired the electrical for the pressure switch to a switched junction box and a recheck shows no problem between
breaker/junction box/switch/p-switch.
The p-switch, when we turned it on, fired off at 30 psi, went to 40+ and attempted to shut off - which it sort of did...but not quite. The P-switch, at cut off, started clicking on/off (pump motor no longer running) and gauge showed slow drop timed with clicks to 30ish psi, whereupon it fired up again & pressure built. This appeared, after a while, to be what it was gonna do - forever...so we switched power off and after a moment when pressure reached >"0"< the pump/p-tank assembly did a shimmy duet that rattled every pipe in the house before sighing & dying...noisily.
Initial p-tank pressure was 19psi, which I raised to 28 psi as I'd like more than 20/40. I have a rental unit as well as my own area. Adjusted p-switch for 30/50 but always got same results regardless of setting.
The p-switch is labeled "pumptrol" - & in my searches it appears that it's possibly made by Square D - which, after all the vibrating events was recommended as a replacement for my current p-switch. I'm wondering if there's (very likely) something being overlooked here in the scheme of things. Wouldnt surprise me at all. ALso, since the odds seem to be that a new p-switch is likely looming on the horizon, I'm in dire need of some knowledge re what is specific to my needs.
In fact, beyond my ravings, above, I haven't a glimmer as to the right questions to ask, here, or what to mention re configurations, etc.
In short, I sure could use some help and will appreciate any that comes my way. I know this is probably not enough or even helpful info, but had to start somewhere.
Not to confuse issues, I do have another question regarding the location of the pressure gauge...but that's minor (so far, anyway) compared to bucketing the wawa into the house...which is getting old, fast. :>D
Sorry so lengthy. Will be grateful for any comments, ideas, suggestions - anything!
Thanks, Susy in Big Sur
My issue/problem regards changing my old, totally 'gravity feed' H20 system into perhaps the 19th century... For 20yrs I've lived with a simple gravity flow from spring to storage tank & on into the house. (MINUS pressure) It got old at least 10 yrs ago, but I'm stubborn. Recently, my H20 (metal) storage tank sprang leaks that couldn't be repaired & I now find myself wandering in a waterless wonderland, which consists of NO water at the moment. That's the short version.
A few yrs ago I bought a Redjacket pump/Flotec pressure tank combo which, reading handwriting on the wall, appeared to be a smart thing to do. So far so good. But still no water in the house!
About the source: Throughout this area, all homes get water from nearby springs. We're fortunate in being so remote that there are no factories, cattle ranches, or the other usual suspects to pollute our springs/sources and water tests on at least MY "system" consistently yield results showing only "a trace of iron" - so that's not a problem, nor is it the issue here...
Removing the old leaking holding tank was/is almost impossible due to location, so I bought a 550 gal poly water tank & connected it to the RJ pump/p-tank as a shallow well set up. Both the H20 tank (which is still gravity fed) and pump combo are together on the same level & in fact, next to each other.
I hard wired the electrical for the pressure switch to a switched junction box and a recheck shows no problem between
breaker/junction box/switch/p-switch.
The p-switch, when we turned it on, fired off at 30 psi, went to 40+ and attempted to shut off - which it sort of did...but not quite. The P-switch, at cut off, started clicking on/off (pump motor no longer running) and gauge showed slow drop timed with clicks to 30ish psi, whereupon it fired up again & pressure built. This appeared, after a while, to be what it was gonna do - forever...so we switched power off and after a moment when pressure reached >"0"< the pump/p-tank assembly did a shimmy duet that rattled every pipe in the house before sighing & dying...noisily.
Initial p-tank pressure was 19psi, which I raised to 28 psi as I'd like more than 20/40. I have a rental unit as well as my own area. Adjusted p-switch for 30/50 but always got same results regardless of setting.
The p-switch is labeled "pumptrol" - & in my searches it appears that it's possibly made by Square D - which, after all the vibrating events was recommended as a replacement for my current p-switch. I'm wondering if there's (very likely) something being overlooked here in the scheme of things. Wouldnt surprise me at all. ALso, since the odds seem to be that a new p-switch is likely looming on the horizon, I'm in dire need of some knowledge re what is specific to my needs.
In fact, beyond my ravings, above, I haven't a glimmer as to the right questions to ask, here, or what to mention re configurations, etc.
In short, I sure could use some help and will appreciate any that comes my way. I know this is probably not enough or even helpful info, but had to start somewhere.
Not to confuse issues, I do have another question regarding the location of the pressure gauge...but that's minor (so far, anyway) compared to bucketing the wawa into the house...which is getting old, fast. :>D
Sorry so lengthy. Will be grateful for any comments, ideas, suggestions - anything!
Thanks, Susy in Big Sur