Jet pump rapid short cycling at cut-out

Gauges are not always accurate, even when new.

The pressure the gauge "sees" may not be the same pressure the switch "sees". Sediment could be blocking one or both, but affecting each differently.

You can put a larger line to the switch, but you'll still have 1/4" inlet/outlet piping. I've even seen where a large piece of pipe, 2" diameter, was used to subdue the pressure waves caused by cyclying.

Good luck. My bet is that your gauge is sticking and not reading the pressure when it falls off through the footvalve or similar.

Thanks guys.

Heading up tomorrow....new switch and new 3/4hp pump (maybe I'll just install it anyway...5.5 amp instead of 8.5 should get rid of my light dimming issue....) is in the truck (pain in the a** to run for stuff). I'll clean out the line to the switch and we'll see where we go from there....if I have to run for a small tank to install beside the pump i will....i know i have a new foot valve somewhere in the shed...

Stay tuned....I'll get back to you Monday.

FRS said:

Thanks guys.

Heading up tomorrow....new switch and new 3/4hp pump (maybe I'll just install it anyway...5.5 amp instead of 8.5 should get rid of my light dimming issue....) is in the truck (pain in the a** to run for stuff). I'll clean out the line to the switch and we'll see where we go from there....if I have to run for a small tank to install beside the pump i will....i know i have a new foot valve somewhere in the shed...

Stay tuned....I'll get back to you Monday.

Click to expand...

It sounds like you are going to replace a 120 Volt Pump with a 240 Volt Pump on a 120 Volt electrical feed.

The current difference that you listed tells me this.

240V is much better. The bigger the motor the more current at the same voltage it will require, not less.


Good Luck

Rocket....if I switched it over internally to 240 (keeping it on the 120 line) would my light dimming go away?



Anyway guys, I tore the switch apart...membrane had a couple cracks in it (like what you would see on the sidewall of an old tire)....replaced the switch....in retrospect, cracks are probabably from all the switching on and off....but who knows.

was marginally better.

interesting though....now that I was able to sit in the daylight and watch it (without a 3 yr old and a 6 yr old buggin me) it was actually losing some pressure....would dip to say 36 or 37 lbs.

had a new pump in the back of the truck (3/4 hp)

hesitated to open the box and actually spend the money when I knew I had a good pump sitting right in front of me....

ran to town

got a 5 gallon pressure tank

mounted it directly on top of the pump. ya, i know the switch next to the other tank....meant farting around with electrical and i really didn't feel like it.

anyway...problem solved.

happy wife too.



guys, thank you for your wisdom regarding the location of the switch in respect of the tank....would have still been messing around with it and in the meantime would have spent 4 or 500 bucks trying to solve the issue (and not accomplishing).

hats off to this forum!

Cheers.

so tell me something....plumbing guy at the hardware store (Home Hardware for you Canadian folk) tells me that PEX is no longer recommended for well applications??

I don't think Pex was ever intended for well work although I have pics of a submersible hung on Pex with Sharkbites coupling everything together.

FRS said:

Rocket....if I switched it over internally to 240 (keeping it on the 120 line) would my light dimming go away?

Click to expand...

I would say that it will help.

You would have less voltage drop when the motor is starting and running.

The pump motor would be more efficient running on 240V.

You would have to connect it to a dual 240 breaker in the electrical panel.


Be careful playing with electricity.

interesting thing happened last weekend. lost power (storm) overnight on the friday night. power comes back on about 11 am saturday morning. water works very briefly, then nothing. then it comes back for a few seconds of dribble in the sink.


hmmmm...

go down to pump and it's at 20lbs. comes on by itself (like it should) and then cuts out pretty immediately. pump is pretty warm. drain the system and prime it again...works great...runs up to 40lbs. turn on the tap i have right at the pump and take it down to 20...turns itself on again and starts playing the same game. interesting and frustrating too. drain again...same play by play.

so, get on the horn to some area plumbers. Finally between a few of us we piece it together (from the MULTITUDE of calls they were getting about pumps).

Seems the hydro utility was only putting 71v through the system. Enough to make it run (sort of) and enough to power our lights etc, but NOT enough to run the pump properly. About 10pm that night (saturday) I knew they had fixed the issue when the lights in the cottage all of a sudden got a lot brighter. pump worked fine then.

thought i would share. interesting lesson. glad we can always bucket flush. lol