[Robie]

Had to spray lacquer on a small project in my basement shop today. I turned off the oil-fired furnace and turned the well-water pump off as well.

About an hour later, I ran water in the kitchen, forgetting I had turned the pump off. I remembered when I stopped getting water.

I turned the pump back on and it "pulsed" on and off. Turned it back off and tried again...same deal.

I had to deliver the project to a customer so decided I would deal with it when I got home, 2 hours later. I put a pressure gauge on the water tank and it read 45 lbs. I opened a spigot in the basement and water came out at a good rate. While it was running, I decided to turn the pump back on. Everything worked fine, like nothing happened.

So...what happened? Anything to worry about in the future?

Thanks.

 

[pdmig]

Is it a shallow well pump? It could be the one way valve on the input side is leaking and the pump lost its prime. When I changed my pump I figure out how to prime it. Shut off the supply to the house, change the pump, then open the shutoff to drain the water in the house into the pump.maybe something like this happened?

Again, not sure what type of pump you have.

It is working now, so next time it does that just go away for a few hours.

 

[Serviceplumber]

The psi on the bladder pressure tank should be 2 psi less than the cut in pressure,

Having said that if it is a submersible pump the pressure switch should be a 30/50 if that is the case your psi should be set at 28 psi

If it is a jet pump your switch should be a 20/40 and your psi should be 18psi in the tank.

With the system bled down these should be the pressures in the tank.. Not 45 psi

If you need more help you can pm me..

I would assume that you have to much pressure in the tank and that is why the water was hitting the pressure switch like water hammer..

Not good for the pump or equipment ...

You may have some weeping in your foot valve or a leak in your system,, running toilet ,leaking faucet or a small leak in your piping,

That's why you lost pressure when your pump was shut down...

 

[Robie]

Why did it only start after the power was shut off to it and why did it stop doing it?

 

[Serviceplumber]

Why did it only start after the power was shut off to it and why did it stop doing it?

Started because you lost pressure in your system and stopped because you pump kept pushing water into the system until you pressure switch was satisfied

Your psi will be marked on the inside cover of the pressure switch..20/40. Or 30/50

 

[tyb525]

Could be a 40/60 too.

 

[Robie]

The Gould pump is probably 15 years old and the tank 12. Been working great until I switched the power off today.

Working great now.....

 

[Serviceplumber]

The Gould pump is probably 15 years old and the tank 12. Been working great until I switched the power off today.

Working great now.....

May not be working great you just didn't notice ,, your draw down is the amount of water drawn down from your pressure tank before the pump kicks in, if you have to much pressure in the tank the draw down is less causing the pump to short cycle,, we need to know the pressure switch markings .

Average life expectancy on the pump is 15 to 20 years keep that in mind,,,

 

[Robie]

Okay...

Pressure was 49 when I just looked at it.
Turned a spigot on and the pump came on before I could walk back to it.
Went up to 60 and held there for a while. This took about 90 seconds.
Started pulsing on and off again, almost like earlier today except the pulses were further apart.
Shut the power off to it.
Here I am.....

 

[Serviceplumber]

Is the bladder water logged? Sounds like it maybe

 

[Serviceplumber]

Is the bladder water logged? Sounds like it maybe

Tap on the tank a thud means time for a new tank or if you push on the snifter valve on the top and water comes out its done

 

[Robie]

Got the cover to the switch.
"On: 40 PSI
"Off: Blank"

Top of tank= thud
Bottom of tank=ping

 

[Serviceplumber]

Got the cover to the switch.
"On: 40 PSI
"Off: Blank"

Top of tank= thud
Bottom of tank=ping

Water logged tank time for replacement !! There is your problem

 

[Serviceplumber]

Water logged tank time for replacement !! There is your problem

Water is trapped on the top side of the bladder not allowing for draw down. Merry Christmas you get a new pressure tank for Christmas .. Don't for get your new one needs to be set at 38 psi

 

[Robie]

Water logged tank time for replacement !! There is your problem

Thanks a lot for the time and help. I appreciate it!

 

[Robie]

Update:
Spent most of my day shopping for a tank. I have the setup where the pump/motor sit on top of the tank. Damn expensive...Gould V45MP...$200
A guy came in while I was there and said to check the tube leading to the switch from the pump. Took that all apart, blew it out and so far, so good.

Let the system drain completely and adjusted the air pressure in the tank to 38 lbs.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

I do think I want to go with the next larger size tank when I have some money to burn.

 

[Tinstaafl]

A guy came in while I was there and said to check the tube leading to the switch from the pump. Took that all apart, blew it out and so far, so good.

You may not be out of the woods yet.

Usually when that line is clogged, it interferes with the pressure sensor at the relay being able to sense what the actual tank pressure is. It's not usually totally clogged, so what happens is you run the pressure down and are only getting a trickle of water at the faucet, because the relay hasn't sensed the drop. Give it some time, and eventually the pressure differential equalizes--and the pump cuts on.

But it works the opposite way now. The pump will run longer than it ought to, until enough leakage gets through the crud for the relay to sense cutoff pressure.

That doesn't seem to agree with your symptoms.

 

[Serviceplumber]

Update:
Spent most of my day shopping for a tank. I have the setup where the pump/motor sit on top of the tank. Damn expensive...Gould V45MP...$200
A guy came in while I was there and said to check the tube leading to the switch from the pump. Took that all apart, blew it out and so far, so good.

Let the system drain completely and adjusted the air pressure in the tank to 38 lbs.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

I do think I want to go with the next larger size tank when I have some money to burn.

Did you get a new tank?

 

[Robie]

No.
I bled the system...disconnected the 1/4" tube and cleaned out the inlet and exit, made sure the pressure was correct and started everything up again.
There was no water at all coming from the air valve, which is at the bottom of the tank, which leads me to another question.
When the pump is mounted on top of the tank, is everything opposite...with the water being on top and the air on bottom.
Last night, the "thump" was at the top and the "ping" at the bottom.

 

[Serviceplumber]

No.
I bled the system...disconnected the 1/4" tube and cleaned out the inlet and exit, made sure the pressure was correct and started everything up again.
There was no water at all coming from the air valve, which is at the bottom of the tank, which leads me to another question.
When the pump is mounted on top of the tank, is everything opposite...with the water being on top and the air on bottom.
Last night, the "thump" was at the top and the "ping" at the bottom.

I'm not sure ,,,I have never seen it that way the water was always on the bottom.. Drain the system down again so there is no pressure in the system ( water side ) then tap on the bladder tank if you hear the thud replace the tank ..every one at the hardware store has an opinion,,,but none will come to your house to help..

If you have water in the tank when the pressure is off and system is drained the tank is no good..and 200 for a tank is not bad..


Did cleaning the pressure switch tube fix your problem?.