Springtime Submersible Well Pump Checks for Homeowners
Many of our customers ask if there is anything they can do themselves to check and maintain their submersible well pump equipment in the springtime. This blog will give you some of the main pointers to check a basic well pump system that uses a submersible well pump, a bladder type pressure tank and pressure switch for normal operation.
The first item to check is for general cleanliness. If the equipment is outside it often becomes covered in leaves or branches. Animals make nests, people stack stuff. If the equipment is located in a garage or outbuilding it can often become buried under furniture, books and other items. Whatever the case, it’s time to do a bit of spring cleaning and ensure that any pumps, controllers, and tanks are accessible and clean.
For the next few checks, you must be able to turn the electricity off to the well pump. If you are not able to turn the electricity off AND confirm that it is off or don’t feel comfortable/competent performing these checks on your own, you should NOT PROCEED with these checks. If this is out of your comfort zone, call Oakville Pump Service and we’ll schedule one of our technicians to stop by. Our technicians have most of the common items necessary for repairs or maintenance in the event that they do find a small problem.
First, ensure sure nobody needs or is using water and that any irrigation is turned off. Locate the circuit breaker to your well pump and turn it off. Find the pressure gauge and keep an eye on it for a few minutes. Does it change? If the pressure is getting lower, it can mean one of 2 things. Water is being used somewhere like an ice maker or there is a leak. Leaks can either be in the piping that take water from the well to the house or they can be in the check valve(s) that keep water pressurized, no allowing it to flow back down the well when the well pump is off. If the pressure gauge looks bent or damaged, perhaps full of dirty water it is likely not a reliable source of information. Please note that some pressure gauges are filled at the factory with a clear liquid that can be mistaken for water, this is normal and not a problem.
Now let’s turn on a garden spigot and allow the water to run. Observe the water flow and pressure gauge and make a note of what happens:
The water keeps running and the pressure gauge only changes 10-20 PSI. This, more than likely, means that you still have electricity supplied to the pump equipment and the pump is turning on to supply water. Do not continue unless you can correctly identify the source of electricity for the well pump and ensure that it is off.
The water pressure slowly decreases to a dribble over the period of perhaps 5-10 minutes. This may be an indicator that the pressure tank has a problem and has likely lost its air charge or has a torn air/water bladder or that the pressure tank is an older style pressure tank with no bladder.
There is no water at the spigot when you turn the faucet on. This is an indicator of an issue with the pressure tank and or pressure switch. The tank could be waterlogged (full of water) and have no air charge in it at all.
The water pressure is good for a few minutes and then suddenly stops. This is normal and good! The pressure tank normally stores several gallons of water under pressure. When that water has been exhausted the flow of water stops rapidly.
Now let’s check the pressure gauge again. What does the pressure gauge indicate? It should be at 0, remember that you opened the valve and let all the pressure off! A pressure gauge that indicates pressure in the system means either that the pressure gauge has malfunctioned OR it means that the tube to the pressure gauge/pressure switch has become plugged with minerals. If you have the tools and some thread tape to seal the threads for re-assembly, take a minute to carefully unscrew the pressure gauge and see if there is any mineral buildup/debris. If the pressure gauge has been plugged up, it is very likely that the pressure switch might have the very same problem!
Next let’s check the pressure switch. There is a single nut on the top, turn it CCW several turns and then pull the cover straight up. The pressure switch should be clean inside and the electrical contacts should be too. There should be no evidence of bugs or black burn marks in the pressure switch. If the contacts are not clean, you need to plan on replacing the pressure switch, an inexpensive item. An improperly working pressure switch can cause the well pump to turn off and on very rapidly and damage the well pump, a very EXPENSIVE item to replace. If everything looks good inside the pressure switch, put a small piece of animal flea collar in the pressure switch near where the wires enter. Make sure to avoid any mechanisms that the piece of flea collar could interfere with and properly install the pressure switch cover. This bit of flea collar discourages insects from making a home in your pressure switch. For some reason the springtime attracts ants, earwigs and other bugs to pressure switches!
Next, let’s check the pressure tank! This is always done with the pump off and the water in the system and tank drained from the spigot. Most pressure tanks have a tire fill valve located somewhere near the top. Using an accurate tire pressure gauge, check the pre-charge pressure. If there is no air pressure in the pressure tank or water comes out of the air valve? The internal air/water bladder has likely been compromised and, in most cases, they are not a repairable item. It is time to replace the pressure tank. If there is air in the tank, great! Note the pressure reading from the pressure tank and the date with a pencil/pen on the side of the pressure tank.
So what should the pressure in your pressure tank be? The amount of pressure in the pressure tank should be properly calibrated to the pressure switch pressure. One common pressure switch setting is 40/60. This means that the pump is turned on when the system pressure drops to 40 PSI and turns off at 60 PSI. For this pressure switch settings, you want the pressure tank to have 37-38 PSI in it. MORE PRESSURE IN THE TANK IS NOT BETTER. DO NOT ADD AIR UNLESS YOU KNOW HOW MUCH AIR TO ADD. The rule of thumb is that the pressure tank pre-charge pressure should be 3 PSI below the point at which the pressure switch turns the submersible well pump on. If you want to know what the pressure switch settings are, well it’s time to make sure everything is put back together, turn the power on, and watch the pressure gauge!
A properly working pressure gauge should show the pressure increase very rapidly at first and then slow down for the last 20 PSI or so of pump operation. When the pump turns off the pressure gauge should stop moving. Note the pressure that the submersible well pump turns off at (likely 50 or 60 PSI). Now turn on the spigot again and watch the pressure gauge drop, carefully noting the pressure at which the submersible well pump turns on(likely 30 or 40 PSI). Now that you know your pressure switch settings, check to see if the pressure tank pre-charge correct. Also, note how long it takes for the pump to cycle on and off. If it does this very quickly (several times a minute) there can be a problem with the pressure tank/pressure switch or their air charge/settings.
If you don’t feel up to it or want a more in-depth check that includes measuring the water level in your well, and pump operation, give our highly trained team at Oakville Pump Service a call to help you ensure that your water system is ready to go for your summertime needs!