My well is a pain

Recently, I installed a new pressure switch on my well. It is a 40/60 switch, but I can't get the pump to pump any water anywhere higher than 30 pounds or so. Does anyone have any idea what I should look for? The well is approximately 250 feet deep, so i don't relish the thoght of pulling the pump if I can avoid it. If there is absolutely no air in the tank, I can hear water being pumped in, but if I charge the tank to 38 pounds, as everything I have read says I should, no water seems to be coming up, at least I am assuming so since the pressure doesn't move, but I can hear that the pump is running (slight humming sound, some vibrations). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

-eric.

 

What type of material is the piping made of that goes down to the pump?

 

It sounds like you may have a leak in the piping between the pump and surface. Other possibilities are excessive wear in the pump, inadequate pump submergence (water level too low), or stuck check valve.
How was the pump operating before you changed the pressure switch?
Ron

 

The pump was working ok, but sometimes it would not turn off. The pressure didn't reach the cut out pressure. I had a pressure switch with a lever on it to manually kick the switch off, so I would just use that. I don't think it is a water level issue, although my wife is going to get a camera from work that we can send down the well to see where the water is in relation to the pump. The well was put in about 11 or 12 years ago, so I assumed that the pump wasn't worn down. Can a fault in the pressure tank cause a blockage preventing the water from entering the tank?

-eric

 

It sounds like you have a leak.... your problem has nothing to do with the pressure tank. A leak in the drop pipe in the well causes the symptoms you are experiencing. It could also be undreground but eventually you should see a wet spot somewhere. It can be a hole/split in the pipe or a broken/cracked fitting at the pump or pitless adapter. You might have a hole worn in the wet end of the pump too.

If your pressure tank was blocked, pressure, the effect of resistance against water movement, would help to build higher pressure quicker. Your pump or the plumbing is not allowing pressure to build.

Gary
Quality Water Associates