I suspect this isn't the well running dry but some component in the system that has failed. As far as I can tell, I have basically 3 components. The well pump, the pressure switch and the pressure tank. There is a pressure gauge right before the point where the incoming water line goes into the pressure tank. That gauge has a good reading on it. I have 2 other gauges which are before and after the whole house cartridge filter and they both have virtually no reading. I did change that cart filter and reset the breaker to the equipment. It was not tripped. Also, I have no spigot at the well head itself. We are not the original owners of this house which was built in 86. No idea how old the well pump is.

I have the company that installed the water treatment system several years ago coming out to figure out what is wrong. If I had to end up replacing all three components mentioned above, roughly what kind of a bill would I be looking at....ballpark?

 

Put a hose at the pressure tank drain. Drain water until the well pump kicks on. If it dont come on you know its the pump. If the pump comes on and you have water at the tank then the issue is after the tank.

Is the pump by the tank or outside?

Did you have water before you changed the filter?

Did you leave a valve in the off position?

Mike NJ

 

Thanks for your reply, Mike. I did get some water out of the tank drain but then it stopped so I guess it's empty. Not sure this definitely means I have a bad well pump. Pressure gauge on incoming line from well has a good number on it. The pump is in the well itself...the rest of the equipment is in my crawlspace. No, I did not have water before the filter change. No valves in the off position. After flipping the breaker off for a couple of hours (it did not trip originally), I put the breaker back on and it immediately tripped. I could hear a hiss coming from the breaker itself. 20A 2 pole. I went ahead and replaced that just in case the breaker was bad and it's doing the same thing. Tripping immediately. I am going to see if I can post a pic or two of my setup inside the crawl space.

 

OK your gauge is probably not working if you get no water out the tank. Tap the gauge it should go to zero. The breaker is tripping because there us an electrical issue with the pump wiring. We need to fix that. Hopefully some electricians will come in and help.

HIGH VOLTAGE IF YOU ATTEMPT THE BELOW SUGGESTION.
I wonder if the pressure switch is bad. If your handy with the breaker off pull the line voltage off the pressure switch. Then see if you can flip the breaker back on. If it satys on then the line from braker to pressure switch is good. Then it would be the line going to the pump or the pump itself.

Mike NJ

 

Yeah that gauge was sticking.....I tapped a little and it reset to zero. I have the company who installed all the water treatment stuff coming in tomorrow morning so I'll suggest the above to rule out the switch and go from there. Thanks for your time, Mike. I'll report back how tomorrow goes. And just for clarity, your suggestion above.....is to disconnect the wiring going to the pump at the pressure switch (with the breaker off) and then see if I can reset the breaker without it tripping (to rule out an issue with the pressure switch being the cause of the breaker tripping)....correct?

 

Any well pump recommendations if I have to replace that? My well depth is 170 ft with a static level of 85 feet. This is a 10 gal/min well.

 

No thats to rule out the wiring from breaker to switch. A squirrel could have ate something. I have a feeling its your pump but you never know.

Please let us know the outcome.

Mike NJ

 

Yeah the pump/motor was drawing high amps so it ended up getting replaced. Original was from 1989 so pretty good life I think. that was a 1/2 hp and the replacement was a 3/4HP Franklin Electric. the original was a Franklin Electric motor and diff mfg for the pump. Replacement has both parts made by Franklin Electric. The sticking pressure gauge by the pressure bladder got replaced as well. Well got "shocked" so I am doing a lot of flushing before I use for drinking. Nice to have water again....

Thanks for your help!

 

Hope you got a good deal.

Mike NJ