Well pump pressure has changed


  #1  
Old 05-16-18, 02:58 PM
G
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Well pump pressure has changed

A couple years ago I replaced my pressure tank and while I had the system apart I replace the old rusty pressure switch with a new u.s.-made Square D switch. The 40 to 60 PSI switch installed worked out to be 42 to 65 PSI so I adjusted the tank pressure to 40. Today I was in the basement and I noticed the pump seem to be running longer than normal. I watched the pressure gauge and it was stuck on 65 and wouldn't go any higher for quite a while. Finally it turned off. I thought I should probably lower the pressure a little bit because maybe my pump is having a hard time making 65 PSI. The cut-in pressure has changed to 36psi.

I adjusted screw #2 CCW which is supposed to lower the cut out pressure but it didn't have any effect. The nut isn't even contacting the spring and it won't go lower. I can't adjust screw #1 lower without reducing the cut-in even lower than the too-low 36.

What happened?
 
  #2  
Old 05-17-18, 12:44 PM
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guy-

I think I had one that went funny like that. I think #2 opens or closes the range as you say, by raising the High while holding the Low constant. #1 raises the entire range (High and Low simultaneously) up or down. If your range is now 36-65 (roughly 30) and you can’t close it with #2, then I would think the switch has had it.

The off-the-shelf switch is set to a 20 point spread and AFAIK you should be able to set the range to a 20 point spread unless the switch is malfunctioning.

I’m pretty sure I had the same head scratching problem a while back and thus I bought a new switch, but I can’t remember exactly.
 
  #3  
Old 05-17-18, 01:45 PM
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Think I've had similar issues in past and one cause was defective pressure switch: the port to the diaphragm was clogged or the mechanicals were corroded, something like that.
 
  #4  
Old 05-18-18, 08:45 AM
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Glad to hear it's not a 1-in-a-million failure...but still annoyed that I went the extra distance to pay more for a US made switch only to have it fail in 2-3 years.
 
 

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