I have a deep well pump that's be working fine, until two days ago, when I found it continuously running. I notice my pressure gauge would not move when I turned off the pump and drained the take. So I replace my gauge and pressure cut off module. Now when I turn the pump on it does not provide more than 20 psi pressure. My pump is a 1 hp, in a lake that is used to pump water to my garden. The pump is not that old (approx. 1 year), and can be easily replace so that's my next option, but it seem odd that the pump should be bad after less than a year. It's in a lake so debris could be an issue.. but would this cause low pressure, and if so, can I remove the pump and clean the intake?

Thanks for any advice.
.tc.

 

Welcome to the forums.

Many times the connecting pipe between the system and gauge and pressure switch gets clogged with rust and crap. Without seeing your setup it's just a guess but is a place to start. Typically that is 1/4" steel pipe and is small to start with.

You could post a few pictures of your setup and we could comment further.... how-to-insert-pictures.

 

If your pipe is underground it may have sprung a leak. That happened to me. You'll may never reach pump cut-off pressure if there is an underground leak.

If the pipe is underground, then see if you can trace the path and look for any puddles up on the surface. That's how I found my leak.

(Forgot to mention I had a check valve near the pressure tank, that does make a difference in terms of masking a leak until it gets so bad that the pump can't reach cut-off pressure. Still though, might be something you could check.)

 

The pressure switch doesn't generate pressure. It only tells the pump to turn on and off. Is the pump turning off at 20psi? Or, does the pump run continuously but never reaches the cut off pressure?

What type of pump do you have? If it is a jet pump with two hoses going into the water then the venturi at the foot valve might be clogged with debris.

You can have a leaking pipe somewhere. The leak could be on the suction/intake side or on the pressurized/discharge side of the pump.

 

Thanks for your feedback. I've done a bit of isolation between the pump and the pressure gauge. Still does not exceed 20 psi.. I did notice a spinning sound coming from the pump, plus when I turn the pump off the pressure returns to 0 psi, is it possible that the water is draining out the pump after I shut the pump off?.

I've attached couple of pictures, but not sure they will help

 

Is the pump protected by a GFCI? I can't believe that electrical junction box was used so close to the water.

In your first post you said you have a "deep well pump". Are you certain? That is a very unusual pump to use in an application like yours. How is your pump attached to the piping and how is the weight of the pump supported? Hanging a pump off PVC may have caused the pipe to crack.

What are we looking at in your second photo? Is there a "T" right after the line comes out of the water? If so where do the two line

 

Thanks for you post.. Yes it is a deep well pump.. it pumps water sixty feet up to the house/garden. The dock is a float dock so the water will never reach the electric, but I agree with you.. i would not have had it so close to the water line. The water comes from the pump then it goes uphill to the house and to the pressure tank. I've isolated most of the uphill to the house (there is a shut off value before any of the irrigation areas, so it should be going straight to the pressure tank. The only thing that has not been shut off is the line from the boat house to the shut off value, but that a pretty think piece of rubber tubing. I could add a shut off switch in line with the hose going to the house right next to my drain value, that would 100% isolate the pump.. (my next step, if you don't think it's the pump).