Any plumbers here? (well water specific)

TOURKID · #1 12/15/2007, 12:28 PM

Ok guys, coming at you with a new question!! And I need help as soon as possible.

Anyhow, I was in the middle of a shower when the pressure went to almost nothing. I had the r/o running at the time too, so I ran over there, it was at maybe 15 psi.

I went downstairs.

The pressure gauge next to the 'well mate' tank is barely at 20.

Its not pumping up any preasure at all. Im pretty sure 15 psi is what Im getting with no extra help pressure wise.

usually when standing at the pressure guage next to my wellmate I hear a click, the presure gauge goes up to 70 or so and then it clicks agian. Im not getting that today.

I kept forgetting to change the large house filter next to the pressure tank, so I did that.. It was black agian. (could that have broken somthing?)

I dont want to turn the two nuts under the pressure gauge anymore, I already had those turned to 60 psi. (did I break somthing?)

Please help, trying to find a plumber or somthing in the meantime. (ouch saturday and icestorms)

If you need pics, ill go to take some

billsreef · #2 12/15/2007, 03:51 PM

One of two problems are most likely. The first, easiest and cheapest, is that the pressure switch is messed up. If you've had to mess with it since it was originally installed, I would just replace it. The second, is a problem with the pump itself. That could be a bit trickier depending on what kind of pump you have. First thing to check though is the circuit breaker, make sure you have power to that switch and the pump. If you do have power there, be sure and turn it off before messing with anything that could shock you

TOURKID · #3 12/15/2007, 03:55 PM

I bought a new preasure switch, but i dont feel confident enough to install it. friend electrition coming tomorrow to replace switch

Now as for the well pump... I cant find my well

Theres a big pipe that goes out of the wall where my preasure tank is, so it might be under the deck, or buried.

billsreef · #4 12/15/2007, 04:06 PM

Sounds like your pump is in ground in the well itself, otherwise it would be next to your tank. Hopefully it's just the switch, as an in ground pump is not a DIY project. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, it sucks being without water.

TOURKID · #5 12/15/2007, 04:19 PM

It does suck, and I just got my heater fixed. stupid house

billsreef · #6 12/15/2007, 05:18 PM

Home ownership can be fun. Couple of weeks ago I had to pull apart the water pressure regulator for my boiler. It had gunked up with iron sediment from my well water and was over pressurizing my boiler. Had a nice wet basement floor from that

TOURKID · #7 12/15/2007, 05:21 PM

crap. no water at all coming out of the faucets now.

and we just remembered that the lights flickered seconds before the water died. so its gotta be somthing electrical.

would the water completely die if it was the switch?

Its the pump isent it... *sob*

billsreef · #8 12/15/2007, 05:57 PM

If the switch isn't working it doesn't tell the pump to turn on, so it still could be switch. It is possible to bypass the switch, but if your not comfortable with working with live electric I wouldn't do it. Best go the store and get some bottled water and wait for your electrician friend tomorrow

TOURKID · #9 12/15/2007, 06:21 PM

when the water stopped i went into a state of maddness. I just need to breath. my house hates me

thanks for your help

mr9iron · #10 12/15/2007, 06:31 PM

My wife teases me from time to time about having plumbers crack.

HTH.

billsreef · #11 12/15/2007, 06:41 PM

TMI

Misled · #12 12/15/2007, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mr9iron
My wife teases me from time to time about having plumbers crack. HTH.

Use duct tape!!!!

Jeffrey Porter · #13 12/15/2007, 07:44 PM

belts are useful too

JokerGirl · #14 12/15/2007, 09:26 PM

The same thing happened to us this past summer. It turned out our well ran dry. I really hope you're not in the same situation.

mr9iron · #15 12/15/2007, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Misled
Use duct tape!!!!

Oh heck no, you know what that stuff pulls when you try and tear it off.

TOURKID · #16 12/15/2007, 09:42 PM

jokergirl.. and um, what had to be done?

JokerGirl · #17 12/15/2007, 09:49 PM

We had to have a new well drilled.

TOURKID · #18 12/15/2007, 10:53 PM

omg how old was the well? mines 4 yrs old. thats all i know.

there was a power clicker when whatever it was broke

did yours die instantly? was there any warning at all?

ThaNgBOm321 · #19 12/15/2007, 11:43 PM

i too ate my house ( the builder is a moron) anyhow.. our well water went out on us.. 2x... first time was cuzz the electrical box fried or somthing.... ( it died on a friday night.. no one came till monday..... we used a long long ose from theneigbors ose bib.. over 200' .. we live in te middle of nowhere.. everyone as at least 2 acers wic can be bad wen you need help) 4 months later te pump went out... the dummy whoever put te pump in te ground dint secure the pump to the pipe good.. soo all that time.. the pump was being held up by it's electrical cord.. which finaly pulled itself off via gravity) that time was worst.. it was in a icestorm... nobody worked for 3 days.. again.. we used the neigbors hose... and yes.. the showers where super cold... i hate my house...

hope it's a easy fix.

YzGyz

billsreef · #20 12/16/2007, 07:53 AM

TOURKID,

I don't think your well went dry. You'd still hear the click from the switch trying to turn the pump on. I'd also expect a 4 year old well to be good for quite a few more years. Also the typical for a well running dry or a point collapsing would be the pump still drawing some water, but only a trickle as opposed to the total nothing you've got now

billsreef · #21 12/16/2007, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ThaNgBOm321
4 months later te pump went out... the dummy whoever put te pump in te ground dint secure the pump to the pipe good.. soo all that time.. the pump was being held up by it's electrical cord.. which finaly pulled itself off via gravity)

I'd be hunting that dummy down

That's the one thing that bothers me about in ground pumps, it's not something that you can pull up and fix without the drillers rig. The surface pumps I could always repair or replace myself.

TOURKID · #22 12/16/2007, 08:56 AM

Well the guy that biult my house is quite a moron himself. Leakly skylights everywhere.
We have 4, yes, FOUR fuse boxes
Actually, Im just going to keep my mouth shut before somthing else breaks. lol

It is a beatiful 4 yr old pad on ten acres with a 1/2 mile driveway.

No one wants to come over and help lol

bill.. Im really glad to hear you dont think its a dry well. I can see the old owner doing somthing dumb. not cheap, just dumb. Ill know if its the switch as soon as buddy gets up and drives out here.

weathers bad today

billsreef · #23 12/16/2007, 09:14 AM

4 fuse boxes? Don't they have electrical building codes in Ohio? Heck, I didn't even know they still made fuse boxes. It's all circuit breakers around here now days. Too many people burned down houses with the old penny behind the fuse trick.

tdog44632 · #24 12/16/2007, 10:20 AM

I would check the fuse for the pump if you haven;t already. Tap on your pressure switch a few times sometimes the contacts get sticky. You can fiddle with nuts one switch one turns on pump( lower Limit setting) other side shuts off (Upper limit setting) just remember how many turns you moved them so you can return back if it doesn't help.

Tony

BigSkyBart · #25 12/16/2007, 10:34 AM

your switch *should* look something like above
if you can and are willing to try, you can remove the nut covering the case (top picture) and lift the case straight up
**be careful, as there are live electrical contacts in there**
bottom picture is what you should see when cover is removed

if the contacts are open as shown the the bottom picture,
using a non metalic object, wooden spoon, popsicle stick, chopstick, plastic crochet hook, etc
put one hand in your back pocket & using the non metalic object described above, push the contact closed, there may be a little arc(spark)
(the hand in the pocket is to be sure you're not touching anything else that could conduct electricity

if the pump comes on. you've got a bad switch