My home has a well with a submersible pump. It has been running every
few minutes even though there are no faucets leaking, the toilets don't
run, etc. I just replaced the pressure switch that broke (probably
because it ran so often!). Could it be the tank (it doesn't leak) or
the check valve (the check value is down about 60' near the pump)?

Tom wrote:
My home has a well with a submersible pump. It has been running every
few minutes even though there are no faucets leaking, the toilets don't
run, etc. I just replaced the pressure switch that broke (probably
because it ran so often!). Could it be the tank (it doesn't leak) or
the check valve (the check value is down about 60' near the pump)?


What does the tank pressure gauge show?
Does the gauge work? Can you see it pump up and then drain down
with water use?

"Tom" wrote in message
oups.com...
My home has a well with a submersible pump. It has been
running every
few minutes even though there are no faucets leaking, the
toilets don't
run, etc. I just replaced the pressure switch that broke
(probably
because it ran so often!). Could it be the tank (it
doesn't leak) or
the check valve (the check value is down about 60' near
the pump)?

My next door neighbor's pump started with the same problem.
Then it started running constantly, providing less and less
pressure to the house. The plumber found that the pipe
coming up from the pump had split. They replaced the pipe
and all is well. Let us know what you find.

Frank

Speedy Jim wrote:
Tom wrote:
My home has a well with a submersible pump. It has been running every
few minutes even though there are no faucets leaking, the toilets don't
run, etc. I just replaced the pressure switch that broke (probably
because it ran so often!). Could it be the tank (it doesn't leak) or
the check valve (the check value is down about 60' near the pump)?


What does the tank pressure gauge show?
Does the gauge work? Can you see it pump up and then drain down
with water use?

the gauge doesn't work - it's very old and stuck on 30 pounds or so.
The pump runs about the same it used to with water use.

Frank K. wrote:
"Tom" wrote in message
oups.com...
My home has a well with a submersible pump. It has been
running every
few minutes even though there are no faucets leaking, the
toilets don't
run, etc. I just replaced the pressure switch that broke
(probably
because it ran so often!). Could it be the tank (it
doesn't leak) or
the check valve (the check value is down about 60' near
the pump)?

My next door neighbor's pump started with the same problem.
Then it started running constantly, providing less and less
pressure to the house. The plumber found that the pipe
coming up from the pump had split. They replaced the pipe
and all is well. Let us know what you find.

Frank

I hope it's not that! The pipe into the house runs through the
basement floor so it's not accessable.

Tom wrote:

Frank K. wrote:
"Tom" wrote in message
oups.com...
My home has a well with a submersible pump. It has been
running every
few minutes even though there are no faucets leaking, the
toilets don't
run, etc. I just replaced the pressure switch that broke
(probably
because it ran so often!). Could it be the tank (it
doesn't leak) or
the check valve (the check value is down about 60' near
the pump)?

My next door neighbor's pump started with the same problem.
Then it started running constantly, providing less and less
pressure to the house. The plumber found that the pipe
coming up from the pump had split. They replaced the pipe
and all is well. Let us know what you find.

Frank

I hope it's not that! The pipe into the house runs through the
basement floor so it's not accessable.

More likely to be where the pipe runs outside the house or in the well
casing. Look for wet or soft spots on the ground in the path the pipe
takes to the well.

Pete C.

Changing that gauge is a good place to begin. They are under $10.
That way you can see whats going on with the pressure.
Next step, look down the well with a bright light and see if you see
water shooting out of a pipe.

Obviously be sure a toilet is not running, etc.
Shut off the valve to the house and see if the pressure still drops
(after replacing gauge).


On 16 Jun 2006 09:55:41 -0700, "Tom" wrote:


Speedy Jim wrote:
Tom wrote:
My home has a well with a submersible pump. It has been running every
few minutes even though there are no faucets leaking, the toilets don't
run, etc. I just replaced the pressure switch that broke (probably
because it ran so often!). Could it be the tank (it doesn't leak) or
the check valve (the check value is down about 60' near the pump)?


What does the tank pressure gauge show?
Does the gauge work? Can you see it pump up and then drain down
with water use?

the gauge doesn't work - it's very old and stuck on 30 pounds or so.
The pump runs about the same it used to with water use.

Tom wrote:
My home has a well with a submersible pump. It has been running every
few minutes even though there are no faucets leaking, the toilets don't
run, etc. I just replaced the pressure switch that broke (probably
because it ran so often!). Could it be the tank (it doesn't leak) or
the check valve (the check value is down about 60' near the pump)?

It sounds like you have two problems.

A leak somewhere.

A tank that is almost totally water logged.

You need to replace the gauge first to really tell what is happening.
They are not expensive.

Even with a leak, the pump should run for a significant time before it
shuts off. Rapid on/off cycling is almost always a sign of a tank with
insufficient pre-charge.

Harry K

Harry K wrote:
Tom wrote:
My home has a well with a submersible pump. It has been running every
few minutes even though there are no faucets leaking, the toilets don't
run, etc. I just replaced the pressure switch that broke (probably
because it ran so often!). Could it be the tank (it doesn't leak) or
the check valve (the check value is down about 60' near the pump)?

It sounds like you have two problems.

A leak somewhere.

A tank that is almost totally water logged.

You need to replace the gauge first to really tell what is happening.
They are not expensive.

Even with a leak, the pump should run for a significant time before it
shuts off. Rapid on/off cycling is almost always a sign of a tank with
insufficient pre-charge.

Harry K

The pump still runs every 2-3 minutes even with the supply to the house
shut off so the problem is the tank or a leak. The pump runs the same
amount of time as it did when the system had no problem - I would think
it would have to run longer if there was a leak (?). Could I replace
the tank myself - it's too small for our system anyway.

Tom

HarryS wrote:
If your check valve is located down at the submersible pump, it's possible
that it's not preventing backflow (could be stuck open), letting pressurized
water flow back into the well as soon as the pump kicks off. You need a
pressure gauge to see what's going on, i.e., does the system pump up to
shut-off pressure and then immediately start dropping back. If the house
supply is shut off and this is happening, the check valve has a problem or
you have a hole in the pipe from the pump to the tank.

Harry

"Tom" wrote in message
oups.com...
My home has a well with a submersible pump. It has been running every
few minutes even though there are no faucets leaking, the toilets don't
run, etc. I just replaced the pressure switch that broke (probably
because it ran so often!). Could it be the tank (it doesn't leak) or
the check valve (the check value is down about 60' near the pump)?


The new pressure guage shows the pressure falling immediately. It
takes about 5 minutes to get back to 30#. The tank pressure was low -
20# - might not have been set correctly when installed. I pumped it up
to 28# and checked in a couple days and it held.
I'm not able to pull the pump/check valve myself so I will have to call
in the pros. I hope the line into the house is OK. It goes through
the floor of the basement and travels about 15' under sidewalk and
flower beds to the well head. I'm sure it's at least 4 feet down
because we live in MN where the frost line can go that low! Let's hope
it's the check valve. When we moved in 27 years ago there was a check
valve in the basement but it was taken out (very noisey) and a new one
placed near the submursible pump when I got a new pump about 10 years
ago.

Thanks for evryone's help!!

I think if this has been going on very long and you have a break in the line
from the well head to the house, you'd see some evidence of water coming to
the surface somewhere. Of course, if there's a break in the pipe below the
well head, you won't see anything.

Sometimes (but only infrequently) a stuck check valve can be freed by
increasing the pressure on your system and letting it cycle several times.
The higher pressure when the pump kicks off is "sometimes" enough to free a
stuck check valve. Say if your system is a 20/40 system, kick up the
pressure to 30/50 or 35/55 temporarily to see if the valve frees itself.
It's best to shut off the water coming out of the pressure tank and going
into the house when you're doing this test. Whatever the results of the
test, set the pressure back to normal when the test is over. If you're not
familiar with adjusting the settings on the pressure switch, it's time to
call the pro.

Harry

"Tom" wrote in message
ps.com...

HarryS wrote:
If your check valve is located down at the submersible pump, it's
possible
that it's not preventing backflow (could be stuck open), letting
pressurized
water flow back into the well as soon as the pump kicks off. You need a
pressure gauge to see what's going on, i.e., does the system pump up to
shut-off pressure and then immediately start dropping back. If the house
supply is shut off and this is happening, the check valve has a problem
or
you have a hole in the pipe from the pump to the tank.

Harry

"Tom" wrote in message
oups.com...
My home has a well with a submersible pump. It has been running every
few minutes even though there are no faucets leaking, the toilets don't
run, etc. I just replaced the pressure switch that broke (probably
because it ran so often!). Could it be the tank (it doesn't leak) or
the check valve (the check value is down about 60' near the pump)?


The new pressure guage shows the pressure falling immediately. It
takes about 5 minutes to get back to 30#. The tank pressure was low -
20# - might not have been set correctly when installed. I pumped it up
to 28# and checked in a couple days and it held.
I'm not able to pull the pump/check valve myself so I will have to call
in the pros. I hope the line into the house is OK. It goes through
the floor of the basement and travels about 15' under sidewalk and
flower beds to the well head. I'm sure it's at least 4 feet down
because we live in MN where the frost line can go that low! Let's hope
it's the check valve. When we moved in 27 years ago there was a check
valve in the basement but it was taken out (very noisey) and a new one
placed near the submursible pump when I got a new pump about 10 years
ago.

Thanks for evryone's help!!