On Sun, 6 Jun 2021 14:45:38 -0700, Bob F wrote:
A water pump should not be pumping air. Do you get bubbles coming out of
the taps regularly? Do you get a blast of air when you drain the water
from the system?
Never any air in any line at the house or at the garden hoses.
Here are some pictures showing the pump and the copper pressure pipe.
https://i.imgur.com/Wlbr3oE.jpg pump, pressure gauge, & pressure switch
https://i.imgur.com/CoY9Xto.jpg pressure switch & plumbing
https://i.imgur.com/4S3jaDC.jpg blown out plastic plug in back of pump
https://i.imgur.com/N3zt1zN.jpg 1-inch plastic plug replaced with brass
https://i.imgur.com/EmoXlEn.jpg non-tapered holes require tapered plugs
https://i.imgur.com/BuUkS0Q.jpg tapered vs non-tapered 1-inch plugs
https://i.imgur.com/06RQp4q.jpg brass, galvanized, steel & plastic plugs
I think the one inch plastic plug overheated because the pump wasn't
shutting off except by thermal cutoff after hours of running wild.
At the same time a garden hose blew out in the middle so I think the
pressure may have gone sky high (but I don't know that for a fact).
You could try running a hose from a valve that taps off
it before the tank (that would divert air) into a bucket of water. Do
you see bubbles?
No bubbles. I think the copper pipe is "supposed" to carry air.
But I don't know that though. I wish I knew for sure.
But everything is working except the pump shutting off.
If you see air in the pumped water, you likely have a
leak in the pipes before the pump somewhere you need to fix.
I've never seen air in any water output.
Run the
hose into an full inverted glass jug in the bucket, and you can actually
see how fast air is coming out.
Garden hose?
The one connected to the house?
No air in them.
I'm positive.
Air would also likely fill the pressure tank, and gradually reduce it's
water capacity over time. That should show when you drain the tank.
(Blasts as the water runs out)
I don't think it's air in the water.
Older pumps with non-bladder tanks used to have a system that would suck
a little air in through the input line that would get pumped into he
tank to make up for air that gets dissolved into the water and pumped
away. If your system used to be one of those, that could be where the
air is coming from. The water outlet from the pump, and the pressure
valve and pressure switch are usually at the top, and the pipe to the
switch could be right where that air collects. Air is less likely to
plug the pressure switch inlet tube, so they might have chosen the high
spot on the pump to supply the switch.
Take a look at the pictures.
The main question is WHAT is supposed to be inside that copper pipe?
air or water
Which brings to mind - if the pressure switch otherwise operates
properly (turn on/off as you manipulate it), you could have rust or crud
plugging up the tubes or inlet of that switch.
Maybe. I may have to disassemble the pressure switch but I was leaning
toward just replacing it (but Home Depot doesn't have them in stock).