On Sun, 6 Jun 2021 21:23:59 -0700, Bob F wrote:
It should be water normally. The switch can handle either.

Thanks for explaining it should be water but it can handle air.

There is definitely water squirting out under pressure when I loosened the
copper nut at the pump side when the pump is running.

and the gauge not working could be a common problem of plugged passages.

Something may be plugged since the top of the pump looks symmetric but when
I pull out the gauge completely (to clean things out) there is NOTHING
coming out of the gauge hole even when the pump is running.

That's why the gauge isn't working.

I still have not seen what the gauge is reading. If it cannot easily be
fixed bu cleaning the hole into the threaded end of it, it should be
replaced also.

It's reading a constant 60psi but I banged it a bit after I pulled it out
and now it reads a constant 40psi but it's just a broken gauge as it reads
that even when held in my hands (but it always was stuck).

The mystery to me is why there's nothing coming out of the gauge hole when
there is water coming out of the (symmetric?) pressure pipe hole.

To replace the switch, if the thread on the old and new one are the
same, you should be able to disconnect the wires to the switch, unfasten
the conduit and motor retention nuts on the sides of the old switch,
then unscrew the old switch from the elbow that joins it to the switch.

Thanks for the advice on the switch replacement.
I have to find out if a different Home Depot has them in stock.

I can get a gauge too but it may be useless with nothing coming out.
I probably may need to start looking at sourcing a new pump too.

Try to minimize bending of the copper tubing and stressing the other end
at the pump. You can just unscrew the nut at each/either end of the
copper tubing if that helps.

That's good advice. Thanks. It sure does look flimsy compared to the rest.
(Those steel plugs are built like they were for WWII tanks.)

No sealant should be needed to re-connect the compression fittings there.

That's good to know. When I loosened the nut for the copper pipe at the pump
I didn't see any pipe dope but it didn't occur to me that the reason was
it's a compression fitting.

Then reverse that process using sealant
on the threaded connection that goes back onto the bottom of the switch.

Good to know.


Is the "air leak" where the copper tubing joins the pump casing? I still
do not get that part of the problem

I think the air was a red herring. It only happens when the pump is running.
I think the air that I can feel is from the pump fan as you suggested prior.

Is there air in the water system as I asked before?

Yes. With the pump running the copper pipe is carrying water under pressure.