Santa Gave Me A Lump Of Coal

[Chimney Smoke]

So the past couple days my well pump has been kicking on/ff a little different than normal. After the pump ran for a full refill it would turn off, wait a few seconds and turn back on a run for 5-10 seconds, turn off for a few seconds and then turn back on for a few seconds. It was then good until the water was used again. I assumed it was a weak pressure switch or maybe just some junk in the switch. This morning the wife goes in for a shower and after about 5 minutes no water. Pump not kicking on. I left work early, stopped at the hardware store to get a switch and came home to install. Normal install, turned on the breaker and it reset. WTH? Double checked wiring and it's good to go. Put old switch back in and breaker tripped again. Disconnected the wiring for the pump out at the well and the breaker doesn't reset. The plumber who installed the system is coming over at some point tonight to confirm what's going on.

I must not have good luck with pumps. Last house I bought has a raised septic system that was only 5 years old. Within 6 months of buying it and the septic pump burned out. This house is only 11 years old and now apparently the well pump is dead. Went down to the brook to fill up some 5 gallon buckets for emergency toilet flushing. It's always something

 

[BrotherBart]

My office used to be in the basement and one day I noticed that the deep well pump would kick in, turn off as normal and shortly would start again. I correctly surmised that the check valve down at the pump had failed and it was building pressure then draining it back down into the well.

With a house full of guests coming two days later for Thanksgiving.

$1,200 later the new pump and check valve were working fine. The check valve had rotted out.

 

[heat seeker]

Sounds like your original problem was with your tank - bad bladder or low air pressure. Probably fried the pump motor with the constant starting and stopping. Or, as BB says, bad foot valve.

 

[Chimney Smoke]

Still waiting for the plummer for the official diagnosis. The start and stop has only been happening for a few days and it wasn't constant, only 2 or 3 times after the primary refill. The tank seemed to hold the water fine, the pump never kicked on/off when the water wasn't being used.

 

[greg13]

So the past couple days my well pump has been kicking on/ff a little different than normal. After the pump ran for a full refill it would turn off, wait a few seconds and turn back on a run for 5-10 seconds, turn off for a few seconds and then turn back on for a few seconds. It was then good until the water was used again. I assumed it was a weak pressure switch or maybe just some junk in the switch. This morning the wife goes in for a shower and after about 5 minutes no water. Pump not kicking on. I left work early, stopped at the hardware store to get a switch and came home to install. Normal install, turned on the breaker and it reset. WTH? Double checked wiring and it's good to go. Put old switch back in and breaker tripped again. Disconnected the wiring for the pump out at the well and the breaker doesn't reset. The plumber who installed the system is coming over at some point tonight to confirm what's going on.

I must not have good luck with pumps. Last house I bought has a raised septic system that was only 5 years old. Within 6 months of buying it and the septic pump burned out. This house is only 11 years old and now apparently the well pump is dead. Went down to the brook to fill up some 5 gallon buckets for emergency toilet flushing. It's always something

The fact that the pump is disconnected and the breaker still won't reset shows that it's not the pump causing the problem. May be a short in a wire between the house & the pump.

 

[heat seeker]

I think by "reset" the OP means tripped - ? I'm confused. It sounds sort of like the problem is not in the well or the motor.

 

[Chimney Smoke]

I think by "reset" the OP means tripped - ? I'm confused. It sounds sort of like the problem is not in the well or the motor.

Yeah I worded it wrong. With the well pump disconnected the breaker doesn't trip. When the well pump is connected the breaker trips.

 

[kennyp2339]

A couple years back I worked an ice storm on the pan handle of Maryland, I spent 10 days out there working 16hr shifts, when we were released we drove straight back home on 4hrs of sleep, the drive back to the shop took about 6 hours, then an additional hour to get from the shop to my house, when I got home I had a huge bag of laundry, I loaded the washer then made a fire, I fell asleep on the couch for a couple hours, when I woke up I checked the washer a saw nothing happened, I figured I forgot to press a button so I started the wash again, I quickly realized I had no water, figured the washer broke, I went up to take a shower and quickly realized I had no water again, figured the pump went, I pulled 175ft of hose and pump in 15 deg weather and found the pump was fried, I replace the pump got water back, I went to start the washer again and realized that the water solenoid was shot and had to replace the washer (old one was 12 yrs old, not worth fixing)

 

[firefighterjake]

Sounds you've got plenty of luck . . . just all bad. Hopefully the fix will be quick, easy and cheap this time around.

 

[Chimney Smoke]

All fixed now, ended up being the pump. An hour worth of labor and they were done. I didn't ask the price, I figured I would wait and let the bill be an after Christmas surprise. I can't imagine it'll be too bad. He said the pump being set at 200 feet saved me a lot over a deeper one.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

Watched a "Plumber" pull up 500' of pipe and replace a pump one day while we were doing a roof. You learn over the years to recognize the body language of people, especially when they have that "oh sh#t!" moment. These guys spent all day replacing a pump and it still didn't work, then the electrician pulls up and spends about 20 minutes in the house. Everyone packed up and left.
I see the electrician a day later at a supply house and asked what was going on. Turns out the breaker was bad, never had to actually replace the pump, told the homeowner the story, he turned about 8 shades of red as he was holding a $1200 bill in his hand for the pump and the labor to replace it.
A little trouble shooting before hand can save a lot later.