Need well help ASAP

[LittleLebowski]

Our ranch well stopped pumping all together or not enough to get us meaningful pressure a week ago. Since then, we have put in a new submersible pump, new tank, checked electrical via voltmeter, ruled out that the well is dry, and just replaced the pressure switch. We can get up to 50psi, which is not enough for our buildings. We can only get 50psi when we shut off the water pipe to one house. 50psi is ok for now, but it’s not acceptable for more than a day or two. When we open up the pipe to the last house, pressure drops off to 10-15psi.

One week ago, this well had no issues whatsoever. On the pressure switch, each point is drawing around 144-149 volts.

Now, on the attached image, our pressure switch is wired white/black, white/black UNLIKE the image.

I think that there is an electrical problem with the pressure switch, but I am a rank amateur at this.

My brother and his wife have a new baby, this no water thing has been roug as their house is the one affected by this.

https://inspectapedia.com/water/Two_Harbors_2011_0427_DJFcs.jpg

[NH Shooter]

Any leaks in the line from the pump (at the bottom of the well) to the tank?

[NEPAKevin]

Not a plumber. When I replaced the pressure switch for our 220v jet pump, I wired it exactly like the one I took it off which IIRC looked like the picture, well wires on the inside terminals, power from the breaker on the outside and ground wires to the green screw on the plate (which matched the wiring diagram that came with the switch). FWIW, My problem turned out to be not the switch, which I replaced twice, once with a generic and the second time a Square_D, but rather that the tube to the switch was clogged with silt and a small stone. I personally hate plumbing but not having water sucks more.

[StraitR]

Have you tried increasing pressure via the two posts on your switch? If you have a two post switch (as pictured), like me, you can increase cut on/cut off pressure via the posts. Keep in mind, most switches aren't really meant to go above 60psi cut off. Of course, yours may be completely different, I'm only familiar with my own system on a "keep it running" level.

Here is a PDF about adjusting both one and two post pressure switches....

http://www.sta-rite.com/resources/images/13433.pdf

ETA: Like Kev, my other trouble shooting suggestion would be hunting down potential blockages, namely silt. And FWIW, my well is wired like the one pictured.

[Bratch]

Is the new pressure switch the correct pressure rating? I know when I replaced ours there were several different on/off pressure options.

[DallasBronco]

It sounds like a pump volume issue. Is there a way to bypass the switch to make the pump run full blast? I wonder if you would have sufficient volume to maintain pressure then? A blockage is also a good possibility.

[Malamute]

Did you check the air preload in the new pressure tank? There should be a tag that indicates correct preload. If the air isnt balanced, it wont pressure up correctly. It can act much like a tank with perforated diaphram thats got water in the air bladder if the air isnt set correctly.

Would have to look at yours to see if the color swap would matter. The colors should be the same, as you can see the points close on each pair to make connection. Is there a capacitor in the pump controller box? It may be wanting correct polarity, unless its just passing 220 in two legs.

[wvincent]

When you say not enough pressure, is the pressure switch cutting out, or is the pump continuing to run but no pressure at the end of the pipeline? If the switch is cutting out, check air bladder pressure, (as Malamute said) and also compute your Total Dynamic Head (TDH), and set new switch accordingly. If the pump is continuing to run, but no pressure on the end run, start at the pitless adapter, make sure it is completely seated, and that you didn't lose the O-ring when you hung the new pump. (if it isn't, you should see/hear water blowing in the casing. And then start working towards the end of your pipe run. I assume that there is a curb stop at your brothers house? That may have debris. Is the pipeline PVC or HDPE?

All of the above is said with me making the assumption that you replaced the old pump with a new pump with the same HP rating. What is well depth, static, and do you know what the drawdown of that well is right now? I am one state to the east of you and have seen up 20 foot drop in static levels in the last few years.

[wvincent]

Also, why was old pump replaced? Same issues as are occurring now? That would lead me to a water availability or pipeline issue.

[txdpd]

Any nearby gas drilling? We started having supply issues once the gas drilling started up around here, had to drill another 200ft on the well and add a 85 gallon reserve tank.

[LittleLebowski]

Just catching up after hunting, butchering, and travel. It turned out to be a leak and our well guy should not have replaced all that he did. We did try turning up the pressure a bit.