Shallow well pump pressure switch unanimous voting

[porcupine73]

I have a well, it has a shallow well pump in the crawl space under the laundry room. Well today I noticed the pump was not shutting off. So I imagine the pressure switch was stuck closed. I have the pump wired up to a plug, so I just unplugged it.

I went to True Value and bought a Square D 20-40psig switch. This one also cuts out the pump if the pressure is way too low, I'm guessing to protect the pump if the well goes dry or possibly if there is a huge major leak like the hot water heater bottom blows out.

So I wired that up in series with the plug. So now I have unanimous voting between both pressure switches. Both have to say yes we need the pump on. After the new Square D switch cycled a few times, the switch on the pump itself started working again. But there's no way I can trust just the switch on the pump now, probably the hard well water plugging it up after about 15 years of service.

 

[Sureshot]

After 15 yrs you likely should have changed out the pump as a complete package instead of scrambling for one Christmas day with 20 people in the house and no flush toilets.

 

[Richard Cranium]

why didn't you just replace the switch, most likely the ****** under the switch is clogged.

 

[porcupine73]

Hm even if it doesn't fail near Christmas I can still pull the plug and be like 'oh no, no toilets ladies!' then all the ladies maybe will panic and head home and the guys can continue with some drinking homebrew and telling stories? hahaha

Why I didn't just replace the switch is a good question .. the crawlspace is dirty and nasty and there's a chest freezer and a bunch of other stuff sitting on top of the access port. Then this idea of having voting pressure switches hit the mind and the rest is history. Naturally once I got the voting setup in place the original switch started working again. But the voting method gives an extra measure of protection I think. It can remain in place even when I do end up needing to replace that demand pump.

Hm you know, this hot water heater, I swear it has been in service for 30 years. I was a kid and I remember my father going to True Value to get it, a Master Mechanic brand. The thing has never had a single issue, but from what i hear, the bottoms usually blow out eventually and dump water alll over the place.

 

[rburke65]

I am a maintenance electrician for some 41 years and pretty much a 'Jack Of all Trades '. My wife and I were in HD shopping and, as usual, got separated. When she found me, I was looking at water heaters and she asked why when we have had no problems with the one we have. I told her that we have had it for 12 years and the heater was only rated a 9 year guaranteed tank, and I tnought we should buy one and have it ready to replace or buy it and replace it before it started to leak. She said that was the most stupid thing that she ever heard to get rid of a perfectly good water heater. Nine days later, we came home from work and the entire finished, carpeted basement was flooded, as the water heater rusted through. What a mess. I sometimes remind her she should stick to her expertise in Law and her great cooking and I'll do the maintenance and repair. If it's that old, replace it.

 

[porcupine73]

Yes good point I will have to replace the hot water heater at some point. I know it's just a matter of time until the bottom blows out. I'm thinking maybe the hard well water has made a layer of deposits inside the tank that almost protected it from rusting? I figure I should put one of those pans underneath it and just drill a hole in the floor and route the hose through it. At least that way the water would just pour into the crawlspace and not all over the floor.

I also plugged the demand pump into a switch so I plan to switch it off when I'm not home. That way it would have only maybe 5 gallons of water to work with, well plus the 40 in the tank, when it does blow, but that's better than it continuing to pump and pump for 8 hours while no one is home.

 

[joe_padavano]

I had a similar problem with a well pump switch years ago. The problem was not the switch, but the small cast iron ****** leading up to the switch had clogged from dirt and rust and was completely blocked. This may or may not be your problem, but it's another possible failure mode.

 

[larry_g]

Now that you have a democratic system, or a binary AND gate what do you do when the underhouse PS decides that no is the correct state?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Alchymist]

FWIW: None of you have hot water heaters!

 

[wyliesdiesels]

FWIW: None of you have hot water heaters!

Ok, I was following the thread until your comment came along. Now I'm lost!

 

[Alchymist]

I'll bet money that 99% of you that have what you call "hot water heaters" really have cold water heaters. Why heat water if it's already hot?

I know of only one application where hot water is heated......

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Ok Alchymist- I get it now. LoL I guess I'm tired! Yeah, I always just say water heater!