Posted: 3/27/2026 4:56:31 PM EDT
| All my irrigation is on a well. I have a pressure tank in my crawl space and usually I shut it off for the winter. This year I will turn on my sprinklers and randomly water will stop flowing. I go under the house and tap the pvc pipe a little and it starts working again. Pressure on the tank stays constant and the filter stays clear, so I dont think its a blockage. Usually I have to clean sand and dirt out of the filter for the first week or so and I am good for the summer. This is the first time its done this though. Any ideas? |
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Originally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: Check the pressure switch. Could be gunked up or worn out. Help me out.....where would I find that? Under the well cover or on the pressure tank? There is this thing above the gauge that has wires coming and going out of it. |
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Something else to check out is if you have a faulty check valve. This would keep your water line from draining back into the well. It's a sort of butterfly valve, a one-way valve. Tapping on it would loosen it in the way you describe. Also, could be an antisiphon valve. These are required on wells; it keeps the water from your garden from backing up into the well, introducing pesticides, etc. into the ground water. |
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Originally Posted By d16man: Help me out.....where would I find that? Under the well cover or on the pressure tank? There is this thing above the gauge that has wires coming and going out of it. Pressure switch, cover:  Inside:  Mine usually sticks in the ON position, and requires a sharp rap from a flashlight* to turn it off. *because it ALWAYS fails at night. 
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87% of the time, any question starting with "Why..." is answered with "Money."
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"...and if you can't wait for dawn you can always light a fire."
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"...and if you can't wait for dawn you can always light a fire."
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Originally Posted By d16man: Help me out.....where would I find that? Under the well cover or on the pressure tank? There is this thing above the gauge that has wires coming and going out of it. That is probably it, and either 120 or 240v. Know your limit and don’t die. I haven’t been on a well for a while, and someone knowledgeable correct me, Pressure tank could have a failed bladder Pressure switch could be bad, and I think a knowledgeable guy can force it closed. It’s spring loaded. Not sure what that’ll prove, other than the pump runs. Mine had a pump control box also, with a capacitor to start the pump. |
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Next time it stops see if the tank is heavy or check the air pressure and see if the switch is closed or open. More than likely the tank is waterlogged and is going to feel like it's full of water. If the tank is lightweight, you're probably good to replace the switch and make sure it has 2 pounds less air pressure then the cut in / on or low pressure of the new switch. If the tank is heavy / no air, you're going to need to replace the tank and switch.  
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Originally Posted By FrankSymptoms: Pressure switch, cover: https://images.thdstatic.com/productImages/35af6980-c97a-4976-996b-fc01266ffe3d/svn/everbilt-pump-switches-ebps4060-64_1000.jpg Inside: https://localwaterwellpros.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2021/02/Local-Water-Well-Pros-How-Pressure-Switch-Work.png Mine usually sticks in the ON position, and requires a sharp rap from a flashlight* to turn it off. *because it ALWAYS fails at night. Originally Posted By FrankSymptoms: Originally Posted By d16man: Help me out.....where would I find that? Under the well cover or on the pressure tank? There is this thing above the gauge that has wires coming and going out of it. Pressure switch, cover: https://images.thdstatic.com/productImages/35af6980-c97a-4976-996b-fc01266ffe3d/svn/everbilt-pump-switches-ebps4060-64_1000.jpg Inside: https://localwaterwellpros.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2021/02/Local-Water-Well-Pros-How-Pressure-Switch-Work.png Mine usually sticks in the ON position, and requires a sharp rap from a flashlight* to turn it off. *because it ALWAYS fails at night. Would that cause the pressure gauge to read differently? |
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| Thanks all. Will maybe look at this today. It usually happens about 10 min after I start my sprinklers. Will try to get some pics I can post here also. Appreciate the help. |
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Time to call North East Well and Irrigation.  I just had my irrigation guy out here Thursday. That hard freeze we got this past winter busted my 2” line from the lake that feeds the pump. It has about a 10’ climb up the bank. He also stretched it out another 20’ into the lake for the fall drawdowns and installed a drain at the waterline I can open during my winterizing process. Oh, also installed a filter at the pump. Zone 1 gets clogged up at the first start up of the season from lake crap growing in the pickup. |
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Originally Posted By d16man: Help me out.....where would I find that? Under the well cover or on the pressure tank? There is this thing above the gauge that has wires coming and going out of it. Originally Posted By d16man: Originally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: Check the pressure switch. Could be gunked up or worn out. Help me out.....where would I find that? Under the well cover or on the pressure tank? There is this thing above the gauge that has wires coming and going out of it. ETA:* make Goddamned sure you don't touch anything powered up, cause it'll knock your dickinthedirt, make sure you turn power off.* *THE CAPACITOR IN CONTROL BOX WILL HOLD A CHARGE WHEN REMOVED, DO NOT TOUCH THE CONTACTS* If you're not comfortable doing electric, call a well shop to send a service tech. Check thewellguy's post, he posted pics etc. I had the capacitor in the control box tested at local well supply shop, it was leaking, it tested good, they replaced it for $25. I bought new pressure switch & gauge and replaced them to get my well back going. |
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Originally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: ETA:* make Goddamned sure you don't touch anything powered up, cause it'll knock your dickinthedirt, make sure you turn power off.* *THE CAPACITOR IN CONTROL BOX WILL HOLD A CHARGE WHEN REMOVED, DO NOT TOUCH THE CONTACTS* If you're not comfortable doing electric, call a well shop to send a service tech. Check thewellguy's post, he posted pics etc. I had the capacitor in the control box tested at local well supply shop, it was leaking, it tested good, they replaced it for $25. I bought new pressure switch & gauge and replaced them to get my well back going. Originally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: Originally Posted By d16man: Originally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: Check the pressure switch. Could be gunked up or worn out. Help me out.....where would I find that? Under the well cover or on the pressure tank? There is this thing above the gauge that has wires coming and going out of it. ETA:* make Goddamned sure you don't touch anything powered up, cause it'll knock your dickinthedirt, make sure you turn power off.* *THE CAPACITOR IN CONTROL BOX WILL HOLD A CHARGE WHEN REMOVED, DO NOT TOUCH THE CONTACTS* If you're not comfortable doing electric, call a well shop to send a service tech. Check thewellguy's post, he posted pics etc. I had the capacitor in the control box tested at local well supply shop, it was leaking, it tested good, they replaced it for $25. I bought new pressure switch & gauge and replaced them to get my well back going. Im ok doing electric. I will kill the breaker and I have a tester that will show me any hot lines. |
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| The tank does not have a drain on it. As I shake the tank I can hear water sloshing around and it is heavy but I dont know in respect to how it is empty. |
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Originally Posted By d16man: Im ok doing electric. I will kill the breaker and I have a tester that will show me any hot lines. Originally Posted By d16man: Originally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: Originally Posted By d16man: Originally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: Check the pressure switch. Could be gunked up or worn out. Help me out.....where would I find that? Under the well cover or on the pressure tank? There is this thing above the gauge that has wires coming and going out of it. ETA:* make Goddamned sure you don't touch anything powered up, cause it'll knock your dickinthedirt, make sure you turn power off.* *THE CAPACITOR IN CONTROL BOX WILL HOLD A CHARGE WHEN REMOVED, DO NOT TOUCH THE CONTACTS* If you're not comfortable doing electric, call a well shop to send a service tech. Check thewellguy's post, he posted pics etc. I had the capacitor in the control box tested at local well supply shop, it was leaking, it tested good, they replaced it for $25. I bought new pressure switch & gauge and replaced them to get my well back going. Im ok doing electric. I will kill the breaker and I have a tester that will show me any hot lines. I did mine cause it was much cheaper & faster than I could get a well service tech out. Even though the capacitor tested good, it was leaking & $25 to replace it with new one was cheap enough. And the pressure tank bladder was good. That just left the pressure switch as the likely issue, since I was already there at the well shop, Paying $50 for a new pressure switch & gauge to replace the iffy 35+yo switch & gauge was easy. After replacing & checking the old switch had a bit of internal crusty corrosion where it attach to line that probably could been cleaned up to be servicable. |
| The guage is measuring 30 but the shrader valve on top measured about 50. I let enough out to bring it down to 44, no water came out of the valve. |
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Think I found the problem. Decided to try and take the switch off. It came off easy and barely any water came out. Guage is still reading 30 and the switch is burnt up. 
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Originally Posted By d16man: The tank does not have a drain on it. As I shake the tank I can hear water sloshing around and it is heavy but I dont know in respect to how it is empty. Tank should have a valve stem up top. Find it. If tank is heavy when you shake it, and pump is on, inline gauge reading pressure, go ahead and Push valve stem like you're checking for air, if water comes out, it's badders broke and you need a new tank. Because if bladders good, air ought to hiss out of it, if it don't or barely hisses, it needs air added. There a process to follow to add air. |
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Originally Posted By d16man: Think I found the problem. Decided to try and take the switch off. It came off easy and barely any water came out. Guage is still reading 30 and the switch is burnt up. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/337946/376-3738191.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/337946/377-3738192.jpg Cool, New pressure switch is a hell of a lot cheaper than a new tank. |
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Originally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: Cool, New pressure switch is a hell of a lot cheaper than a new tank. Originally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: Originally Posted By d16man: Think I found the problem. Decided to try and take the switch off. It came off easy and barely any water came out. Guage is still reading 30 and the switch is burnt up. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/337946/376-3738191.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/337946/377-3738192.jpg Cool, New pressure switch is a hell of a lot cheaper than a new tank. No water out the tank air valve. |
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0 Originally Posted By d16man: No water out the tank air valve. Originally Posted By d16man: Originally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: Originally Posted By d16man: Think I found the problem. Decided to try and take the switch off. It came off easy and barely any water came out. Guage is still reading 30 and the switch is burnt up. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/337946/376-3738191.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/337946/377-3738192.jpg Cool, New pressure switch is a hell of a lot cheaper than a new tank. No water out the tank air valve. Yes, I read your post. Just saying it's better to have a pressure switch fail than having a pressure tank fail, ie. $25 switch vs. several hundred dollar tank. |
Everything is replaced. No leaks. Sprinklers work. Thanks everyone. Learn something new every day.
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