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Water Well Pump Troubleshooting: Short-Cycling Problems

A water well pump that switches on and off needs your immediate attention. This is because it is not only inefficient as far as pumping water is concerned, but is also at an increased risk of becoming damaged. The good news is that narrowing down the source of the problem is easy. Here are the most common causes of short-cycling problems and which are likely to blame for your water pump problems.

A malfunctioning water pump pressure control switch

Water well pumps automatically switch on when they are needed to increase water pressure. When the water pressure reaches a certain level, it usually switches itself off. This switch-on and switch-off process of the pump usually depends on the water pump pressure control switch to tell whether the pressure is low enough to warrant the pump's pumping action or whether it is high enough to cause the pump to switch itself off.

When the opening of the switch gets clogged or when its contacts get burnt up, the switch's ability to detect pressure increases or drops becomes limited. This then leads to a spotty switch-on and switch-off process that leads to an ineffective pumping process. To get your water well pump back to a normal cycle, simply replace the faulty water pump pressure control switch with a new one. Doing this will restore the accuracy of the pressure detection system.

A clogged water filter

Water filters help keep sediments off sensitive parts of a water well pump. However, in the course of performing their roles, these filters can get clogged.

Clogged filters restrict water flow. This has the effect of causing a rapid increase in pressure in the area that is just before the filters. And when the pump's sensor's detect this sudden rise in water pressure, they cause the pump to shut down. The problem is that this rise in pressure is usually at a localized section. As a result, the pressure buildup usually dissipates almost immediately. The pump's sensors then detect this drop and cause the pump to switch itself back on. This sudden rise and drop is what then causes the pump's short-cycling problem.

An easy way to tell whether a clogged filter is to blame for your short-cycling problems is to open the bypass valve that is next to the suspected filter. If the problem stops, then a clogged filter is to blame for your problems. To solve this problem, simply replace the clogged filter.