Water pump repair

[sistersue]

Hi - our water pump is acting like it needs a repairman to check it out. Can anyone suggest whom I should call for help? Mahalo ~

[oink]

No suggestions on repairmen but try posting the symptoms. Lots of people with pump experience and it could be an easy fix, or not.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[sistersue]

Oink - the pump goes on often for a total of 3 or 4 seconds. For years it only went on once in a while for about 20 seconds.

[DanielP]

Sounds like a pressure tank problem. Leaking bladder. Is there a air valve on the top? Add a little air and see if it changes.

Dan

[oink]

If memory is correct: Drain tank all of the way. With an empty tank, air pressure should be about 2 lbs below what the pressure switch cut in pressure is set at. With the power off, if you take the cap off of the switch the pressure settings are likely on a label pasted to the interior of the cap. They can be changed but usually aren't. Most residential switches are either 20/40 or 40/60 switches. If you have a pressure gauge you can tell by watching the pressure during cut in/out. If you don't have a pressure gauge consider putting one in. Unfortunately, chances are your bladder is gone and the tank will need to be replaced, which is actually pretty easy. I'd imagine someone here would help. You can get by for a while if you just add a little air but it will work your pump harder (not as hard as it is now) so that would be just for a weekend to get by. Do address the situation soon or you will be replacing more than the tank.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[leilaniguy]

I've replaced mine twice in 13 years. It's easy to tell if the tank is leaking, just press the pin in the air valve, if water comes out, it is blown. I bought a new one at Pahoa Hardware about 2 mo. ago, about $60. Easy to replace yourself, but you can call Jesse Medeiros @ 9370726 or 9664430

[Iju]

If you don't want to DIY as suggested above, I recommend Mike Steve Swall who lives in HPP,937-1200.

ETA: Sorry his name is Steve. I got the name mixup with the catchment maintenance person.

[smartcarguy]

All the above suggestions are good suggestions. However, if those do not solve the problem, you could try this. You might have water leaking somewhere in the house. The problem at my house was the ball cock in on of the toilets did not seal properly and as a result of that there was water leaking through the toilet into the drain pipe. Every time the toilet tank water level dropped a certain amount the float valve would turn on the water to refill the tank to the set level and the pump would come on. After discovering the problem and replacing the ball cock the problem was solved. The pump did not cycle anymore.
At our house the problem was with the toilet, but make there is no water leakage anywhere else in the house to drop the pressure in the tank or in the tankless water pump.

[sistersue]

Thanks for all the help - this board has helped me so much over the years. Aloha to all of you.