Borehole pump

[Handy Andy]

I've got a small problem with my borehole pump. It's working OK, pumping enough water. but it wont switch off, just keeps working and running up the leccy bill so I'm switching it on and off manually. This isn't too much of a problem as it only serves our house and not the farm. Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong with it please? It's a fairly new borehole and pump (7 years) and hasn't been looked at since it was installed. I'm wondering if it needs pulling up from down below and cleaning.
The firm I used before aren't doing this sort of thing now so would anyone be able to reccommend another company. Thanks in advance.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

sounds like the pressure switch, rather than the pump

 

[Ffermer Bach]

people who put my borehole in, did recommend that periodically I should re pipe the outlet back to the bore hole and tip a tup of hypochlorite down and recirculate to clean out the ocre, then run to clear it all. I have not done it yet however, I suppose I should do.

 

[whatnow]

I've got a small problem with my borehole pump. It's working OK, pumping enough water. but it wont switch off, just keeps working and running up the leccy bill so I'm switching it on and off manually. This isn't too much of a problem as it only serves our house and not the farm. Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong with it please? It's a fairly new borehole and pump (7 years) and hasn't been looked at since it was installed. I'm wondering if it needs pulling up from down below and cleaning.
The firm I used before aren't doing this sort of thing now so would anyone be able to reccommend another company. Thanks in advance.

Abbots at Dinton, Salisbury or Whatley at Pewsey. I think both would sort this. Or possibly just a sparky?

 

[Old apprentice]

The valve on the top of the pump could be letting the water straight back to the bore holes and preasure drops and then it refills the tank, doing this continually.

 

[___\0/___]

Bladder in the pressure vessels is burst?

 

[Ffermer Bach]

my pump goes to a pressure vessel with I guess a pressure switch, so it sounds like either the switch or the pressure vessel, but more than likely the switch I would guess

 

[Wisconsonian]

A bad bladder in a pressure tank, or a leak somewhere will usually cause the pump to short cycle, that is turn on and off quickly with no air in the pressure tank bladder, or shut off for a very short time and then run for a long time if it's leaking.

Follow the electricity, to where it runs into a connection to water pressure, probably near the pressure tank. I can't imagine it would be inside the borehole, but I've been wrong before. Even if it's buried, you could wire another pressure switch in series at a more convenient location.

 

[Kevtherev]

Pressure switch
Any good Agri electrician will be able to sort it.
Pump won’t last otherwise.

 

[som farmer]

my pump goes to a pressure vessel with I guess a pressure switch, so it sounds like either the switch or the pressure vessel, but more than likely the switch I would guess

periodically, you need to check the pressure in the pressure bag, quite easily done with a compressor, if we had known that, we wouldn't have had a call out bill.
Can't remember what pressure you need.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

periodically, you need to check the pressure in the pressure bag, quite easily done with a compressor, if we had known that, we wouldn't have had a call out bill.
Can't remember what pressure you need.

I am guessing it is just like a hydraulic accumulator on the soft ride of a loader.

 

[jondear]

Bladder in the pressure vessels is burst?

Ours has been split for 12 months but still switches off and on .Just reduced pressure.
Waiting for electrical engineer .New 500 litre one sat here for at least 12 months .That reminds me Aaaaaargh why is it so hard to get anyone to do anything these DAYS!

 

[Pistonbroke]

It depends what's controlling the pump. Next doors is on a timer ,pumping up to the tank at the top of the farm,next place has a float switch in the top tank,ours is a pressure vessel. Iron/ manganese in the water will clog the pressure switch on ours, a couple of times now it's ended up with ten bar pressure in the house and water leaks

 

[Kentishfarmer]

Don't you have a header tank or a separate pump controller? If not isn't the pump having to pressurize your whole pipework pretty frequently from the bottom of the borehole?
My borehole pump wouldn't stop once it was just the float switch in the header tank got stuck In position

 

[Mur Huwcun]

I am guessing it is just like a hydraulic accumulator on the soft ride of a loader.

You need to set the pressure in the bladder slightly lower than the cut in pressure of your pump, say if your pump kicks in at 30psi then bladder needs to be around 28. This then lets the pump compress the bladder which acts as an extra reservoir. Setting it up correctly will resukt in pump cutting in and out a lot less and much longer lifespan.

 

[hollister]

Ours has been split for 12 months but still switches off and on .Just reduced pressure.
Waiting for electrical engineer .New 500 litre one sat here for at least 12 months .That reminds me Aaaaaargh why is it so hard to get anyone to do anything these DAYS!

Why do you need an electrical engineer to change a pressure vessel? Turn off pump, release pressure from pipework, isolate the vessel and swap out. Pump up to correct pressure and open taps and turn on pump

 

[Pistonbroke]

Why do you need an electrical engineer to change a pressure vessel? Turn off pump, release pressure from pipework, isolate the vessel and swap out. Pump up to correct pressure and open taps and turn on pump

Every chance it's the switch not the vessel itself in which case,some electrical knowledge is needed

 

[jondear]

Why do you need an electrical engineer to change a pressure vessel? Turn off pump, release pressure from pipework, isolate the vessel and swap out. Pump up to correct pressure and open taps and turn on pump

Because the whole building in which it's located has to be rewired which is partially done .He was also going to do the borehole tank because he does pumps as well .

 

[gmgmgm]

Do you have a pressure gauge next to the pressure switch? What does it say? Does the pressure go up/down when it's on or off?

I had a similar problem a few years ago - hole in the pipework down to the pump, had to replace the pipe.

 

[Handy Andy]

Thanks so much for all the replies, I really apreciate it. Weirdly it's started working normally again since last night but for how long we will see. At least I now have a better understanding of what it might be.