What should I do if my well pump is short cycling?

Water pump short cycling can damage the pump or controls. Repair is needed at one or more of: the water pressure tank, water pump pressure control switch, water pump, water filter, or the well or building water supply piping. If you are not interested in tackling this easy repair yourself, call a plumber.

What does short cycle mean on water pump?

Normally the “pump on” cycle is 30 seconds to 90 seconds or longer, depending on water tank size, and the “pump off” cycle is the same or longer. Short cycling of the water pump means that the water pump keeps turning on and off rapidly whenever you’re running water at one or more fixtures in the building.

What causes a water pump to stop cycling?

If your water pressure tank has a ruptured or torn or leaky bladder that can cause short cycling of the water pump. You might “get by” temporarily by forcing air into the water tank – sometimes this works until you can get a new bladder installed or until you install a new water tank entirely.

How often does a water pump cycle on and off?

Short cycling of the water pump means that the water pump keeps turning on and off rapidly whenever you’re running water at one or more fixtures in the building. The pump on-off cycle may be perhaps every few seconds, or perhaps every 10-20 seconds.

How often should a water pump be cycling?

If a pump, tank, piping, well are in perfect condition and the pump is cycling on and off for a moderate water flow usage rate such as someone running a bathroom sink faucet, then if the pump is turning on and off more often than every 30 seconds I’d want a larger pressure tank.

Why is my water pump cycling on and off?

It is possible that the bladder has ruptured, and the accumulator has lost efficiency. To check if the bladder has ruptured, turn off the pump, open a tap to relieve all water pressure, and then depress the centre of the valve on the top of the accumulator and see if air escapes. If no air escapes it is probable the bladder has ruptured.

When does an intermittent well pump cycle start?

When that back-feed drops building water pressure below the pump switch cut-in pressure the water pump cycles. This intermittent well pump cycle will continue until the water pressure tank has also been pressurized to above the pump cut-in cycle.

What causes “water pump short cycling”?

The most common cause of water pump short cycling is a loss of adequate air charge in the water tank. This problem is particularly common in those homes with non-bladder water pressure tanks that are older. Similarly, having too much air in the tank (overcharging) can also cause the water tank to short cycle.

Why is my well pump short cycling?

Loss of Air Charge in the Water Tank as a Cause of Well Pump Short Cycling Loss of sufficient air charge in the water tank is perhaps the most common cause of water pump short cycling, and is a particularly common problem with older non-bladder type water pressure tanks or with newer bladder type water tanks if the bladder has become damaged.

Is this water pump is short cycling?

Short cycling of a water pump means that the water pump or “well pump” turns on and off too rapidly or too frequently when water is being run in the building. “Short cycling” means switching on and off every 30 seconds or less .

What happens when a well pump is too low?

If the water pressure is too low, the pump turns on. If the water pressure is too high, the pump turns off. This process of turning on and off is called cycling. Unfortunately, cycling can be very destructive to a well pump because it shortens the life of the motor and puts excessive wear on the control components.

Is the well pump connected to the pressure tank?

The pressure tank and well pump should be wired on the same breaker, so if you find a label for “well” or “water pump,” that should be the power shut-off for the pressure tank, too.