Yesterday, my daughter was in the shower while the sitter was here. The sitter called to tell me that in the middle of her shower all the pressure was gone. I asked if she could here the pump and she said no. When I got home, she said she open the crawl space and heard the pump so she shut off the breaker.

I know that when the pump kicks on you can hear is from pretty much anywhere in the front part of the house without even trying. Whatever she heard may not have been the pump.

Here is my problem now though, I turned the breaker back on. Went down in the crawlspace because I didn't hear the pump. I used a plastic rod to push the metal plate on the pressure switch to manual activate it. Nothing happened. Normally if I do that, I will see a spark and the pressure switch will make a loud click. This time it isn't doing anything.

Can a Pressure switch fail to this extent or should I start worrying about my pump? I have a 6" newer drilled well and I'm sure a pump replacement is going to cost an arm and a leg. I've been needing to get a new switch with more pressure anyhow, so am going to pick one up here in a bit and give it a shot. I am also going to crab a meter(something that can handle 220) and make sure that I still have power at the switch as well.

Thanks,

Big D

One more question, Do Pump have like dry-run protection. I left the pump breaker off all night. I turned it on this morning. Went the the bathroom a minute ago and now I have all kinds of pressure. I'm thinking maybe the well ran dry?

Big D

sounds like a good start
check for power first 208v - 240 v depends on meter quality and power distribution system from power company.
the breaker may not have switched back on when it was turned on turn it off to rest it again and turn on check for power at switch

update
pumps I have do not have any kind of dry-running protection
except for thermal /overload type of protection

you may have a well problem

I think it may have ran dry.... Maybe the pump makes less noise when there is nothing to pump. Right now, everything is working like normal again, I have pressure, I have water, and the pump is turning on and off like it is supposed to.

Big D

Check and see if any of your neighbors well went dry!

One of the things in your first note is that you never determined if the pressure switch was actually closed & putting power down to the pump, as per the missig spark. You need to make sure that power is being passed on to the pump. Some type of current measurement is in order. I have had trouble with my wire getting cut over the years, the wires get rubbed on the stone lining of the well, and finnally will seperate. Had to pull the pump out & re-connect the wires back together, but I put a plastic tubing of some sort over them for the 1st 100 foot or so from the pump upward for protection. That pretty much took care of it, and that anti-vibration fingers they put on is not a complete answer either, in case someone else wanted to mention them.