How to Troubleshoot a Shallow Well Pump
Shallow well pumps are self contained in response to the environment. They are meant to be submerged in a well or an aquifer and supply water upwards into a house or outbuilding. They are set to work automatically off a home pressure switch. If your shallow well pump no longer functions, you can take a number of fairly simple steps to troubleshoot the issue before calling in a professional. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Check the pump breaker. If it has been broken to the off position, flip it back to the on position. Then open a tap to allow water flow and make the pump kick on. If the pump does not go on and the breaker instantly breaks again, your pump is shorted out and will need to be replaced by a qualified professional.
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Find the relay or junction box that holds the pressure control switch. To do this, simply trace the wires coming out of the breaker box that are attached to the pump breaker. The wires will lead you to a small metal box.
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Unscrew the screws holding the lid on the box and pull the lid off of the box.
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Up the pressure level in the holding tank to restart the pump. In the center on the box will be a slot; insert your screwdriver into this slot. Slowly begin to turn the screw in a clockwise direction. By doing this, you are telling the pump to increase pressure into your holding tank, and it will eventually come on to satisfy this electronic need.
If you turn this screw about half a turn and the pump comes on, all is fine. Leave it at that setting, and although it means your pressure switch is no longer 100% accurate, it still has many years left of service and should not be a problem (although you may have to do this same slight adjustment in a year or so). If you turn the screw all the way down and there is no response from the pump, or it comes on eventually and blows a breaker, the pump is shorted out and will need to be replaced by a professional.
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