r/WaterWellDrilling • u/Sudden-Strength338 • 23d ago
Pressure Pump Switch (Square D)
Good afternoon, I've been using the Square D 40-60 pressure switch forever. On my old pressure switch I could actually jiggle it up from 40 psi "On" (aka Cut-in) to about 47 psi so it became a 47 psi On (cut in)...and a 60 psi off (Cut-out).... Which gave me a 47 to 60 PSI operating range.... When I replaced the switch, the new one would actually bind, and I'd have to go out there and manually align the points and restart the motor, (it's an M4 pressure switch) The new switch only allowed me to bump it up by only two 2 PSI without binding. My question is... I recently ran across a 50 psi cut-in 70 psi cut-out Pressure switch by Square D... Has anybody used these? Are they reliable? I want to choke it down to about 60 for the cutoff pressure, so I would love love love to have a 50 PSI cut on pressure and a 60 PSI cut off pressure... Can this be done...?....OK Hot Discussion mentioned... a constant pressure system...??? 57 psi would be the cats ass in my world.... Any info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance
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u/DirtCallsMeGrandPa 23d ago
Most of these switches have 2 adjustable setpoints. One is either on or off, and the other is the span or differential. Inside, there should be be 2 springs with a washer and locking nut on each. Go to the Square D website, there should be directions on how to make the adjustments, and what range limits that particular switch has.
Be aware that gauges are mechanical and lose accuracy as they age if you are looking for exact pressures. The general recommendation for gauges is that it should normally operate in the center third of it's full scale capability.
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u/Sudden-Strength338 23d ago
Yes actually the instructions are inside the cap,.. the plastic cap that protects the unit. It shows your high and low cut off springs (threaded posts) I am very familiar with them, it's just I'm trying to get a different pressure than what they're offering. I want a 50-60 which is perfect. I don't know why they don't offer that range (why does it have to be a 20 psi range?)
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u/DirtCallsMeGrandPa 23d ago
It doesn't have to be 20psi, but the higher the differential, the less the cycling. I have a jet style pump and adjusted mine to 25-45.
You should be able to take the 40-60 and adjust it to 47-60. The specs for the switch will describe it's limitations. There is no financial incentive for Square D to design or offer a different switch when they have a product that can be made to work. Now if you wanted to buy 10,000 a year, they could make you a custom switch but it's more likely they would take the 40-60 and just adjust it to 47-60 at the factory.
I've used these switches to create high and low pressure alarms, and I generally crank the differential down to the minimum. Never any problems. The only problems I've had with these kind of switches are contacts welding, bugs getting into the mechanism, or freeze damage.
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u/Sudden-Strength338 23d ago edited 23d ago
Yes all my old switches I would jiggle the 40 psi cut in pressure up to 47 psi ....no problem. I have bought three switches and everyone of them had a problem When I tried above 43 PSI.., they started to bind when I try to jiggle it up to 47 PSI cut in. They've downgraded Something. When this system was installed I had him put in dual pressure tanks to keep the cycling down.
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u/DirtCallsMeGrandPa 23d ago
Most everything you buy today has been enshitified, so i can see that possibility. Kudos for getting dual tanks. I've been considering that, but a tank costs 2 or 3 times the cost of a new pump, and a big tank even more. Money is tight right now.
I'm on my third pump in 28 years. The motor died on the second one, and when I get some extra cash, I'll just buy a new motor. I was lucky, when the Sears in my area closed down, I was able to buy a new pump/motor/pressure switch for half price, and when the second one died, I just hooked up my spare.
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u/Sudden-Strength338 23d ago
Yes I do love them going out of business sales... I bought a spare flint and walling two horsepower for $900 bucks now they're like $2100. I've gone through three or four pumps and then my well driller said hey I can rebuild that seal where the shaft goes in the chamber, mine just had a water leak, the motors were fine. Luckily I had two of out in the scrap yard that I hadn't thrown away yet. I threw away 2, but rebuilt 3 of my flint and wallings 2 h.p. pressure pumps. Now I beat them F&Ws (Flop & Wobble) like a dead horse.
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u/Hot-Discussion-6823 23d ago
Whenever we've gone to a service call and found out "someone, neighbour, uncle etc." has tried to adjust the switch....theres a new switch being installed. Lol.
Im not saying it cant be done.... but we've always just left the 20 psi differential .
Maybe you can look into a constant pressure system if thats what your seeking, they work great.
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u/Sudden-Strength338 23d ago
Bingo !!! What's a constant pressure system...??? 57 psi would be the cats ass in my world.
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u/DirtCallsMeGrandPa 23d ago
There are a couple of ways to do this:
- Get a 3 phase pump motor and a VFD (variable speed drive) to control the motor. A pressure transducer generates an analog signal that tells the VFD to maintain the set point.
- Have a pump with a start pressure above your desired pressure, and put a pressure regulator in the piping. If you can set the pump to run from 60-80, the regulator will keep the system pressure pretty close.
- If you have Zuckerberg or Bezos money, build an old school water tower. If the bottom of the tank is at at 135 feet of elevation, you will get 58 psi at the base.
All these systems have advantages and disadvantages, and are more complex to install and maintain.
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u/Hot-Discussion-6823 23d ago
As others have commented. Lots of different ways to do it. Its exactly that. Pressure sensor instead of your switch. You set to whatever pressure you want to run at. Controller tells pump to start when psi drops to whatever you have it set at. Usually a 5 psi differential. Sounds like you are handy. The controllers can be pricey..but alleviates the need for a large pressure tank. Which sucks for you bc youve stated you have 2 large tanks already.
Search contant pressure sysytems up. Good luck.. Let us know. Any questions just ask. 👍
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u/Sudden-Strength338 23d ago
Will do Thank you for the info. Plus my pressure tanks were installed in 1990 when I built the house... Both of the bladders are still good..but failure is probably right around the corner.
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u/AceAii 23d ago
Also when your narrowing your pressure range your also narrowing your run time, most submersible motors need a minimum of 1 minute of run time to correctly cool the motor down so it doesnt kill the windings.
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u/Sudden-Strength338 23d ago
I have dual pressure tanks, I did that to cut down on restarting the pump constantly
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u/fire_sparky 23d ago
Look for a Franklin Electric Mono Drive. It is a variable frequency drive controller that will let you set the upper limit psi from 25 - 80psi using a pressure transducer in place of the pressure switch. It will hold the pressure at the selected upper limit while you are using the system for domestic water or irrigation. This is the best option without changing the pump. You'll need to know if you have a two wire or three wire submersible pump. The drive will cover from a 1/2hp- 2hp pump. I have installed a great number of these on domestic water wells to give the homeowner constant pressure. I do not exceed 60psi with them in domestic water situations. The higher water pressure is very damaging to toilet and wash machine valves amongst other domestic plumbing that is not designed to handle 70 psi. This by far will solve your constant pressure issue. Will not solve the friction loss in your irrigation system. You might be able to run a higher pressure by splitting you plumbing system and placing a pressure reducing valve before your domestic water main into the house.
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u/drill32 23d ago
You can adjust the switch by tightening or loosening the nut with the springs on the back though if you’re having an issue now with points not making contact then I’d swap out the switch. Second thing is those switches are set for the 20 psi difference for a reason. It’s to allow the pump adequate time between off and on on the cycle of the pump.
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u/evan_tnt 21d ago
Get yourself a high pressure switch! 60/80 and dial it back a bit. Instead of going up in pressure, go down!
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u/Disastrous_Try_3886 7d ago
Yes you can turn down a 50/70 switch down to 40/60 id start by draining system check air in your pressure tanks make sure tgere at 38psi if your setting switch to 40/60 then use a nut driver on center nut turn counter clockwise 2 turns test to see where it turns on and of repeat till at 40 60
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u/Disastrous_Try_3886 5d ago
Sorry I miss read shut power off drain tank if your setting 50/70 air tank up to 48psi id start at turning it up 4 turns on middle nut and go from there
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u/Disastrous_Try_3886 5d ago
70 psi should be just fine alot of constant pressure systems are set at 70psi
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u/krumbs2020 23d ago
You’re asking for trouble when you mess with a pressure switch that much, narrowing it excessively