Well, the storms were a very welcome relief couple of days ago, but now it appears that my well pump is not working. I had water for a couple of days due to the storage tank I use, but that’s now exhausted. All the breakers are on but no water coming through. I think the lightening has perhaps caused some damage, but not sure what - hopefully not the pump!
I was just searching on the web to find any info on diagnosing the issue, but knowing a few folks on here have well pumps, thought I’d also see if anyone’s been through the diagnosis process and can give any pointers as to what I need to check, before having to hall the well pump up from the centre of the earth!
Hmm… I’m picturing my friend’s pump. The pump is obviously down in the water, but a cable comes up and plugs into a (weather protected) socket.
Now, I do know that they check the socket is ok… by plugging in anything… a light, a drill… whatever, just to ensure there is electricity to that socket.
Thus, if the socket is OK… the problem is further down… down, down, deeper and down…
Do you have a “pressure switch” linked to the pump… might that have lost pressure ??
Can you normally hear the noise of the pump working ? If so, can you hear it now ? When pumping from below, the pump has to be primed, otherwise no water will come up. If you can hear something, it possibly just needs re-priming. If it’s silent, it may be the float sensor in your tank not switching on the pump, or wiring to the pump or the pump itself. Floats do fail. If it’s the sort with a metal ball in it, they do stick.
I think I’d be tempted to haul away me hearty… or don an immersion suit, goggles and oxygen tank on your voyage to the centre of the earth… mind the bodies on the way down
No can’t hear anything unfortunately from the pump but that might just be that it’s so deep, I got in the tank and checked the float sensor as it is the type with a ball in it and it was freely moving. Will now read the rest of the responses to see if any other ideas
The pump’s linked to a float switch in the tank so no pressure switch and pressure vessel. I’ll disconnect the pump from the breaker tmrw to check to see if the breaker’s ok as it didn’t trip in the storm, it was the main feed breaker that tripped. And also check to see if power getting to the breaker.
Just back from filling every bottle I have at the source so it would be great if it’s as simple as a simple reset Must say, I’m now starting to understand how they survived and felt in the middle ages with no running water you take water for granted until it’s gone… bit like many other things in modern day living!
Had a glorious Sunday extracting the well pump, tested it and yep, seems to be capput - it’s only 3 years old, a Grundfos pump, and it wasn’t cheap. On the contrary, the pump was pricey, and getting it installed was also pricey, mainly because I wasn’t here and think I got the ‘prix Anglais’ unfortunately - hey ho, it suited me to get it sorted at the time.
So now faced with getting it sorted out yet again… I’m thinking of the three options I have:
1)simply buy another like for like Grundfos pump
2)try and get the existing one repaired (from the outside it still looks brand new!)
3)look at a solar pump option
When I had the last pump installed I did ask the guy about a solar pump but he shrugged it off, with a good bit of obligatory teeth sucking , as being far too expensive, but maybe that was because it wasn’t his area of expertise.
Anyway, I’d welcome any comments, or specifically any experience that anyone has with either getting a well pump repaired or a solar pump option Not sure how long I can last with the hospital baths using 1.5 litre bottles of water - all wearing a little thin now
Yes I have the invoice and the supplier/installer lives in the next village. The issue isn’t with the equipment or installation, it looks like the storm and specifically the lightening that has damaged it unfortunately.
Yes plan to contact the insurance company tomorrow as expect it to be covered. Just very frustrating to be without running water, as I’m sure it wont be a 5 minute fix!
We were without running water for several months, when a nearby building project broke through the watertable… and our well emptied “just like that…”.
I used to bring waterfilled containers home from work, every day. Thankfully, there were excellent shower facilities at work and I took full advantage of that too …
Oh wow…I guess that’s some perspective - don’t feel too bad now Think I’ll be begging showers from local friends as tomorrow, as I also ‘normally’ excercise daily and thought of not showering is beyond thinking
Our friends who live beside where there has been a major fire have 10 litres of water a day each (plus bottles of drinking water). Prior to that their well was fairly dry anyway so they have were showering every other day, and giving clothes and bedding solar cleansing most of the time.
It’s easy to forget how much of a luxury water is! We are careful, because up to this week our village had run out of water, but still - no shower, however small
Wow wow I’m just so grateful there’s a source close by so at least I can go and get water. I hate to imagine what the situation would be like without that I’ve been eeking out the water with things like doing washing up in a bowl and then using that to flush the loo. It certainly concentrates the mind! I think the one thing I do really miss is the shower though - I was even contemplating trying to rig up some sort of diy bucket shower outside, which I may still do, depending how ling this saga lasts, as don’t want to be relying on goodwill of others.
you’ve put ideas into my head 
Must say, I’m now starting to understand how they survived and felt in the middle ages with no running water 
you take water for granted until it’s gone… bit like many other things in modern day living!
, as being far too expensive, but maybe that was because it wasn’t his area of expertise.
Not sure how long I can last with the hospital baths using 1.5 litre bottles of water - all wearing a little thin now 
I’m just so grateful there’s a source close by so at least I can go and get water. I hate to imagine what the situation would be like without that