Repairing a pumping station with your own hands is a common problem. The pump does not gain pressure, what should I do?

One of the manifestations of system malfunctions is a situation when a characteristic hum and vibration emanates from the units, but there is nothing in the pipes except air. When the pumping station is working but pumping water, the reasons may be different, but you need to find the one that has caused the system to fail and eliminate it. Most breakdowns can be repaired on your own.

Frequent breakdowns of the water station

In most cases, the answer is simple - the liquid level in the source has decreased. Then the intake does not reach it, and the equipment runs idle. The danger is that when operating in this mode, pumping stations quickly fail.

When the pump does not pump water from the well, the cause may be a clogged coarse filter. Silt, sand, clay and debris clog the mesh and prevent normal fluid intake into the hose. In this case, it needs to be cleaned and rinsed under running water. But if the pumping station does not pump water, this may not be the reason. Therefore, you need to pay attention to how the units operate.

The pump turns, but does not pump water

Such a manifestation may indicate that:

Mechanical components are worn out. A submersible pump does not pump if the blades are broken, the wheel is disconnected from the shaft, or there is wear on the walls of the working chamber. In addition, the pumping station is humming, but there is no liquid in the pipes when the bearings crumble and debris jams the wheel.
The water intake has become disconnected. Depressurization results in air being pumped into the hose instead of liquid. This can happen if the clamp has rotted or the flexible tube has become unusable due to mechanical stress. In any case, the consequences of this failure can be seen without disassembling the pump.

There are other reasons, but they are much less common. Malfunctions of internal components suggest that the pump is de-energized, disconnected and will have to be disassembled. Worn parts must be replaced immediately.

The unit works without stopping

If serviceable borehole pump does not pump water, when all connections and pipes are in order, then the reason may be due to improper operation additional equipment or the system as a whole. If there is insufficient electric current in the network, then there is simply not enough power to lift the liquid from underground to the surface.

In this case, there is no pressure in the pipeline, and the relay does not turn off. The danger is that the unit overheats and may fail completely. The solution is to measure the voltage, and if the situation in the region is considered normal, you need to include a step-up stabilizer in the system. When wondering why the pump does not pump water from the well, the voltage is checked first, and the equipment is immediately de-energized.

Prevention

All of the above consequences can be avoided if periodic audits are carried out. The fact that a system is able to operate autonomously does not mean that its functioning can be left to chance. But most importantly, most of the reasons that the pump hums but does not pump is due to the fact that errors were made when selecting equipment or when installing the system.

Insufficient power pumping station also causes a lack of water in the pipes. Overload and overheating are detrimental to equipment if it does not have appropriate protection. The electric motor turns, but its power is not enough to lift water from the depth of the well to the surface.

It makes sense to recalculate all the parameters and compare the required and actual characteristics of the equipment. The depth of the aquifer, the distance of the consumer from the source, as well as its flow rate are taken into account. If it is too small, then after turning on there will be water, but when there is not enough inflow, the level drops and the intake begins to suck in air instead of liquid.

Problems and malfunctions of pumping stations and their correction

All pumping stations consist of the same parts and their breakdowns are mostly typical. It makes no difference whether the equipment is Grundfos, Jumbo, Alco or any other company. The diseases and their treatment are the same. The difference is how often these malfunctions occur, but their list and causes are usually identical.

The pumping station does not turn off (does not gain pressure)

Sometimes you notice that the pump has been running for a long time and will not turn off. If you look at the pressure gauge, you can see that the pumping station is not gaining pressure. In this case, repairing the pumping station is a long process - you will have to go through a large number of reasons:

If the shutdown limit of the pressure switch is much lower than the maximum pressure that the pump can create, and for some time it worked normally, but then stopped, the reason is different. Possibly at the pump the impeller has worked
. Immediately after the purchase, he coped, but during operation the impeller wore out and “now I don’t have enough strength.” Repair of the pumping station in this case means replacing the pump impeller or purchasing a new unit.

Another one possible reason -low voltage in the network
. Maybe the pump is still working at this voltage, but the pressure switch is no longer triggered. The solution is a voltage stabilizer. These are the main reasons why the pumping station does not turn off and does not build up pressure. There are quite a lot of them, so the repair of the pumping station can take a long time.

Pumping station repair: turns on frequently

Frequent activation of the pump and short periods of its operation lead to rapid wear of the equipment, which is very undesirable. Therefore, repairs to the pumping station must be carried out immediately after the “symptom” is detected. This situation occurs for the following reasons:

Now you know why the pumping station often turns on and what to do about it. By the way, there is another possible reason - pipeline leakage
or some kind of connection, so if all of the above does not apply to your case, check if the joint is leaking somewhere.

Air in water

There is always a small amount of air in the water, but when the faucet starts spitting, something is not working correctly. There may also be several reasons:

The pumping station does not turn on

The first thing to check is the voltage. Pumps are very demanding when it comes to voltage; at low voltage they simply don’t work. If everything is normal with the voltage, the situation is worse - most likely the motor is faulty. In this case, the station is taken to a service center or a new pump is installed.

If the system does not work, you need to check the electrical part

Other reasons include a malfunction of the plug/socket, a frayed cord, burnt/oxidized contacts at the point where the electric cable is attached to the motor. This is something you can check and fix yourself. More serious repairs to the electrical part of the pumping station are carried out by specialists.

The motor hums, but does not pump water (the impeller does not rotate)

This malfunction may be caused low voltage online
. Check it, if everything is normal, move on. We need to check if it's burned out capacitor in terminal block
. We take it, check it, change it if necessary. If this is not the reason, we move on to the mechanical part.

First, you should check whether there is water in the well or borehole. Next, check the filter and check valve. Maybe they are clogged or faulty. Clean, check operation, lower the pipeline into place, and start the pumping station again.

We check the impeller - this is a serious repair of the pumping station

If that doesn't help, the impeller may be jammed. Then try turning the shaft manually. Sometimes, after a long period of inactivity, it “sticks” - it becomes overgrown with salts and cannot move on its own. If you cannot move the blades by hand, the impeller may be jammed. Then we continue the repair of the pumping station by removing the protective casing and unlocking the impeller.

Next step

You have checked the device for contamination and the electrical system, so why is the pump still not pumping water? Now inspect and thoroughly check the device itself. The pump has a filter device that may become clogged. In this case, clean it or replace it. This clogging problem can also occur with the check valve of the pumping station.

If everything is in order, then a more unfavorable option comes next. If the pump suddenly worked while there was no liquid in the tank, then the sensor inside the device could simply burn out due to overheating. In this case, you can’t do anything with your own hands. It is not even recommended to go to a specialist, because the water pump will no longer show as reliable a result as in the old days.

Composition of the pumping station and purpose of parts

A pumping station is a collection of individual devices connected to each other. To understand how to repair a pumping station, you need to know what it consists of and how each part works. Then troubleshooting is easier. Composition of the pumping station:

Each part is responsible for a specific parameter, but one type of malfunction can be caused by the failure of various devices.

Operating principle of the pumping station

Now let's look at how all these devices work. When the system is first started, the pump pumps water into the accumulator until the pressure in it (and in the system) is equal to the upper threshold set on the pressure switch. While there is no water flow, the pressure is stable, the pump is turned off.

Somewhere they opened a tap, drained the water, etc. For some time, water comes from the accumulator. When its quantity decreases so much that the pressure in the accumulator drops below a threshold, the pressure switch is activated and turns on the pump, which pumps water again. It is again switched off by the pressure switch when the upper threshold is reached - the shutdown threshold.

If there is a constant flow of water (a bathtub is being filled, the watering of the garden is turned on), the pump runs for a long time: until the required pressure is created in the hydraulic accumulator. This periodically happens even when all the taps are open, since the pump supplies less water than flows out from all points of analysis. After the flow has stopped, the station operates for some time, creating the required reserve in the gyroaccumulator, then turns off and turns on after water flow appears again.

Malfunctions of pump protection systems

Typically, a properly assembled water supply system and high-quality pumps have devices that prevent them from operating in idle mode.

In the event of a malfunction of such protective devices: the well dry running relay and the float switches of the drains, well or sewage pump, the devices can operate in the absence of water.

Sometimes float switch well or drainage pumps, due to improper installation, does not fall along with a drop in the water level (falls on a hillock or clings to a protruding object) - this leads to the electric pump operating in idling mode and its further failure.

Vibration pumps, which usually do not have external protective devices connected to the system, operate for a long time without water after its level drops, they can fail in the absence of built-in thermal protection.

It is usually created using a pumping station. It’s clear that it’s better if it works without problems, but breakdowns do happen from time to time. To quickly restore water supply and save on services, you can repair the pumping station yourself. Most of the breakdowns can be fixed on your own - you don’t have to do anything too complicated.

Composition of the pumping station and purpose of parts

Each part is responsible for a specific parameter, but one type of malfunction can be caused by the failure of various devices.

Operating principle of the pumping station

Problems and malfunctions of pumping stations and their correction

The pumping station does not turn off (does not gain pressure)

If the shutdown limit of the pressure switch is much lower than the maximum pressure that the pump can create, and for some time it worked normally, but then stopped, the reason is different. Possibly at the pump the impeller has worked. Immediately after the purchase, he coped, but during operation the impeller wore out and “now I don’t have enough strength.” Repair of the pumping station in this case means replacing the pump impeller or purchasing a new unit.

Another possible reason is low voltage in the network. Maybe the pump is still working at this voltage, but the pressure switch is no longer triggered. The solution is a voltage stabilizer. These are the main reasons why the pumping station does not turn off and does not build up pressure. There are quite a lot of them, so the repair of the pumping station can take a long time.

Pumping station repair: turns on frequently

Now you know why the pumping station often turns on and what to do about it. By the way, there is another possible reason - pipeline leakage or some kind of connection, so if all of the above does not apply to your case, check if the joint is leaking somewhere.

Air in water

There is always a small amount of air in the water, but when the faucet starts spitting, something is not working correctly. There may also be several reasons:

The pumping station does not turn on

If the system does not work, you need to check the electrical part

Other reasons include a faulty plug/socket, a frayed cord, burnt/oxidized contacts where the electrical cable is attached to the motor. This is something you can check and fix yourself. More serious repairs to the electrical part of the pumping station are carried out by specialists.

The motor hums, but does not pump water (the impeller does not rotate)

This malfunction may be caused low voltage in the network. Check it, if everything is normal, move on. We need to check if it's burned out capacitor in terminal block. We take it, check it, change it if necessary. If this is not the reason, we move on to the mechanical part.

We check the impeller - this is already a serious repair of the pumping station

Some types of repair work

Some steps to repair a pumping station with your own hands are intuitive. For example, cleaning a check valve or filter is not difficult, but replacing a membrane or bulb in a hydraulic accumulator can be difficult without preparation.

Replacing the “pear” of the hydraulic accumulator

The first sign that the membrane is damaged is frequent and short-term switching on of the pumping station, and the water is supplied in jerks: sometimes strong pressure, sometimes weak. To make sure that the problem is in the membrane, remove the plug on the nipple. If it is not air but water that comes out of it, then the membrane is torn.

To begin repairs, disconnect the system from the power supply, relieve pressure - open the taps and wait until the water drains. After this you can turn it off.

Loosen the flange at the bottom of the tank. We wait until the water drains.
Unscrew all the bolts and remove the flange.
If the tank is 100 liters or more, unscrew the membrane holder nut at the top of the tank.
We remove the membrane through the hole in the bottom of the container.
We rinse the tank - there is usually a lot of rust-colored sediment in it.
The new membrane must be exactly the same as the damaged one. We insert the fitting into it, which secures the upper part to the body (tighten it).
We install the membrane in the accumulator tank.
If there is one, install the membrane holder nut in the upper part. If the tank is large, you won't be able to reach it with your hand. You can tie the holder to a rope and install the part in place by screwing on the nut.
We tighten the neck and press it with a flange, install the bolts, sequentially tightening them several turns.
We connect to the system and check the operation.

Replacement of the pump station membrane is completed. The matter is not complicated, but you need to know the nuances.

What does the pumping station consist of?

Owners of their own water supply system on the territory of a private house or cottage often encounter various types of malfunctions. Basically, pumping stations contain the following elements:

water pump;
hydraulic accumulator;
relay;
pressure gauge

The main task of a water pump is to draw water from the desired source. Surface pumps installed either in special rooms of the house or in caissons adapted for this purpose are popular among consumers. The pump must have sufficient power to lift water from the well, move it to the house and raise it to the upper water point of the house.

An important component is a hydraulic accumulator (storage tank) with a capacity of 20 liters or more. The hydraulic accumulator is metal container, whose task is to maintain constant pressure in the station’s pipelines. A successful battery model in the form of a metal cylinder with a rubber membrane inside. The membrane stretches and returns to its previous position depending on whether the pumping station is working or not.

The relay turns the pump on and off, determining the need for its operation by the water level in the tank. The pressure gauge is designed to indicate the pressure level in the water supply system. The presented set of components and equipment of a water supply station can work as a single system, and each individual element can also work on its own.

How to ensure stable operation of the water supply system

If the pump seems to be working properly at first glance, but there is no water in the tap at the same time, the way to correct the situation is determined by the cause of the problem. To detect it, you will have to check some parameters and operating conditions.

Define condition and performancecheck valve, which is located inside a well or well. Debris or sand trapped in it can prevent it from opening, and a closed valve prevents fluid from rising to the pump.
Check Is the section of pipeline between the pumping unit and the source filled with water?. Sometimes, due to equipment failure, power outages or other disturbances, this gap remains empty, which prevents the pump from pumping liquid. The discovered void can be filled through a special hole.
Pumping station in a house with a pipeline connected to it from a water source
The most difficult situation is the presence of large amounts of insoluble impurities in water with abrasive action. Often, there is a large amount of wear between the housing and the impeller of the unit. “Out-of-work” water supply pumping stations for a private home require expensive repairs. In this case, it will be necessary to replace the equipment (casing and impeller, if you can find components identical to the existing ones on sale, or the entire pump).
Lack of water in the well It can also cause water to not flow into the system when the pump is running. One of the most simple ways The solution is a deeper (but subject to the restrictions specified in the operating instructions) immersion of the supply hose or pipeline.

The jerk mode is the frequent switching on and off of the pumping unit in automatic mode.

In this case, you should start checking the system by determining the pressure in the air chamber of the accumulator. You can determine the pressure using a car pressure gauge. If it is low, try pumping air into the chamber. Wait a while and measure again. If the pressure drops again, look for and eliminate the place of depressurization.

If the pumping station operates jerkily, the reason may lie in damage to the diaphragm. To eliminate the defect, it must be replaced.

Frequent switching on and off may be the result of a malfunction of the pressure switch.

If, when the pump is working properly, water comes out of the tap in pulsating bursts, it means that air is leaking in the system. All communications between the well (well) and the pump should be checked for leaks. Particular attention must be paid to the water level in the source and the correspondence of the pipe diameter to the suction height. The smaller the diameter, the smaller the height should be. For example, a pipe diameter of 25 mm (or 1 inch) corresponds to a suction height of about 9 meters.

If the automatic shutdown of the pump does not work, such a water supply system cannot be operated. Emergency mode operation may result in premature wear or destruction of the equipment.

The reason for the non-stop operation of the pump is the incorrect operation of the pressure switch or its failure. In most cases, repairing a pumping station pressure switch comes down to adjusting the device and setting the on and off parameters using nuts on the springs under the device cover.

Pressure switch device - nut P is responsible for setting the lower pressure level in the accumulator, nut Δ P is responsible for setting the difference between the upper and lower pressure levels

Another possible violation is blocking of the relay by salt deposits when the quality of the water in the source is low. In this case, it is necessary to remove the relay and clean the hole that comes into contact with water.

The pump does not turn on

In most cases, failure to turn on the pump is associated with a break in the electrical circuit. A tester will be required to thoroughly check and detect the break. First of all, you should check the supply lines and pressure switches. In the latter case, pay attention to the condition of the contacts - a layer of oxide may form on them, which can be removed by cleaning using a needle file or fine-grained sandpaper.

A burnt-out engine can be restored by rewinding, but in some cases it will be necessary to purchase a new unit.

To repair a pumping station with your own hands with such “symptoms”, you may also need to replace a failed starting capacitor.

If the rotating parts of the pump do not move when turned on, and a characteristic hum appears, then the reasons for this phenomenon may be:

jamming of the impeller due to its “sticking” to the body during long-term storage of the pumping unit without use (the situation can be corrected by moving the impeller from its place manually and turning it several times),
capacitor failure (replace),
change in the parameters of the supply network (voltage is significantly lower than the nominal voltage).

The power unit of the vast majority of pumping stations is centrifugal pump. The simple and cheap design has proven itself well in individual water supply. The only problem is unstable operation after a long break. This is especially evident with the onset of the summer season. Resuscitation of equipment occurs as a result of sequential actions to displace air from the system.

Why doesn't the pumping station pump water? This question is asked by many owners of equipment, which is often an integral part of the water supply system. country house from a well or well.
One of the reasons for unit malfunctions is that the pumping station pumps water with air. How to get rid of this phenomenon is suggested in the article.

Pumping station design

The design of a classic station includes:

Hydraulic accumulator. This is an ordinary metal tank with a membrane inside. Between them is located air gap. The membrane or rubber shell in an empty tank is wrinkled. When water pressure enters it, it begins to straighten out.

Liquid flows into the membrane until the water pressure and the air pressure between the membrane and the housing become equal.
To prevent water hammer, a large tank is not needed. But they are produced with a volume of 50, 80, 100, and sometimes 500 liters.

Tip: When filling larger containers, the pump runs much longer. A positive step of this design is that after pumping water into the system and tank, the pump may not turn on for a longer time.

The pump does not respond to short-term water intakes, which protects the engine from wear and tear from frequent switching on and off:

The electric motor is connected to the pump through a coupling, and electrical diagram– with a pressure switch.
Air bleed fitting.

Collector.
Pointer pressure gauge for visual monitoring of the pressure level in the water supply network.
A pressure switch that serves to automatically turn on/off the unit, which depends on the pressure value in the accumulator.

Operating principle of the equipment

During installation, the household pumping station is connected to the water supply system, and the suction line, at the end of which a water intake device is mounted, is lowered into a well or borehole.

Tip: A membrane accumulator is installed inside the house, which is also connected to the water supply. The pump and the entire pipeline network are filled with water after the station is started, the pressure in it is brought to given value, and then turns off.

The control element, which can be a pressure switch or its automation, controls the operation of the pump motor.
These devices have different operating principles:

The pump starts the pressure switch when its value in the system drops to a certain point, and when the maximum value is reached, it stops its operation.
Pressure automation reacts in the pipeline to the movement of water.

The presence of an elastic air cushion that covers a rubber chamber with liquid, the membrane tank is capable of performing two functions:

Maintains the required pressure in the system for some time without the participation of a pump, which helps reduce the number of engine starts when it operates in the most difficult mode.
Absorb water shocks that occur when the unit is started, thus preventing the destruction of pipeline parts and shut-off valves.

How to properly install a pumping station

Advice: When installing the suction line, preference should be given to plastic pipes, having a certain rigidity, metal pipelines or hoses made reinforced for vacuum, which will prevent their failure from the action of vacuum compression during suction.

The installation instructions for the pumping station suggest:

Plastic pipes or hoses (see) must not be bent or twisted.
All pipe connections must be well sealed. This is due to the negative effect that air leaks have on the operation of the equipment.
Convenience of servicing the pumping station will be provided by quick-release connections.
To protect against the entry of small mechanical particles of debris, a check valve with a mesh and a main filter are installed at the end of the suction pipe.
The suction pipe lowers its end into the water from the minimum liquid level by at least 30 centimeters. The distance between the bottom of the container and the end of the suction pipe must be more than 20 centimeters.
A check valve and tap should be installed on the outlet pipe from the unit, which will help prevent water hammer when turning the device on/off.
The pumping station must be securely fixed in the desired position.
Avoid too many pipe bends and the use of taps in the system.
Pipes with a larger diameter can improve the performance of equipment for suction from a well more than four meters deep or the presence of a horizontal section more than four meters long.
It is necessary that all water be drained from all points of the system, due to possible freezing in winter. To do this, it is necessary to install drain taps, and check valves existing in the system should not interfere with the drainage of water.

The pump must be securely fixed in the system.
For this:

It is installed on a level area, sufficiently close to a water source.
In the pit or room where the equipment is located, it is necessary to provide ventilation, which will reduce the temperature and humidity of the air.
There should be a distance of at least 20 centimeters from any wall to the pumping station, which will provide access to it during maintenance.
The diameter of the pipes must be taken according to the appropriate dimensions.
Holes are marked to fix the equipment on the surface where it will be located.
The absence of mechanical stresses and pipe bends is checked, and the fastening screws are tightened.

How to regulate system pressure

If the pumping station does not pump water, then the pressure in it may be incorrectly adjusted.

Tip: The pressure switch settings should not be changed unless absolutely necessary.

The pressure switch is shown in the photo, which can help you figure out how to pump air into the pumping station.

The order of work is as follows:

The equipment turns off.
All fluid is drained from the accumulator.
The air pressure in the tank is regulated through a nipple using a car pump with a pressure gauge or a compressor. In this case, the pressure value must be at least 90% of that required to turn on the equipment.
Before pumping air into the pumping station, remove the cover on the pressure switch. To do this, unscrew the plastic screw and change the tightening force of the corresponding springs of the assembly.
By rotating the nut P, the pressure is adjusted to turn on the pump - its lower value. Rotating the nut clockwise increases the pressure, counterclockwise decreases it.
By rotating the nut ΔP, the operating pressure range is adjusted between its upper and lower values. You can expand this range by turning the element clockwise, and narrow it counterclockwise.
After the adjustment has been made, the station is connected to the electrical network, after first filling it with water. The pressure readings are monitored using a pressure gauge.

Advice: It is necessary to ensure that the value of the upper operating pressure does not exceed 95% of the highest possible pressure at the outlet of the pumping station, as indicated in technical specifications devices. Otherwise, the electric pump will not turn off, which will lead to its rapid wear, and the price of the unit is quite high.

It is necessary to carry out periodic maintenance of the station's hydraulic accumulator. The liquid constantly contains some dissolved air, which gradually reduces the volume of the rubber membrane in the tank.
Their large containers have special valves built into them through which air is released. Before pumping a pumping station with a small hydraulic accumulator, you must:

turn off the power to the pump and remove all water from the tank using a special tap or the one closest to the device;
This procedure must be carried out up to three times in a row.

You need to remove water from the membrane with your own hands at least once every two months. The video in this article shows how to pump water into a pumping station.
Timely implementation of preventive measures, monitoring the pressure switch in the system contributes to long work pumping station.