Problems at the well pump...

[Anonymous Poster]

At the rsik of getting too technical, the thingie in the pump deal with the little points doodads keeps having to be replaced. Four times in three years. Before it goes out, the points get all corroded and we can usually get away with filing them a few times before it gives up the ghost altogether. Is this a normal rate of replacment for these things?

 

[herbenus]

Mine started sticking periodically. Seems to quit at night. I find out in the shower when the tank runs down and I have to go out with a head of shampoo and a towel and bump points with a screwdriver. (I think thingie is a pressure switch.) 3 years and not replaced. I have sprayed with wd40.

 

[mwechtal]

Cindi,
Our pressure switch (thingie) is in our basement, and hasn't been replaced. It's at least 20 years old. (My wife calls it the clicky thing.)

It must be too warm down there. You need ice and snow to preserve the points. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Mike

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Your wife is absolutley right, clicky thingie is much more appropriate when the clicky thingie is clickying. WD 40, will pass that along to hubby. Ours is out in the open. He says ants are doing it, I just don't see how.

 

[boustany]

I understands completely
Pressure switches should last for years and years. Is it possible your pump is cycling too frequently? Usally the contacts are plated, so they shouldn't corrode, but maybe damp (or flood) is getting to it?

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Damp would be my bet.

 

[Alan L.]

I can tell you from experience that ants can do the trick. They LOVE electricity. They can't wait to commit suicide on it. They have ruined many an outside AC compressor relay, and I had a friend whose entire power was shut down to his house. Turns out he had spliced his power line under ground. Thought it was all sealed up, but the ants got in there and messed it up. He ended up digging it all up and replacing the entire line, with no splices.

Ants are stupid people.

 

[Alan L.]

By the way, that "thingie" is called a "dilly-bob". You really should get your terminology straight /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Well, I was going to say doo-hickey, but that is the term I usually reserve for the thingamajig. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RichZ]

Wait a minute!!! Shouldn't the technical term be a whatsamacallit??? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif