- 1). Check the current setting of the pressure tank against the pressure switch settings to get the best use out of both components of the water delivery system. Open a water valve on or near the tank and let it run. Pay attention to the pressure gauge on the line next to the pressure switch, a little gray box that sits on the water line near the tank but after the well casing.
- 2). Note the pressure setting on the pressure gauge when the pump kicks on as the water drains out of the tank. Close the water valve and note the setting on the gauge when the pump kicks off once the tank is full again.
- 3). Turn off the circuit breaker to the pump so it won’t kick on during the next test.
- 4). Locate the air valve on the pressure tank, somewhere near the top or bottom of the tank. It looks like the valve stem on a car tire.
- 5). Open the water valve for the pressure tank and drain all of the water out of it. Once the tank is empty, place a tire gauge on the air-fill valve on the pressure tank and note the pressure in the tank. Compare it to the original setting when the pump kicked on during the first test. For instance, if the pump kicked on at 30 pounds per square inch (psi), the tank pressure needs to be 2 psi below that setting at 28 psi. If the pump kicked on at 40 psi, the tank needs to be 38 psi.
- 6). Let air out of the pressure tank if necessary or add air with a tank of compressed air until it is 2 psi less than the pump’s kick-on setting.
- 7). Detach the cover of the pressure switch by removing its castellated nut with a wrench. Note the secondary screw or nut adjustment for the secondary pressure setting by referring to the diagram inside or on the front of the pressure switch's cover. The second setting you noted on the pressure gauge, the one when the pumped kicked off, should be no more than 20 psi greater than the kick-on setting. For a kick-on setting of 30 psi, set the secondary adjustment on the pressure switch to 50 psi, following the instructions on the inside or front of the cover for the pressure switch. Check the owner’s manual for the pressure tank if this information is not in these places. Adjust the setting by turning the nut or screw clockwise to increase the pressure setting or counterclockwise to decrease it.
- 8). Replace the cover on the pressure switch, turn on the power at the circuit breaker and test the settings again to verify their accuracy by following Steps 1 and 2. Make any adjustments as necessary.
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