Water Pump Cycling On/Off Quickly!

[cricketman]

Little Jabsco PAR-MAX3 40 PSI pump with a Jabsco 30573 Accumulator tank (that I installed several years ago). Before installing the accumulator tank, pump would of course cycle on/off about every 2-3 seconds when running water. Once I added the accumulator tank, slowed the pump cycling to about every 5-6 seconds (was hoping for longer OFF cycles, but that's what I got).

All good for several years, but last weekend noticed the pump is cycling about every 1/2 second - WAY faster than normal.

Accumulator pump bad???

Any thoughts appreciated (including... could I get longer pump OFF times with a larger accumulator tank?).

 

[alldodge]

Might need another pressure switch, most should cycle between 20 to 40 psi
https://www.xylem.com/siteassets/brand/jabsco/resources/manual/31620-water-pressure-pump.pdf

 

[cricketman]

Thanks alldodge, I will check that.

 

[Horigan]

Or the check valve is leaking.

 

[dingbat]

What application?

I run the same pump on my washdown.
The Par-Max 4 is a high pressure, low flow pump. Can't do much with 3.5 to 4 gpm.

How much water (gpm) are you using and for how long do you let the water run?

The Accumulator is just a buffer on the pump. Needs to be sized to the load to do any good

If the pump is running while not in use you have a leak in system, the diaphragm in the accumulator is shot or the pressure switch in the pump is leaking.