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This article describes the switches, controls, and safety devices used on water tanks and water pumps such as the pump pressure control switch, pump motor relays, water tank relief valve, water tank pressure gauge, water tank air volume control, and water tank air valve. Readers of this document should also see Water pump and pressure tank repair diagnosis & cost an specific case which offers an example of diagnosis of loss of water pressure, loss of water, and analyzes the actual repair cost.

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A Dictionary of Water Pump & Water Tank Controls, Switches, & Attachments

This article uses sketches and photographs to assist in locating and identifying all of the controls and switches found on residential water supply systems including the well, water pressure tank, water pump, and their associated valves and devices. We also provide maintenance and repair and emergency water shutoff tips throughout these descriptions.

How to Identify Water System Components Shown in the Page Top Sketch

The page top sketch is expanded by detailed photographs as we explain each of the components and controls of wells, pumps, and water tanks. In our sketch (sorry the author is a technician but not an artist), you can identify the basic components of a private well system (listed next) but as you'll see in our detailed articles and photos which follow, these components are not always located where they're as easy to spot and name as in our drawing.

1. 
   Air valve (Label #7) or "Schrader valve" (looks like a tire valve). The water tank air valve shown in this photo is one that you should not normally have to use as it's installed on a captive air or bladder type water tank.
   
   On water tanks that do not use an internal bladder, the air valve, or Schrader valve, used to add air to the water tank can be seen in this photo. Details are at TANK AIR INLET VALVE.
   At WATER TANK AIR, HOW TO ADD we discuss adding the right amount of air to a non-bladder steel or glass-lined well tank.
   And at WATER TANK BLADDER PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT we discuss fine tuning the pump pressure control switch to work perfectly with the exact air pressure pre-charge in a bladder type well tank.
   
   
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Air volume control (Label #6) and copper or plastic tube connecting the AVC to the water pump or a fitting nearby.
   
   This valve is Not present on "captive air" bladder type water tanks - this control can take several appearances. Here is a photo of a different type of water tank air volume control.
   Details on using and repairing water tank air volume controls are at WATER TANK AIR VOLUME CONTROLS
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Electrical Power (Labeled SW) - Electrical switch at the water pump. See WATER PUMP ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
   
   
4. 
   
   Gauge (Label #3) - Water tank pressure gauge. The water pressure gauge on home water systems is one of the most helpful and simple devices used in diagnosing poor water pressure and pump, well, or pump control problems.
   
   This gauge has broken cover and needs replacement. See WATER TANK PRESSURE GAUGE for water pressure gauge explanation and repair advice.
   
   We discuss gauge problems with air or water pressure gauge readings on water tanks at How to Read Water Tank Air Pressure Accurately
   
   
   
   
5. Piping (Labeled "from pump & well" at left) - Well piping bringing water from the well to the water pressure tank and building. See WATER SUPPLY & DRAIN PIPING
   
   
6. Piping (Labeled "to house fixtures" at right )- Building water supply piping a main water line leaving the water pressure tank and bringing water to the building and its fixtures. See  Water pipe clog diagnosis and   Water pipe clog repair guide
   
   
7. 
   
   Pump- Water pump either at or close to the water pressure tank or located separately in a well pit (not shown in this sketch) or in the well itself (shown as pump at far center right in sketch at the top of this page). the water pump shown in this photo is installed right on top of the water tank and it is easily identified as a "one line jet pump" since we see only a single pipe entering the pump from the well - the black ABS piping coming into the pump from its lower left.
   
   The outlet of this one line jet water pump is the copper pipe at upper right of the blue pump assembly. If you do not see a water pump anywhere in the building, and if the property does not use an outdoor well pit or well house, then your well water pump is probably a submersible unit.
   
   Details of the different types of water pumps such as one line jet pumps, two line jet pumps, and submersible water pumps are described in detail at PUMP TYPES & LIFE EXPECTANCY
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. 
   
   Relay Switch - Pump relay (Drawn as box at right center in sketch) turns on and off a higher-voltage water pump such as some submersible pumps (not present on all water systems).
   
   The water pump relay switch is a heavy-duty switch that turns on and off a submersible water pump. Some lower ampacity submersible well water pumps may be switched on and off directly by the pump pressure control switch.)
   
   Shown here is a Homart submersible well pump relay switch. You can see a Gould(TM) submersible water pump relay switch mounted on the wall in the photograph below titled Tank (Label #1) - water tank. For details about the water pump relay switch, its use, inspection, and repair, See WATER PUMP RELAY SWITCH
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. 
   
   Relief Valve (Label #2) - pressure relief valve on the water tank.
   
   Water tank relief valves were omitted by lots of plumbers installing pump, tank, and well systems, but most plumbing codes and local codes require a pressure relief valve on any tank which contains something under pressure, including a home water tank.
   
   Should the water tank rupture, even at fairly low pressures, a bystander could be hurt or even killed.
   
   This happened to a plumber in New York state, making pressure relief valve believers out of plumbers in the area.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. Shutoff (Label #5) - Main water shutoff valve. Details are at MAIN WATER SHUTOFF VALVE
    
    
11. 
    Switch, pressure (Label #4)- Water tank and pump pressure control switch. The well water pump pressure control switch is the "brain" of a home pump and well system, sensing the water pressure in the building and controlling the turn-on (at low pressure or "cut-in" pressure) and turn-off (at high pressure or "pump cut-out" pressure) of the water pump itself.
    
    All home water pumps use some type of pressure control switch to turn the water pump on and off.
    
• How to Adjust Water Pump Pressure: The detailed, step by step procedure for inspecting and adjusting the water pressure control switch is discussed in detail at ADJUST PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL.
• Diagnosing Water Pump Short Cycling on and off: If your water pump is clicking on and off too often or quite rapidly see SHORT CYCLING.
• Diagnosing & Repairing Lost Air in the Water Tank: The problem of lost air in the water pressure tank along with how to correct that condition are discussed beginning at SIGNS OF AIR LOSS. At WATER TANK AIR, HOW TO ADD we discuss adding the right amount of air to a non-bladder steel or glass-lined well tank. And at WATER TANK BLADDER PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT we discuss fine tuning the pump pressure control switch to work perfectly with the exact air pressure pre-charge in a bladder type well tank.
• Diagnosing & Repairing a Water Pressure Control or Water Pump Control Switch: We discuss diagnosing and repairing a water pressure control switch that sticks "on" or "off" or simply won't operate, at water pump Pressure Switch Repairs
  
  
  
12. Tank (Label #1) - water tank: The water pressure tank showing air in the upper portion and water in the lower portion of the tank. The water pressure tank in most buildings has the job of smoothing the pressure and flow of delivery of water to the building.
    
    At a property whose water well has very limited recovery rate or flow rate, the water tank may be larger, or there may be several of them installed.
    
    In this case the water tank is also storing a buffer quantity of water for use in the home so that the poor well delivery rate does not directly affect the occupants in the building.
    
    Details are at WATER TANK TYPES: WATER, OIL, EXPANSION, ALL. At WATER TANK AIR, HOW TO ADD we discuss adding the right amount of air to a non-bladder steel or glass-lined well tank.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
13. Tee (Label #2) - Bronze tee and water tank pressure relief valve (not always present, but a relief valve should always be installed - add one if it's missing. You can see the bronze water tank tee attached to the bottom of a water tank, and providing a plumbing connection point for a water tank gauge, pressure relief valve, and a tank drain valve all mounted in this photograph. See TANK RELIEF VALVE

Detailed descriptions of water system parts and controls, valves, switches, pumps, piping, etc. are provided in the remaining chapters of this article and are listed just below.

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PLUMBING TOPICS
OIL TANKS
SEPTIC SYSTEMS
WATER PRESSURE REGULATOR ADJUST
WATER PRESSURE REPAIR GUIDE & COSTS
WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS GUIDE
WATER PRESSURE & FLOW MEASUREMENT
WATER PUMPS & WELL TANKS
  WATER PUMP CONTROLS & SWITCHES
  IDENTIFY WELL PUMP TANK COMPONENTS
  MAIN WATER SHUTOFF VALVE
  WATER PUMP ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
  WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL
    WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT
    WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL REPAIR
    WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL REPLACE
  WATER PRESSURE REGULATOR ADJUST
  WATER PUMP RELAY SWITCH
  WATER TANK AIR VOLUME CONTROLS
  TANK AIR INLET VALVE
  TANK AIR VALVE REPAIRS
  WATER TANK PRESSURE GAUGE
  WATER TANK DRAIN VALVE
  WATER TANK RELIEF VALVE
  CHECK VALVES
  WATER FILTERS
WATER PUMP TYPES & LIFE EXPECTANCY
  WATER PUMP, ONE LINE JET
  PUMP, TWO LINE JET
  PUMP, SUBMERSIBLE
  PUMPS, OTHER Kinetic Water Ram, Manual, Artesian
  PUMP, WATER PRESSURE BOOSTER
WATER PUMP & TANK SAFETY
WATER SUPPLY & DRAIN PIPING
WATER TANK TYPES: WATER, OIL, EXPANSION, ALL
  CAPTIVE AIR BLADDER WATER TANKS
  STEEL WATER TANKS
  BIG WATER STORAGE TANKS
  OPEN WATER TANKS
WATER TANK LIFE EXPECTANCY
WATER TANK REPAIRS
WATER TANK AIR, HOW TO ADD
WATER TANK BLADDERS & CAPTIVE AIR
WATER TANK REPLACEMENT
WATER TANK BLADDER PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT
WATER TANK PRESSURE CALCULATIONS
WATER TANK SIZE & VOLUME
WATER TANKS HOW THEY WORK
WATER TESTING
WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES
WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS
WELL, PUMP, TANK LIFE EXPECTANCY

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