Our well works again!

[This is a follow-up to my post last night, wherein our well pump malfunctioned.]

Brainstorming with last night, we concluded that the most likely point of failure in the well was the well pump. It was unlikely that the well had run dry, the tank is sort of self explanatory. It wasn’t cracked or leaking, and the pump was running without, apparently, spewing water everywhere. Which it would be doing if it were pumping water for 8 hours.

This morning, Robert, who is quite handy, came by on a previously arranged errand. He was on his way to the dump and had a metal bathtub that we were going to look at. You can’t have too many bathtubs, no? Actually, since starting Sunflower River, we’ve had quite a number of crazy offers–I don’t think you can be anywhere *but* a farm to have someone call you up and say “Hey, you want a bathtub?”

At any rate, he looked at the pump and speculated that the pressure regulator was broken. This fit the evidence, in that the pump was “stuck” on, continuously trying to pump water out of the ground. We could switch the pump on and off manually, and water flowed just fine through the system.

The pressure regulator on the pump is a mechanical object. It engages the pump motor when the water pressure drops. We cleaned it out and applied some lubrication. (the same stuff we use to lube our sewing machines–3 in 1.)

For now, the pump is shutting off when it is supposed to! Our well works again!

We knew when we bought the house that the well was something that we’d have to look at sooner or later. Today was a scare in the right direction, I think. I certainly know much more about my well now, which I’m deeply thankful for.