Troubleshooting hub
Well Pump Troubleshooting: Find the Problem From the Symptom
Most well problems announce themselves the same way: through the faucet, the pressure gauge and the sound of the pump. Start with what you notice, not with the part you suspect.
On this page
Before you suspect the pump, answer three questions: Is there power? (breaker, switch, recent storm), what does the pressure gauge say? (zero, low, climbing, bouncing) and what is the pump doing? (silent, running nonstop, clicking on and off). Those three answers rule out most causes. Then use the symptom guides below — each one separates what you can safely check from what needs a licensed well contractor.
Electricity and water
Residential well pumps run on 120- or 240-volt circuits, and the wiring sits right next to pressurized water. Every check in our guides is done by looking, listening, reading the gauge or operating a breaker or valve. Opening the pressure switch, control box or well cap, testing wiring, and pulling the pump are jobs for a licensed professional. If a breaker trips again after one reset, leave it off.
Choose your symptom
- TroubleshootingPump runs but no waterPump sounds normal, gauge sits near zero — why, and why to cut power fast.
- TroubleshootingWell pump won't turn onSilent pump, no water, or a breaker that trips — work from power to motor.
- TroubleshootingLow water pressure from a wellWeak flow everywhere or at one fixture — find where pressure is lost.
- TroubleshootingWell pump short cyclingPump turns on and off every few seconds — tank, check valve, leak or switch.
- TroubleshootingWell pump keeps runningWon't shut off or won't build pressure — read the gauge to narrow it down.
- TroubleshootingHow to tell if a pressure tank is badWaterlogged, losing air or corroded — five checks and when to replace.
Not sure which one fits? The symptom troubleshooter asks a few questions and points you to the right guide.
Symptom troubleshooter
Question 1
This tool is for educational guidance and does not replace an onsite diagnosis. If you see sparks, smell burning, or a breaker trips twice, turn the pump's breaker off and call a licensed professional.
The first five minutes: safe checks for any symptom
Safe to check
- Breaker. Find the double breaker labeled "well" or "pump" in your panel. If it's tripped, reset it once. If it trips again, stop — that's an electrical fault, not a nuisance.
- Pump switch or disconnect. Many systems have a switch or fused disconnect near the tank. Make sure it's on.
- Pressure gauge. Read it and write the number down. Then open a faucet near the tank and watch the gauge for a minute.
- Sound. Listen at the pressure switch for a click when pressure falls to cut-in. With a jet pump, listen at the pump itself.
- Valves. Confirm the valves on the tank tee and on the house line are open. A half-closed valve after plumbing work is a common culprit.
- Recent events. Power outage, lightning, a long dry spell, new irrigation, or someone "adjusting the pressure" are all strong clues.
- Filters. If pressure is low but the gauge at the tank looks normal, a clogged sediment or treatment filter is the first suspect.
Symptom map: what usually causes what
This table condenses the system troubleshooting tables that Franklin Electric publishes for submersible pump installers[1] and Pentair's jet-pump troubleshooting chart,[2] reorganized around what a homeowner sees.
| Symptom | Common causes | First safe check | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| No water, pump silent | Tripped breaker or blown fuse, failed pressure switch, control box fault (3-wire), failed motor or cable, low-pressure cutoff tripped | Breaker and disconnect; listen for the switch click | Pump won't turn on |
| No water, pump running | Lost prime (jet pumps), broken drop pipe, check valve stuck shut, water below the pump intake, pump or shaft failure | Gauge near zero? Cut power | Runs but no water |
| Pump clicks on and off every few seconds | Waterlogged tank or low precharge, check valve leaking back, leak, switch or sensing port problem | Time the cycle; check tank air valve with pump off | Short cycling |
| Pump runs and won't stop | Water use or leak, worn pump, low water level, broken pipe, stuck switch contacts | Watch the gauge; close the house valve | Pump keeps running |
| Weak pressure everywhere | Clogged filter, pressure switch set low, waterlogged tank, worn pump, low yield, undersized piping | Compare tank gauge with pressure at faucets | Low water pressure |
| Breaker trips | Motor, cable or control-box fault; bound (sand-locked) pump; low voltage; overheating | Reset once only; call a pro if it trips again | Breaker section |
| Spitting faucets, air in lines | Water level near the intake, suction leak (jet pumps), leaking drop pipe, tank problem | Note when it happens (after long use?) | Air and sputtering |
Know your system before you call
A contractor can diagnose faster when you can answer these. Most answers are on labels or in the paperwork from the last service call.
Write these down
- Pump type
- Submersible (nothing above ground but the well cap) or jet (a pump motor in the basement or well house). See how to tell them apart.
- Pressure switch setting
- Usually printed inside or on the switch cover: 20/40, 30/50 or 40/60.
- Tank size and age
- On the tank label: model, gallons, date.
- Well depth and pump depth
- On the well log or completion report, if you have one. Many states keep these records.
- Control box
- A gray box on the wall near the tank suggests a three-wire submersible.
- What changed
- Storm, outage, drought, new fixtures, recent service.
A typical submersible-pump system. Jet-pump systems put the pump above ground instead (see the pump-type comparison).
- Pump and motor — sits below the water level and pushes water up.
- Check valve — keeps water from draining back down the well when the pump stops. Often built into the pump; more may be installed higher up.
- Pitless adapter — where the line leaves the casing, below the frost line.
- Pressure tank — an air cushion stores water under pressure so the pump doesn't start for every glass of water.
- Pressure switch and gauge — the switch turns the pump on at the cut-in pressure and off at the cut-out pressure.
- House supply — filters, softeners and treatment equipment usually sit on this line.
- Electrical supply — a dedicated breaker feeds the pressure switch, which switches power down the well. Three-wire pumps also have a control box on this circuit.
When to call a professional right away
- The breaker trips again after one reset, or you smell burning.
- The gauge climbs past the cut-out setting and the pump doesn't stop.
- The pump runs with the gauge near zero.
- Water is suddenly muddy, sandy or smells different.
- The well cap is damaged, loose or submerged by flooding — the CDC recommends testing well water after flooding and after any part of the well system is repaired or replaced.[3]
Replacement quotes vary widely. Before paying for a new pump, read what a well pump replacement should cost and what to ask the contractor.
Sources
- Franklin Electric. Submersible Motors: Application, Installation & Maintenance (AIM) Manual, 60 Hz. Accessed Sept. 28, 2026.
- Pentair. Pro Shallow Well Jet Pumps — Installation & Operation Manual (P15001, 2023). Accessed Sept. 28, 2026.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for Testing Well Water. Accessed Sept. 28, 2026.
We cite manufacturer documentation and public agencies first. Read how we choose and check sources.