Square D Low Water Low Pressure Switch: How do They Work and Are They Worth It?

In this video I go over what a Low Water Low Pressure Switch for Well Pumps is and their main differences from a standard Pressure Switch. How does a Pressure Switch Work? I also go over are these recommended and necessary (do recommend for a jet pump, don't for a submersible pump).
-------------------SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE VIDEOS------------------------------------
Never miss videos on well drilling, pumps, and water treatment

[@renedemers3205]

I'm A 59 year old Master electrician doing some plumbing in my home. I like hearing from young from young how things are done today. Thank you for the education!.

[@MediselfPress]

Planned power outage last night. No water in the morning. I don't know diddly about my well water system. After resetting the breakers (they were fine) I did suspect that little grey box with a lever. Found your video.Moved the lever up ever so slightly and voila - water pressure! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

[@ZubaZ55]

This video was very helpful for me. My wellhouse serves my house as well as a trough for my longhorns that is 100 yards away. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out when I switched from the well to the rainwater for the house why the trough would die too even though that plumbing was still open. This explained it. New switch totally fixed. Thank you.

[@markkidd2436]

Great video! Just what I needed! My old Square D died. Lowes employee suggested the low pressure, version of my older switch. After one shower, small load of laundry and cleanup for dinner, my pressure bottomed out. Thanks for confirming it was the switch. I’ll look at the Pumptec. Thanks!

[@TheLightworkz]

Thank you for this explanation. I purchased the one with the low pressure switch (because the old one went bad) in November after I turned off the irrigation system. So this weekend I turned the system back on testing the zones and kids showering water cut off. I thought maybe air was still in the irrigation lines. So I used the handy dandy switch to cut the switch back on ran a zone turned on the hose bib water stopped pressure at zero turn it back on using the handle. Same thing. Your video gave me a full explanation as to what the handle is truly for. Guess tomorrow I’ll get a “regular” pressure switch. Thanks for solving my mystery!!!

[@AndreDesmarais-j2l]

You explain thing so people can understand thank you keep doing what you do .

[@sellofficecubes]

Your video helped so much! I watched 9 videos before finding your video that solved my problem. I was being too gingerly on the toggle and not making a connection to start the pump. Appreciate the help.

[@JourneyOnLife]

It's good what you are saying. But just to let you know or give another perspective . The reason I installed a low pressure switch was because at one time with previous owners, there was a leak in the pipe from the top of the outside of well to the inside of house and the pump never shut off and flooded the outside of the house in the winter of all things and froze the back of the house and cracked the basement wall. Soooooo, I installed the low pressure switch and that way if it happened again because I can't be sure how good they fixed it, then the pressure switch will automatically cut the power and save the house. Also in their case the water would keep flowing because it was a low pressure issue that kept water flowing and not just having anything to do with a dry water pipe.

[@joshs1555]

I always try to guess where the accent is from when watching videos... Then I saw the 864 phone number. Good to see a fellow South Carolinian here on KZbin!

[@shinrin-yoku-]

I'm a grandma. Thank you so much for explaining the low pressure switch and saving me some $$$

[@N4EJM]

Thank you for this. Didn’t realize I bought one. Now to Lowes to get a normal one!!

[@shawnreeves3710]

I agree with you the only problem is if you go to most hardware store those stupid low pressure switch is all the have .

[@jimstarr7779]

Wendell, I have had the water tank get so low the pressure pump sucks air, pressure drops, but there is no low pressure cutout and the pump gets so hot running on air it melts the pvc pipes. You MUST have a cutout. I understand you prefer the electrical one, but then you nee that device AND the pressure control switch. I find it much easier to just use the mechanical all-in-one. Yes, I have to know how to reset it, but presumably would need to know that for the electronic one, and it is just one more thing to fail.

[@scotthorton7786]

SON OF A B! I've been fighting that damn pump all day after putting in an overhead sprinkler system,every time the toilet was flushed or a faucet was turned on in the house it shut down. Getting a new switch now.

[@chrisbrignola5559]

same. darn thing cuts out all the time when the old switch didn't. found the old version and will switch it out.

[@boblatzke5886]

Excellent job explanation I was wondering about that lever

[@ultraali453]

Thank you for the video and the PumpTec solution. I have a question though. How is the Pumptec water pump protection unit different from a normal automatic pump controller unit?

[@rickcastrejon6454]

Hi, I enjoyed your video. I'm running a pump to fill a container on the roof of my home. I'm looking for a switch to sensor pressure from the copper pipe from the street. I want the pump to turn off when there is no water from city. I live in an area where we run low on water from city. I don't want to burn out my pump when city pressure is low. Great appreciate your input.

[@tyronephipps7759]

I was ready to break that bar out till this and in regular working man format thanks

[@dmoney2015]

I build commercial grade RO machines all day and I can attest that low pressure cut outs cause more problems than they solve. Our techs will often by pass them in the field turning them into a $50 wire nut basically. They will kill your equipment when the pressure is low but that doesn't always mean the water source has actually stopped. The pumptec is a way better option, the price tag is the only real issue.

[@williamreams4679]

Is there a way to disable the low pressure part of the switch?

[@edwardortman2593]

Do you have any suggestions for a system that has a max pressure output of 23 psi? I have been having massively adjust a standard pressure switch well outside of it's normal range to run my well pump as my max pressure is 23 psi. We have plenty of water for our needs at 23 psi but the switches being adjusted that way do not seem to last all that well. Can I find a well pump switch that is designed to be adjusted to cut on at 15 psi and cut off at 23 psi? I have found some 20-40 switches which I could likely "over adjust" and make it work but I have to adjust it to cut off at 23 psi or less which is tough to adjust as they are not designed for this, otherwise my well pump will run constantly and burn up. I know that I can easily find air switches that can do that but I need to run a water tank with a rubber air bladder in it to use one. Not an issue for me to setup as I am an electrician and mechanic, but I have my pressure setup in the house in a closet beside the water heater and I don't have the room to be adding anything more into there.

[@cosasverdes]

DUDE. THANK YOU.

[@imatugwaddle2291]

OK, but I've got a 2hp irrigation pump. I NEED the switch with the lever to turn it on.

[@jaybuilder8298]

My question is how do you size up the switch to the pump I have a half horse pump and a 30/50 switch but wanted to update the switch maybe to a 40/60

[@cbolinger2390]

Awesome knowledge ! Thank you

[@shipwrightskills-keithmitchell]

Thank you! That was so helpful!

[@sergiocruz2506]

Being that one of the field of the motor is live when the low pressure condition occurs, is there any risk of it burning?

[@joeblow5154]

It sounds like you'll burn up your pump. Pretty much like a brown out.

[@josephkopeczy2678]

is that box same as the franklin box my friend ell pump shuts off she has the franklin boxs and a relay pressure switch it don't have the lever i flip the brake off then back on the pump turn on until you turn the valve on for the water storage tank i also can move the relay contact to open let it close it come on for a awhile as long the house only has pressure the pump don't kick off until you fill the tank i am in California dont know how much water in the well

[@RogueOntheRoad]

Just put a restricted outlet after the switch. Besides the accumulator pressure tank is supposed to keep the pump running. If the switch is before the pressure tank it shouldn't shut off the pump. It's convenience for me to use the low pressure cutoff type switch.

[@vincevesper167]

I would have thought that the LPS would be more for when a pipe breaks - the preesure drops and the pump is decativated. I've have a couple of incidents of my basement flooding because the pump kept going all night after a pipe burst, so one of these should solve that - correct?

[@stroys7061]

Maybe not until your pump couldn’t keep up. I can open a couple of faucets and my pump will maintain pressure.

[@user-pq6mr6op3p]

Yes, that is what they are for. Why he is trying to sell the pumptec is stoopid. A low pressure switch has saved my well pump from overheating from a underground line burst.

[@lucrativepro]

Accidentally bought a switch with low pressure cut off. Didn’t even know it was an option. What a pain in my butt….

[@chris76-01]

What can be done if the pressure switch needs to be tapped on to get the contacts to turn on the pump. It doesn't happen all the time but every so often.

[@MrBruce0777]

I have seen that happen before it's bad points contact As cheap and a new pressure valve is I'd just replace it. Always with the power off when your in there messing around. Or ants got in there and died and are still trapped in the points contacts. Oddly ants love electricity and then their dead ant buddies attracts more ants I've seen the box with hundreds of dead ants in the regulator and in AC units boxes. Use bug spray ahead of time in these areas around the well house floor and outside of wells and ac units.... Never spray electiric panels and such. .

[@chris76-01]

@Bruce Castonguay I ended up taking it apart and sanded all the contacts with sandpaper and reassembled. It's been working good since then. 👍

[@MrBruce0777]

@@chris76-01 It's always a good idea to have an extra one on stand by in case you need it in a hurry. I keep 3 - 5 laying around.

[@bruceprigge5212]

Thank you! :)

[@jreason1s]

Have you ever seen a well that runs both a low pressure switch and a pump tec? It appears that's how my set up is and it cuts water out all the time. Very annoying.

[@manuelcontreras8626]

Ever find an answer ? I'm having same issue

[@JourneyOnLife]

Get a larger pressure tank and split your filters into two pipes coming off the one from the pressure tank to have smooth pressure. If you have low pressure then people in the house will keep sucking the press dry and not learn any way to take it easy with running too many faucets.

[@craigparedes2612]

Do you have to mount a pressure switch horizontally only???

[@WendellLeeWellServices]

you can mount them horizontally or vertically

[@craigparedes2612]

@@WendellLeeWellServices thank you, the video is awesome. I got it changed and I replaced my well pump.

[@chazgriffin5582]

I didn't see the video pop up about the box part

[@cammacgregor9354]

I agree with you

[@stroys7061]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@loganmannke9023]

Shit 400 dollars I'll sit downstairs with a cigar and use a damn teaspoon to sip in the well and throw it at my wife and call it a shower

[@poseypapusdiazfamily4630]

Cut off saved my pump when well ran out of water.

[@JxH]

Even a deep well with a submersible pump can run dry. Of course I don't need to call someone to lift the handle.

[@user-pq6mr6op3p]

Wait a minute...A low pressure switch saved my well pump from continuous running and possible failure from a underground pipe that broke. He wants to sell the Pumptec though cause he looks and talks stoopid. So I can't trust a thing he says.

[@jeremeyc9347]

Nice video but you clame the pump tec Plus cost is not much higher. Are you bill gates Rich or something. Low p cut off cost 45 bucks tops pump tec was in the hundreds of dollars. That's a huge difference bud

[@michellestuddard6362]

Well still have low pressure water not coming in good..

[@vimanaboy]

Pumptec is $289 to $755. That's more than a few dollars more than a regular pressure switch 😡

[@neolightproductions]

So if Im an idiot and keep using too much water and then have to wait a couple hours for it to build back up or reprime it. This may be the option for me. Lol.

[@mosbysmen]

buy a large storage tank , fill it and draw water from the storage tank

[@stephenhollomon3251]

Pumptec is almost 400$. Deal breaker.

[@viisteist1363]

wtf pond and switch?