Pump Troubleshooting
What to do if your existing bore has lost water, or your pump has lost water pressure, or is running but no water is coming out, or it's pumping a lot of sand?
If your pump is running and no water is coming out, but the taps are open, and it sounds normal.
TURN OFF THE POWER!You may need to prime your pump (especially if you haven't used your pump for more than a week); please see our priming video for instructions:
If you have primed your pump 3 times and all it does is spit out the water in the bowl of the pump (about 2L) but then stops, turn it off at the power point, then call us (tel:1800193194); it needs more love. We offer a free appraisal of your pump and bore's condition; this can often be done over the phone. It's FREE!
Is your pump making excessive noise, new noises (squealing), or does the motor feel really hot to touch?
It could be that your pump has seen better days; please call us on 1800 193 194 or Don Phimister on 0439 949 679, or R&T Pumps on 07 4953 3700 for your pump inspection and repair needs.
Does your water flow rate start off good but gradually (seconds, minutes or hours) reduces back to a dribble? Then might come back good briefly, then drop off again?
It could be that the aquifer has been depleted, run dry, moved or shifted, or the bore casing is choked with fine sand. All or any of these are possible. Please call us on 1800 193 194 for a free appraisal.
You can hear gurgling coming from the bore right before the flow rate drops!
Like #3 above, the usual cause is that the pump is removes more water than the bore can replenish. If the bore has been established for a few years, the likely cause is that the groundwater level has dropped. The aquifer levels drop every dry season in Mackay, and some bores drilled before 2013 were too shallow. The water levels in town bores can drop by 1 to 3 metres (3 - 10 feet) every July - December. Sometimes there is a quick fix to clean the bore out with our vacuum pump to get more depth. Sometimes, the only solution is to drill a new deeper bore close to the existing one.
Call us on 1800 193 194 for a free appraisal.
My bore pump is top-dressing my lawn with fine sand; is that bad?
Yes, and no.
The leading causes of this are:- Shifting sands in the aquifer (often in the months following a flood).
- Aquifer water levels dropping or rising.
- Bore casing failure.
- The slots for the water to come into the casing were cut too big (wide) to begin with.
- The bore installers used fly screen, shade cloth, or stockings and it has since disintegrated and now lets in sand up to 5mm (or larger).
Some of these things are repairable. Otherwise, it will require a new bore to be drilled to the appropriate depth for today's dryer conditions, with better quality PVC bore casing with factory cut fine slots and using our industry best practice drilling methods that give us the option to put a sand filter around the casing to keep the natural fine sand out.
Call us on 1800 193 194 for your free evaluation.
My bore water is causing brown/orange stains on my pump/fence/house/driveway?
The main cause of this is iron bacteria; please see this document from the Dept. Natural Resources and Water (DRDMW this week) for more information. We can apply a non-toxic treatment to the bore, which will dissolve the brown/orange sludge and temporarily fix the problem. This is not an expensive treatment and can last for many months.
We can also supply cleaning products to clean both porous (concrete), and non-porous (steel or glass) surfaces around your property.
We can provide an excellent long term solution using a patented ultrasonic device to keep the bacteria from growing. This cutting edge technology is available now.
Call us on 1800 193 194, and we can come and test your bore water for total dissolved iron (TDI) and give you an appraisal on what cleaning product(s) are best suited for your bore and your property.
After the recent floods/earthquakes/cyclones, my bore/pump has stopped working. What is the cause and can I claim it on household insurance?
Natural disasters can cause pumps and even bores to cease working. Please make use of our free appraisal service for your pump. We are happy to provide your insurer with whatever documentation they require to evaluate your claim.
My pump is humming, the motor is not turning, and no water is coming out.
TURN IT OFF IMMEDIATELY! We cannot stress this enough.
Please call us on 1800 193 194 for advice; it could be a simple $100 fix.
My pump is still running after I have turned the taps off. Is that bad?
It is normal for the pump to continue running for up to 30 seconds after you have turned the taps off as it builds pressure before the pressure switch cuts the power.
If your pump continues to run and no water is coming out, please turn it off at the power and call us on 1800 193 194 or Don Phimister on 0439 949 679 or R&T Pumps on 07 4953 3700 for your pump inspection and repair needs.