rapid cycling on and off

[Moe]

Hi,

I just installed the PS1-sidekick and am having major problems. The house is an old cabin with 1/2" pipes throughout (including into and out of hot water heater). I put in a Gould J5S pump so I could bypass most of the pipes and send water to only one shower/facet for winter use, so I figure this pump and the CSV should be all that's needed. Water comes straight from the lake (about 30 feet length, maybe 5 foot rise) goes into the intake into the pump is 3/4", output I restricted to 1/2" PEX right away to match the rest of the house. There are no valves between the pump and pressure tank, though do have a filter between the pressure tank and the water heater. After priming with a pump to get air out, if I start with the valve as directed (counterclockwise to it's almost off), the pump cycles off rapidly (a few times a second) and will not run.  If I adjust for a higher pressure it will start running and then start a few rapid cycles around 40, at which point it will lose a lot of pressure and then run ok and fill up again until reaching 40 then cycling on/off again. Also, when it is running OK for that brief time if I shut off the water, it does not seem to be able to hold any pressure, gauge starts going down.
Not sure what to do at this point, I thought maybe changing the intake line to the pump and to the pressure tank to bigger pipes, but not sure this will do the trick as they will have to be restricted after that. Any ideas? Any help would be appreciated.

[Cary Austin]

It sounds like you are still using the pressure switch attached to the jet pump?  You must use the pressure switch that came with the Pside-Kick kit and bypass or remove the switch on the side of the motor. 

It also sounds like you do not have a foot valve.  Because when you are not using any water and the pump shuts off, the pressure should stay where it is when the pump went off, not drop and restart the pump.

[Moe]

Hi, I had connected the pressure switch from the side-kick to the pressure switch of the jet pump, like you had it in the pictures (should I remove the jet pressure switch completely)? About the footvalve, yes I was thinking about check valves but this makes even more sense. Thanks again,

[Cary Austin]

You don't have to remove the pressure switch on the side of the motor, but you don't want to use it either.  The wiring diagram in the PK1A shows how to use the old pressure switch just to connect the new switch to the motor.  You only use 2 of the 4 post in the old switch.

[Moe]

Thanks!