Torque arrestors act as a centering device to keep your pump, pipe, & wire centered in the well. Most wells are cased in steel, are not straight, & have jagged edges. It is a good idea to use torque arrestors to prevent your equipment from "slapping" against the well casing when the pump "kicks" on. The manufacturer suggests one be installed every 200' in a residential well. Another more efficient option to prevent high torque and energy consumption on start up is to use a constant pressure pump.

These pressure gauges are filled with liquid glycerine. The purpose of this is to keep the gauge from freezing and to act as a cushion for the needle. Glycerine gauges are more expensive but will last longer than dry gauges.

An air volume control or AVC, is used to release excess air from a galvanized pressure tank. An AVC, snifter valve, and bleeder valve are necessary for the air injection in a galvanized pressure tank application. A galvanized pressure tank does not have a rubber bladder. If a home owner is experiencing excess air in the water supply line and has a galvanized tank, more than likely the air volume control is bad. The air volume control is threaded into the side of the tank with the red float located in the tank. A pressure gauge is then threaded into the top of the gray part of the AVC.

Most of the time this valve is capped because it looks like a bicycle tire valve. Although this valve works in the same way it is not to be capped. The snifter valve is the third component used in the air injection process of a galvanized pressure tank application. This valve assists in the air injection process by allowing air to enter into the water supply line. When the pump shuts off this valve will suck in and allow air to enter the pipe line. At the same time the water in the first stick of pipe will drain back down into the well. If your pump is kicking on and off rapidly chances are the tank is waterlogged (full of water, no air). If this is the case either your bleeder valve or snifter valve needs to be replaced. For more information read about the bleeder valve.

All systems should have PRV's! Pressure relief valves or PRV's are used to release excess pressure from the line. This is a safety valve that should prevent the water supply line from exploding, similar to the valve used on a hot water heater. Some PRV's are adjustable. For e.g. you can set the pressure at 75 PSI so that if for some reason the pressure exceeds the maximum of 75 PSI the pressure relief will pop off and release the pressure.

FSG2 Square D Pumptrol pressure switches are the most widely sold switches on the market. Rated for up to 1-1/2 HP pumps at 115 Volt, or up to 2 HP pumps at 230 Volt.