I may have bitten off more than I can chew here. I can usually do a few light home repair things with the help of the internet, but this is some wiring that I can't figure out. Also, please forgive my lack of terminology.

I have water out of a well (don't know what type) and the water comes into a pressure tank. Hooked up to the pressure tank is what I believe is a pressure switch, right? It's got wires coming out that go into the basement wall (I assume out to the well) and wires on the other side going back to the house (I assume to the elertical box). So anyway I got to replace that thing.

SFSG. Got all the parts I need at home depot. Read all the instructions. Took the old switch out, put the new switch in. I even labeled all the wires! I checked both switches have the same wiring configuration.

And then....in wrestling the wires back into the new switch through the holes in the side, the labels came off save one. Some more internetting, looks like the live power wires go on the outside terminals and the two pump wires go on the inside terminals.

Then I flip the power back on, hit the lever on the side of the pressure switch and SPARK. I've done this twice now. The internet said it didn't matter which wire went where, as long as the power ones were on power and the pump ones were on the pump. I've already called in help but he'll be a while and I'm just curious what am I doing wrong?

You can put the 2 pump wires on the middle 2 screws or the 2 outside screws. It will arc when you first hold the lever to the run position. Does it trip the breaker ? If not just keep holding it til the pressure gets up to 25 PSI, then you can release the lever.

Yeah it trips the breaker. Im reasonably sure i screwed this up somehow. Me and electricity are not friends.

Why did you replace the pressure switch ? There may be another problem further down the line.

Our water quit on us a few nights ago. Friend looked at it, said it was the pressure switch. He showed me how u could manually push in the contacts to get water (no lever on old switch).

Some more consulting with handymen i know and some internetting sent me on the path to replace it.

Im really not good with this stuff. Quite frankly its embarassing since i live in redneck country. People tend to judge me harshly when they realise i suck at that type of stuff. I just wanted to do it myself!

ok, the old switch wasn't making contact on a call for water. It could be the pipe directly under the switch is clogged and not allowing the water pressure to reach the switch, or the switch was bad.
I don't like the low water cutoff switches with a lever, you have to hold the lever til the pressure reaches 25PSI or so before you can release it. Carefully examine the wiring and make sure that no naked wires are touching each other or the connector they are passing thru.

Problem solved. I had all the wires right but did not realise the ground had to be on the same side. Deeeeeeerrrrr lol

IT is almost impossible to tell you HOW to wire it without being there to see the wiring diagram.

tHE "GROUND" should NOT be connected to a switch.

Yeah I know the ground goes to these two screws at the bottom. I didn't realize each screw was specific for a ground.

Anyway, problem solved, got a pro lookin at it and was all good besides that. I got like 90% of the way there! lol...

Next time use the camera on your phone. Easy way to review what needs to be done.

Tried that too, but the wiring so twisted up taking a pic didmt help. Shouldve taken a video. But work space was limited and i was in shelobs lair at this point.