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bingkb · Apr 7, 2010, 08:28 PM

When I had a smaller pump (shallow well) and small tank my water pressure was great. When I had to replace everything the person installing the system put a bigger pump and a huge pressure tank. It is the size of a 50 gal water heater. I replaced everything. Ever since then my water pressure is terrible. My sprinkler will not even go around. The pressure gage says the pressure is OK. There is plenty of water. I can't figure it out. Do you think the tank is to big?
Kathy

jlisenbe · Apr 8, 2010, 02:01 PM

The pressure gauge says the pressure is OK? What is the gauge reading?

The size of the tank is not the problem. In fact, larger tanks have advantages relative to pump life. Does this just run a sprinkler system? Have you cleaned out the heads to make sure a load of "crud" did not end up going down the pipe when you replaced so much of the system?

bingkb · Apr 8, 2010, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by jlisenbe

The pressure gauge says the pressure is OK? What is the gauge reading?

The size of the tank is not the problem. In fact, larger tanks have advantages relative to pump life. Does this just run a sprinkler system? Have you cleaned out the heads to make sure a load of "crud" did not end up going down the pipe when you replaced so much of the system?

When the guy took the old pipe out, it took him a long time because of all the crud. He said that it had been down there a long time. My whole house is on the well. It is a shallow well,sand point. I don't have a sprinkler system. After he put my new equipment in, I called him the next day and told him my pressure is terrible but he would not come back to even check it. After $1600 you would think he would but he just said "that's the chance you take." But my pressure is so bad my friend says "I can pee faster than that. The tank and pump is down at the bottom (about 10 feet) of a big round concrete pipe. It's about 5 or 6 feet across. The well pipe does down another 20 feet. Maybe the pump itself is just a weak one
Kathy

jlisenbe · Apr 9, 2010, 05:52 AM

Kathy, what does the pressure gauge read? How many pounds of pressure?

speedball1 · Apr 9, 2010, 07:54 AM

Also have you removed a aerator and checked for crud? Do you have a whole house filter installed?
Water softener? Answer Jlisenbe about the pressure reading. Back to you, Tom

mygirlsdad77 · Apr 9, 2010, 03:41 PM

"Thats the chance you take"?! Time to call in a real plumber, this guy sounds like a joke.
Most likely, the pump and pressure tank are just fine. Im thinking along the same line as Tom. Plugged up water softener, or water filter. Do know that plugging of aerators, filters, water softeners, shower heads, toilet fill valves, etc. is common when working on old piping systems(especially well systems). So it is pretty fair to say that you will be charged extra(beyond a bid, if you had one) to remedy these problems. However, the fact that the installer won't even come back and check things out is just down right bad business. Please answer the other questions, pressure gauge reading, any filters or water softener? Hope we can help you out. Lee

PS. After thought... Are you sure the bigger pump isn't sucking the well dry? IF it is, you may be able to throttle down a valve between the pump and the pressure tank to remedy this problem, or lower the pump a few feet. Why was the original pump and pressure tank replaced?

bingkb · Apr 9, 2010, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by jlisenbe

Kathy, what does the pressure gauge read? How many pounds of pressure?

I can't remember. I know the last time we tried to turn it up we could not. I think it was 40. The cover is concrete and to heavy for me to move. I'll get my friend over and I'll let youknow.

Originally Posted by jlisenbe

kathy, what does the pressure gauge read? How many pounds of pressure?

40

speedball1 · Apr 9, 2010, 04:27 PM

Check for crud in the system. The aerators, faucet cartridges, etc. Do you have pressure at the outside hose bib? Do you have a whole house filter installed?
Water softener? Let me know, Tom

jlisenbe · Apr 9, 2010, 07:46 PM

I think the other guys on this one are correct. Bing, don't you have an outside faucet somewhere near the tank? If so, it is much less likely to be "crudded up". Do you have good flow there?

You really need to watch the gauge cycle one time. What does the gauge read when the pump cuts on, and what does it read when the pump cuts off? That may be asking a lot if you can't get the cover off.

MyGirlsDad hit it right. You need someone who is willing to back up his work. Pitiful.

bingkb · Apr 14, 2010, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by jlisenbe

Kathy, what does the pressure gauge read? How many pounds of pressure?

Hi: Ok, we went down there and drained the tank then we put air in the diafram. The pressure on the pump is 45 and it is less on the tank. We have also discovered that it is wired really weird and that at the pump (wheich is 12 feet down a concrete hole) there is another breaker that was so old and cracked and someone had taped it back together. Yesterday it kept tripping the other breaker that is in the panel in the house. My friend Dean took the old breaker out and hard wired it till tomorrow and I'll get a new breaker. The old breaker was like a breaker with a light switch on it.
Anyway, after I took Dean home I came back to find the breaker in the house had tripped again. The water pressure is better at first but I still think the tank is to big and that the pump can't fill it back up as fast or when the guy that replaced the pipe and everything, it took him a long time to get the pipe out and that maybe all the crud and crap on the pipe fell down and is getting sucked up. I don't know. Hey, thanks for your help
Kathy

bingkb · Apr 14, 2010, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by mygirlsdad77

"Thats the chance you take"??!!. Time to call in a real plumber, this guy sounds like a joke.
Most likely, the pump and pressure tank are just fine. Im thinking along the same line as Tom. Plugged up water softener, or water filter. Do know that plugging of aerators, filters, water softeners, shower heads, toilet fill valves, etc. is common when working on old piping systems(especially well systems). So it is pretty fair to say that you will be charged extra(beyond a bid, if you had one) to remedy these problems. However, the fact that the installer wont even come back and check things out is just down right bad business. Please answer the other questions,, pressure guage reading, any filters or water softener? Hope we can help you out. Lee

PS. After thought... Are you sure the bigger pump isnt sucking the well dry? IF it is, you may be able to throttle down a valve between the pump and the pressure tank to remedy this problem, or lower the pump a few feet. Why was the original pump and pressure tank replaced?

Hi: I have cleaned all the everything I can clean. I have no water softener or filter. When I first moved here I had the water checked and the guy said my water is so good he can't even sell me anything. The original pump was replaced because the person putting it in did not ask me first. The pump and tank were fine. I called him out because I was getting no water. He pulled the pipe out and the screen at the bottom had been down there so long it was like concrete. But this was 9 years ago. I have been trying to get a answer to0 this problem ever since. At first he said that there was no rain and the water table was low. After a couple of years of good rain I called him again and said OK there was plenty of rain so what is your next excuse. I live in western Washington for c----- sakes, there is plenty of rain. The pipe is down 22 feet but remember it all starts 12 feet down the pump and everything else is at the bottom of a big concrete hole.
Kathy

bingkb · Apr 14, 2010, 07:05 PM

Guys: I forgot to say that all the old pipes in the house have already been replaced
Kathy