Ask Me Help Desk - Well pump - Low pressure but everything is new?

I am stumped.

We have a well pump about 180' down and replaced it about a year ago when the water pressure started acting up. It would cut off or get low then go back to normal. After replacing the pump, all was good for a while. Then the pressure started dropping and it would trip the pressure switch ( with the reset lever ). I would have to constantly reset the switch if we used more then one water source at a time ( shower & toilet, hose & sink, etc )

So I asked around and several different people told me my tank was probably water logged. It was about 13 yrs old so I figured it was the culprit. Once I decided to replace the tank, I replaced everything on the inside of the house. ( pressure switch, control box, pressure tank, all lines around the tank, along with the in-line whole house water filter system. I also increased the tank from a 20 to a 36 gallon at the reccomendation of the guy at the plumbing store because of the number of outlets in house. The new pressure switch does not have the reset lever.

I now have a pump from last year and all new parts inside but still have a low pressure issue. We are not able to use two showers at a time or the water pressure will drop so low you can barely rinse your hair. When using one shower, pressure will be slightly below average and will become awesome when pressure tank gauge is reaching about 60psi. Pressure drops as gauge drops. Pumps turns on around 40 and off around 63.

Air pressure in the tank is about 40psi.

There is also a water softener on the system which has a bypass valve. I have tried it with the softner on and also with it off. No change in the pressure issue.

I have also tried adjusting the nuts on the pressure switch. I am able to increase the cut off, which is now at 63, but cut in stays in sync with it and currently cuts on around 40. If I adjust the smaller nut, it loosens above the spring and does nothing to the cut on.

I know it's a lot here but I wanted to try to cover all the attempts so you have as much info as I can provide.

Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. I have run out of ideas.

Thanks

Jay

The one thing you have not changed might be the culprit, and that is the well itself. Sounds like you are simply not getting enough volume in the well.

When your pressure falls off to nothing, check two things:
1. The pressure on your gauge.
2. Is the pump still running?

If the gauge shows low pressure such as 10 or 20 pounds, yet the pump is still running, then there is an issue with the pump, the wellpipe, or the volume of water the well can deliver.

Who installed the new pump? If it was a well company, then I'd get them back out there and see what they think. It might be possible to put the pump a little lower down if it turns out to be an issue with the well itself.

Be careful about letting the pump run dry. Most pumps have some thermal protection so that they shut down when running dry, but it's not a good idea to push that too hard. I'd feel better if you had a switch with a reset lever. That's what the reset is for, to protect the pump in case it's running dry.

Not sure if it's a flow much as much as a pressure problem.

There is flow to the tank and the pressure gauge does not drop past the set cut in around 40. It has never dropped to 10 or 20.

Pump flows when calling for water as it should. It will continue until the gauge hits about 62 and then cuts off. With faucet on, it will stay off until gauge drops back to 40 and kicks back on again.

It appears everything is operating as it should but just without the proper pressure at a constant rate. Almost as if the pressure tank is not doing it's job but with empty pressure at 39 psi.

I switched from a lever pressure switch to a non lever because every time the pressure would drop, it shut the water off completely and force someone to manually reset it in the basement. Not all that bad when someone else is home but definitely a PIA when you are home alone in the shower with shampoo in your hair.

At least now without a reset lever, the water stays on even though it's at a minimum until pressure builds back up.

Thanks

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There is flow to the tank and the pressure gauge does not drop past the set cut in around 40. It has never dropped to 10 or 20.

I'm not following you. If the pressure does not drop past 40, then you should not be having problems.

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Pump flows when calling for water as it should. It will continue until the gauge hits about 62 and then cuts off. With faucet on, it will stay off until gauge drops back to 40 and kicks back on again.

When pressure drops from 60 to 40, that should be a SLOW process. How slow depends on the size of your pressure tank, but should at least take a couple of minutes. Is that the case with your system?

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It appears everything is operating as it should but just without the proper pressure at a constant rate. Almost as if the pressure tank is not doing it's job but with empty pressure at 39 psi.

All the pressure tank can do is store water under pressure. It does not generate pressure, for that's the pump's job. Just bear in mind that the system is designed to operate within the 40#/62# range of the switch, so the pressure will be constantly changing when water is being used. When water is NOT being used, the pressure should hold rock steady.

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I now have a pump from last year and all new parts inside but still have a low pressure issue. We are not able to use two showers at a time or the water pressure will drop so low you can barely rinse your hair.

I am assuming you mean that the two showers work OK to begin with, but the pressure drops off as water is used. Is that the case? This could point to a problem with the pump not being able to deliver enough water. It can generate the pressure, but not the volume you need. To find the pump's volume, go to an outside faucet with a five gallon bucket. Run water until the switch cuts the pump on. Now fill the five gallon bucket. Write the time it takes down. Do that three or four times. You need to get a good five or six gallons a minute. I'm going to guess you are nowhere near that. If that's the case, then you have to start thinking either pump, well pipe, or the ability of the well to deliver enough water.

When pressure at your showers drops down low, check that pressure gauge. If it's holding at 40 or better, then you have to start looking between the pressure tank and the showers. With 40+ pounds, you should not have problems. I'm not saying the showers would pin you to the wall, but it would be acceptable.

-- Pressure in tank operates as per the switch and appears to be functioning properly.

-- When pressure drops from 60 to 40, it takes a few minutes. ( 36 gallon pressure tank )

-- Pressure on gauge is steady when water is not in use.

-- Yes, both showers operate well when used individually but water pressure is low when using both at same time. One shower being used will show water pressure dropping and rising as pressure tank fills and empties but water pressure is still usable even at the lower pressure. It's just not that strong.

-- I believe it is a 1/2hp pump down about 180 ft. When we first bought the house, we could use two showers and flush toilet at same time without noticing much of a change in water pressure and did so for about 6 years until pump crapped out so I'm confused as to what has changed. Pump was 13 yrs old when replaced and was replaced with identical model. All was good for a while but then pressure issue popped up and I have been having a problem pinpointing the cause.

-- I will try the outside water bucket and see how long it takes to fill. I'm guessing it will be fine if only using one water source but am interested to see how long it takes. If it takes longer then a minute to fill, what is that telling me? Does that mean it's a pump issue? Would it help any if I change pump to a 3/4 hp?

Thanks

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-- I will try the outside water bucket and see how long it takes to fill. I'm guessing it will be fine if only using one water source but am interested to see how long it takes. If it takes longer then a minute to fill, what is that telling me? Does that mean it's a pump issue? Would it help any if I change pump to a 3/4 hp?

That will tell you how much water the pump is able to deliver However, from what you have said, it seems that, even with two showers going, the pressure drops to 40, the pump kicks on and gets it back to 60 where the pump cuts off, and the cycle just continues. If that's the case, then the pump is doing its job. It is supplying more water than you are using.

Is there a cutoff valve between the tank and the house, other than the softener? If so, cut off the power and drain pressure to zero. Take the valve apart and see if it's clogged. When you change a pump, it loosens "crud" and it has to go somewhere. Could be in that valve or somewhere else downstream.