Low Pressure from Pump


  #1  
Old 02-28-05, 05:18 AM
Peter13
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Low Pressure from Well Pump

Hello,
I'm having a problem with the pressure from my submersible water pump. The pressure (at the 'T') will only rise to about 25psi when the line to the house is shut off, and obviously the pump will keep running. Pressure in the tank is about 30psi. Any ideas? I was thinking either the pump is plugged up or maybe a line/check valve is plugged. Sediment have never been a problem however. When the water is 'running' pressure drops down to almost 0 as the pump just can't keep pressure up. I checked the current to the pump as well and it's about 8.8Amps.

Other details: System is about 13 years old (all original, I'm told), pump is 3/4hp Myers, well is 227ft deep, 30/50 pressure switch, Goulds pressure tank.

Thanks!
Pete
 

Last edited by Peter13; 02-28-05 at 05:55 AM.
  #2  
Old 02-28-05, 07:11 AM
P
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Hi,
The amps are pretty close to where they should be, depending on whether you have a 2 or 3 wire motor.
It sounds like you could have a leak in the drop pipe between the pump and the surface. Can you remove the well cap and look/hear down the well?
Other causes could be low water level in the well, or excessive wear in the pump end.
Ron
 
  #3  
Old 02-28-05, 08:29 AM
W
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Hello Peter13,

When the pressure gets as high as it will(25?) Turn valve to house off and power to pump off. Does pressure fall back to "0" ? ( this would show a leak in the line or well ) this is not foolproof because if the leak is in the well and you have a check valve at the tank or at top of well, the pressure will hold. If this is the case, the water will drain back to the well behind the check valve and should "shove" air into the system when the pump is started again.
Another check would be to wait for a few hours with the pump off then see if it will build higher pressure.(with valve to house off) This should tell if your water level was pulled down.
Hope this helps
Waterdoc
 
  #4  
Old 02-28-05, 01:29 PM
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Hi Peter13, and welcome to DIY Forums,
- I would agree in general with the causes put by Waterdoc and Pumpman. To try to narrow it down, go to the wellhead and remove the cap, listen to the sound as the pump is running. You should ONLY hear a low humming. If there's any sound of water splashing or squirting, you almost certainly have a leak in the pipe. (of course it is possible that the check valve on pump is leaking and you'd probably not hear that ) If it sounds normal check along the line to house for wet or damp spots in the ground.

Do it Right - Do it once.
 
  #5  
Old 02-28-05, 04:34 PM
Peter13
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Smile update

Ok, thanks for all the help gang. I checked the well and everything seems fine out there. You can hear the pump humming away, no other strange noises. It's winter here so I had to remove some snow to find it.

I've been playing around (maybe I shouldn't have) with the pressure switch and now it's doing something totally different. The pressure will now run up to about 50psi and the pump shuts off. When you turn a tap on, the pressure drops to 30psi, pump comes one (all normal this far!) but the pressure continues to drop down to about 15psi then the pump shuts off (contacts lift), pressure drops quickly to 0psi and stays there as long as the tap is open. Close the tap, contacts close, pump comes on and pressurizes back up to 25psi very quickly, then slowly up to 50psi again and the pump shuts off.
Now I'm totally confused...it seems the pump can not keep up with the water demand?
Thanks again!
(there will be test at the end of all this!!!)
 
  #6  
Old 02-28-05, 08:14 PM
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Hi Peter ,
- sounds like your tank is waterlogged. ( full of water, no air.) and the pressure switch is possibly faulty. To fix this, shutoff the pump, drain the water out of the tank till it's ALMOST empty. Now if you have an older galv. tank, the air nipple can be almost anywhere, on the side of tank, on inlet pipe or output pipe. In a newer bladder tank it will be at the top of tank. Find this and pump in air with a compressor. ( yes, you can use a bicycle pump, but it takes forever). Put in 28 psi of air. Now start the pump again and see what happens. It should kick on immediately and shut off around 50. Now open up a couple of faucets and watch the gauge to see when the pump starts, should be around 30. Now, the P/S, when you turn the central nut clockwise you are raising the ENTIRE pressure band. ( both cut ON and OFF will go up about 1 1/2 psi each turn). To lower it turn anti-clockwise. If you have a problem with this, post back. I'm still not satisfied this is the answer

Do it Right - Do it once.
 
  #7  
Old 03-13-05, 04:24 PM
Peter13
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update

Hello Gang,
Thanks again for all the help...just a little update (better late than never). I ended up replacing my pressure tank as the bladder was bad. I'm still having a problem with low pressure on the system, I'm only able to get 30psi on the system after the pump runs for 5mins or so. I think I'm going to end up pulling up the pump and checking things there and hopefully will find something to explain the low pressure.

Thanks again!
Pete
 
 

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