Very Confusing well pump issue

I really hope someone can help me. This is very confusing. Here is what I have: I have a submersible well pump, approximately 60 ft. down. My pressure switch is set at 25/50 psi. When the pressure reaches 20 psi, the pump kicks on, gradually increasing to 30 psi, then suddenly (within about 1 second) jumps to 50 psi and kicks off, then almost immediately the pressure drops back down to the 30 psi. I have a 25 gallon diaphragm tank that is about 6 years old...I don't see any black particles in my water (from a ruptured bladder). I also have a check valve between the pitless adapter and the pressure gauge/switch. Anybody have any suggestions on what could be causing the sudden increase in pressure (shooting up from 30 to 50 almost immediately), and then when the pump kicks off, immediately dropping back to 30 psi and holding there?
Thanks for any help!
Matt

 

It sounds like the air pressure in your tank needs to be reset. If your switch is 25 to 50. The air in the tank should be around 22 to 23psi.

Drain all the water out and then check the air in the tank.


Travis

 

Buy another cheap gauge and hook up to spigot and see if your well kicks on and off at range you think it does according to existing gauge.

Then shut off the well.

Then shut off valve between pressure tank and house trunk line to keep from back draining water out of house lines.

Then drain water out of pressure tank.

Then check air pressure of pressure tank Shrader valve to see if bladder pressure is 2 psi less than the kick on (approximate 25 psi as you claim) pressure. I bet not. And also - all it takes is a minute loss of water to allow unpressurized tank to lose that 50 psi and drop about all the way back down. Add air at this time, to said specs, if called for, while tank is empty/not under pressure.

(Technically since water does not compress, all it takes is one drop of water added under pressure to increase pressure way up on a gauge. And conversely, if only 1 drop seeps past a check valve or even a drippy faucet or leaky toilet or whatever, the pressure would suddenly drop the same way it climbed)

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I see I got beat to the punch by waterwelldude's far shorter post. No posts were made when I began.

 

Thanks guys, it was the air pressure in the tank. I only had about 4 lbs. Now, the next question, what is causing the tank to lose air pressure? It went from 23 lbs. about 6 months ago to the 4 I had today.

 

There may be a hole in the bladder, or the schrader valve on the tank is leaking.

Travis

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Sometimes fewer words are all that is needed..