Hey guys. I've got an issue with my water pressure. I filled most of our 6,500 gallon pool with water from our tap. Our water stopped running for a bit, so I turned off the hose that was filling the pool. After a little bit, the water came back, but the pressure is dismal. That was 3 days ago. The pressure is still really low. It's constant, but low. It's a drilled well, 90ft down. It was pretty dry for a few days before and while filling the pool, but we had a good rain yesterday. I checked the basement for leaks, found nothing. I can hear the pump running in the well. And the filters are running downstairs. Any thoughts on what could be causing the low pressure? I was thinking either there's a leak in the main line, the pump is (half) fried, or the filter is clogged. We have a pot perm filter by the way.

 

Welcome to the forums! I can't believe you used a well to fill a pool Rain will have nothing to do with the well's output as water comes from stratum far below rock in the earth. You probably have a mud filled foot valve, or your other filters are clogged. Change the elements.

 

It is not uncommon to use a well to fill a pool but that much water, and to the pool, is usually not filtered.

 

Is the pump still cycling on and off with the same time intervals, namely not a lot more frequently than before?

You might recheck the pressure tank and its pressure with the pump off and the rest of the system depressurized.

But we cannot rule out the possibility that the pump is worn out just from working so long and hard. (There may have been moments when the water level in the well dropped so far that the pump was sucking air, which can lead to sudden overheating.)

 

I tried the bypass valve on the greensand filter, the pressure didn't change. I looked at the pressure on the pressure tank. It read about 7psi. Is it possible for a pump to half die?

 

There is a hose "T"ed off from the pressure tank, and the pressure on it seems to be fine. Does that mean that the pressure tank is bad?

 

That would be your issue. Get your pressure up to 30PSI to 50PSI

 

If the pump is off and you are getting good pressure anywhere, then that pressure almost has to be coming from the tank. So the opposite conclusion would be my first thought on the status of your pressure tank.

A picture of this T'ed off situation would help. If you have low pressure in one section and good pressure in another, what you have done is isolated to some extent, where the problem might be.

 

When you re-pressurize your tank, check to see if your pressure tank is waterlogged, have someone run the water just long enough for the pump to come on, then shut the water off. If it builds to what your psi is set to, leave the water off for one hour. Check the pressure every 15 minutes, without running any water.

If the pressure in the tank holds and doesn't drop more than about 3 psi in an hour, the pressure tank is ok. If it does drop, the pressure tank needs replaced.

Next turn the electic off to the well pump and run the water until it runs out. That should almost empty the pressure tank.(you can tell by rocking it just a little if it's empty or not) Once it's empty, make sure all the water in the house is off and turn the electric back on to the well. Be standing near the pressure tank when the electric is turned on and see how long it takes to fill the tank. ( you will hear the water running in the tank when it starts and you will hear the control box click when it shuts off. It should take no more than 4-5 minutes for a big pressure tank. No more than 3 for an average pressure tank, 20 or so gallons. If it takes a lot longer, the pump is getting weak. If the control box keeps kicking on and off, that's called short cycling and the control box needs replaced or it will burn something else up.

If none of that seems wrong, you either have a major water leak, partially frozen pipe, or a clogged pipe somewhere between the pressure tank and the first faucet on the system.

Your impellers on your pump can be clogged, Pressure switch could be bad, dry well.

 

Here are some pics.
Pic1- Overview
Pic2- Close up of "T"
Pic3- Close up of pressure gauge
Pic4- Hose from "T"
Pic5- Hose from "T" pointed up
Pic6- Pressure at kitchen sink (closest to tank)
Pic7- Pressure at bathroom sink (further from tank)

I don't know what 7psi looks like. I thought there was decent pressure coming out of the hose, but since I tried the upside down trick, it suddently looks pretty dismal. But, again, I don't know what 7psi should look like.
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What does the ball valve to the right of the gauge go to? It is turned off.

 

That's just hanging electrical tape.

 

Okay!! Older eyes see things that aren't there

 

That hose is directly opposite the line into the pressure tank by the way. It's a 4 way fitting.

 

I grabbed a pressure gauge from the hardware store. I put in on the hose that it Tee'd off the pressure tank. It reads about 6psi. So, really no different from the gauge on the tank after the line in. I don't know if that helps at all.

 

Is the pump running on demand? Open the gray cover on the switch and observe if both contacts close when demand is requested. Next, I would remove the power, remove the wiring, noting where they come off, and remove the switch and pitot tube below. Sometimes they get clogged and will not allow the pump to run when it should.

 

So, I went to try to depressurize the tank, and then fill it back up to see how long it took. I touched the tank, to see how full it was, and it moved with ease. I pushed on it, and it's completely empty. I think it's been empty this whole time. That would mean either a clog in the tank, so it's essentially being bypassed, or a bad tank, right?

 

Our posts have crossed paths. What is the air pressure reading on the tank with no water in it?

 

On the tank itself? How do I check that?

With the pump on, the pressure in the line is 7psi. When I turn the pump off, it immediately drops to 0. The tank never gets filled.

 

Check it with a tire pressure gauge on top of the tank. I fear you have a burned out motor or a clogged impeller. In either case the motor needs to be pulled.

 

The air pressure is about 28psi.

 

So, are you thinking that the pump is not supplying enough pressure to pressurize the tank? So, I would need to pull up the pump, and see if it's clogged or needs to be replaced?

 

28 lbs on the tank is correct for a 30 lb cut in, so that is right. I believe you have narrowed it down to the pump not supplying water at a good pressure.

 

So, I had a guy come check it out, and it turns out that the trailer next door had a blown off hose, and a blown off pvc pipe. My well Tees off into the trailer next door. I didn't think to check over there, because I was sure it had something to do with me filling the pool. Could the blown off hose and pipe have something to do with filling the pool? They don't have a pressure tank over there, it's just the line straight into the house.

 

Was it leaking over at the trailer, as in flooding? If no one is living there, cap the pipes off to that trailer.

 

Yeah, it was. It's been fixed. Do you think that it built up air pressure in their lines from me using the pump so much?