After the water softener/filtration/backwashing system runs over night, our pressure tank will not pressurize above 38-39 psi for about, like clockwork every time, the next 24 hours. It used to happen only sometimes. Now it happens every time the backwashing system runs. We have a 550' well, 1 hp sta-rite submersible, 52 gallon State pressure tank, and a 40/60 pump switch. The air pressure in the tank is at 38 psi. I will frequently turn off the well pump at the breaker box during this 24 hour period of pressure/pump ineptitude so that the pump doesn't burn out from running constantly. When the pressure gets down to zero, I'll turn it back on temporarily so that we have some water pressure in the house. It has no problem pressurizing up to the 38-39 level but once it gets there it's as if something is blocking the road. It doesn't matter what time of year it is so I know it's not a pipe freezing issue.

I used to let the backwashing system run at the recommended every-6-days interval but cut that back to every other Friday. Now I only let it run about once a month on a Friday night because I know I'm going to have to be home during the day Saturday to monitor the pump\pressure. And then on Sunday morning when I go turn the pump back on at the breaker box, it pressurizes up to 60 and cuts off as it should and it works fine like nothing ever happened... until the next month when I let the backwashing system run again.

I know a 1 hp pump isn't ideal for such a deep well especially when it's almost another 300 feet from the well to my house, and uphill mind you, but it was all I could afford because at the time, which was about 2 1/2 years ago. It was a 1-1/2 hp pump before that I had to replace the wiring too. I replaced the pressure switch at the same time just for good measure. I replaced the pressure tank just a few months before that because I thought it was bad but it turned out to be the pump coming to the end of its service. I had this issue with that pump as well but I figured it was because it was old. Any ideas or suggestions are more than welcome because I'm stumped at this point. Apologies for the long post. I just wanted to include as much info as possible.

 

Welcome to the forums.

Just so I understand what you have there. The well is 550' deep and 300' from the house ?

 

Yes, that's correct. For a total of 800+ feet from the pump to the tank.

 

Yes, that's correct. For a total of 800+ feet from the pump to the tank.

 

It almost sounds like you are running out/low of water in the well.
Have you had similar issues if you put a high demand for water?

 

Thanks, Northern Mike. No issues at all with high water demand. We have 3 kids so lots of showers, laundry, dishes, etc. and no problems other than after the backwashing system runs. I can go a month without running the backwash and not have any problems but the morning after it runs, there it is. The water level is just about 28 feet below the well cap so there's plenty of water.

 

Now you have my interest with such a deep well and fairly high water table.
I'very only been able to create the issues you describe when filling the kids pool during the summer (~10, 000 gallons). Your backwash shouldn't come anywhere near that.
I'll see if I can come up with ideas or things to check. I'm assuming there is a pressure gauge right at the pressure tank and its functioning fine?

 

Yes sir. The pressure gauge is also fairly new. I replaced it last year because I had replaced almost every other component of our water system so I figured what the hell. And wanted to make sure it wasn't just the gauge giving me false readings.

 

And thanks for any ideas you might come up with! I'm all out.

 

Just to confirm, your water is setup so the filters and softener is after the pressure tank and regulator?

 

I was thinking, the morning after the next time I run the backwash, I'll shut off the well pump breaker, drain the tank, and disconnect the wiring and unscrew the pressure switch to see if there was any sediment in there clogging it up. But I would think if that were the case, the symptoms wouldn't be so exact every single time. It's like groundhog day!

 

Yes, all filters, water softener, etc. are inside of the pressure tank. Just pipe and wires between the well pump and the tank.

 

I've been thinking too and haven't come with a single good reason for your problem.
I doubt is has anything to do with the pressure switch. If the switch was plugged the water pressure would rise to a pressure level over its shutoff point.

Have you confirmed that during that 24hour recharge period that the pump is actually running ?

 

Thanks, PJmax. Yes, the pump is running because we can flush toilets, take showers, etc. and I'll watch the pressure drop slightly from 38-39 down to whatever and then go back up to 38-39 after the water has been turned off from whatever faucet was running. Plus when I turn off the pump breaker and run the water pressure down to zero, it'll go back up to 38-39 after I turn the breaker back on. It just can't get over that hump. Good point about about the pressure rising above the cutoff if it was clogged. I didn't think about that.

 

The main reason wells are dug that deep around here is because of low recovery rate. Usually they'll stop around 300 feet if water is not found and move to a different location if that's an option but 500 feet strongly indicates a poorly producing well. Running out of water is the first thing that comes to my mind. I suspect you are only monitoring the system when the softener is set to regenerate so the problem may be occurring at other times without you noticing.

The symptoms you describe could also indicate a leak and I suspect that the softener regeneration has nothing to do with it. A 1hp pump is capable of producing over 300 psi which can put a tremendous strain on your pipes. Since you've recently replaced the pump, pressure switch and tank it makes me think this system could have some age.

Make sure nothing in the house is using water. Let the pump run until the system comes up to full pressure and turns off. Turn off the breaker for the pump and keep an eye on the pressure gauge for the next hour without using any water in the house. If the gauge does not move there is no leak. If it drops there is a leak in the system somewhere.

 

Thanks, Pilot Dane. We're up in the Blue Ridge mountains at a higher elevation (for Virginia, anyway) and there's a river at the bottom of the mountain so that might be why the well is dug so deep. I've talked to a few of my neighbors and their wells are all around the same depth, give or take 50 - 100 feet. They've never had any real problems. I've asked them all because I was hoping someone had the same issue and found a resolution. We all get lots of sediment. That's about the only common issue we have.

I've done the 'leak' test. Pressure holds steady when the pump breaker is off and no water is running. I'm also in the basement on an almost daily basis because I do work down there and the pressure in the tank is fine, except for after the softener regeneration. Thanks for that term by the way. I knew it was called something other than backwashing.

I'd definitely notice if was happening at any other time because when it does happen, the water pressure is terrible. And I have three girls in my house that like to complain when it is. The house was built in '97. I bought it in 2004, had to replace the pump the first time in 2006 (not sure if it was the original pump, didn't find any documentation on it from previous home owners) and replaced it again in 2012. So I'm on my third pump in 11 years. You might be right about it being the system, somewhere between the tank and the pump maybe. What should I be looking at other than the wiring and pipes? I'm open to any and all suggestions.

 

What kind of softener is in use and what kind of iron filter or the other filter that you talk about? What kind of control is atop of the media tanks?
Have you added up the time of the backwash-brine draw slow rinse-rapid rinse and brine refill?
What is the backwash gallon per minute control for each of the units?