Hi Folks,

I recently had to replace my shallow well system with a new tanks and a new pump. I used an Amtrol 62 gallon tank and a Goulds shallow well pump. I plumbed everything pretty much like it was before with two exceptions - the pressure switch is now on the t-bar fitting right at the tank and just after the check valve.The old system had the pressure switch at the pump. There was a pressure gauge mounted at the pump. I repeated this in my new installation. I added another Gauge on the T-Bar fitting.

So here is the strange thing - everything works beautifully, but the Gauge on the pump goes up to 50 PSI )max setting) as does the the gauge on the tank. When the pressure switch shuts the pump off, the gauge after the check valve remains at 50 PSI but the gauge on the pump drops to about 10 PSI. In the old setup the gauge on the pump (the new one is located in the same spot) would stay at 50 PSI.

I'm Confused

TMN

 

the attached photo shows the two gauges in question - the pump was running when this photo was taken.

 

The check valve will preserve the pressure on the house side but what do you have on the well side? If there isn't another check valve somewhere I expect the foot valve will leak slightly and the pressure will drop. The foot valve down in the well is pretty big and usually uses a piece of leather to form the seal. It seals well enough so the pump doesn't loose it's prime but maybe doesn't seal well enough to hold back 50 psi. Did your old system have another check valve on the well side of the pump?

 

Hi Pilot Dane,

That is the odd thing - my old system did not have a check valve prior to the pump yet the pressure switch was mounted on the pump and the pressure gauge was in the exact same position as the new one and yet would go to and hold 50 PSI. The only thing I can figure is that the old Gould Pump had a built in check valve.

The system seems to work perfectly - been running for about 3 months. When pressure goes down to 30 PSI, the pump kicks in - runs for about 2 or 3 minutes, hits 50 PSI and then shuts off. Takes hours before the system depressurizes (depending on water use) to 30 PSI again.

I can post a photo of the plumbing of the old system - but it is just like the new system almost to the inch.

One other thing I can think of is that after installing the new system, the foot valve began failing and now will only hold back about 10 PSI but with the old pump it was holding back 50 PSI. My Million dollar question is whether the new system seems ok from a functional point of view. The prime may be lost a bit but since the Pump is below the entry point of the well feed it may contain enough water in the casing to restart the prime with no issues.

TMN

 

This is the system I had to replace. Note that the old Gould pump has the pressure gauge in the same spot and note the pressure switch at the back of the pump. This system did not short cycle either. The change in color on the incoming well line is when I sanded the paint off and prepared the pipe to be cut and fitted with a new connection for the new system.

 

Nice - neat installation.

I doubt there was a check valve in the old pump.

Here's the thing...... a check valve is typically installed in the system when the foot valve no longer seals and the pump keeps losing prime. In that case.... the check valve is installed between the well and the input to the pump. In other words.... your check valve is not in the ideal location.

 

Hey PJmax,

Thanks for the kudos on the installation.

It would be easy enough for me to install a check valve prior to the pump, but I'm not sure it's necessary. That's my dilemma. The pump is not losing prime as best as I can tell. When it kicks on you immediately see the pressure going up and faster then my old system. So do I really need one prior to the pump. Secondly, I can't figure why the old system was pressurized at the pump and that system had the check valve in the same basic spot - you can see it in the photo of the old system. It seems incredibly unlikely that the foot valve would just fail at the exact same time I did the new installation.

TMN

 

That means the foot valve is working and other check valve is not needed. Will not hurt to have it in system but still in wrong place, Should be in line before pump.

 

As long as there is any pressure shown on the gauge over the pump..... it means there is water in the pipe down to the well and it will prime. If that gauge drops to zero..... it may take a while to prime.

Strange things can happen and the biggest problem is usually it happens well below ground where it can't be seen or checked. As Dane mentioned.... the foot valve is usually leather. It's very possible your new pump moving more water has disturbed how that flap was in there.

As long as the foot valve holds some pressure you're ok. When that stops happening it will be time to pick it up and replace it.

 

Thanks PJmax and Pugs - appreciate the input.

One Question - and I'm not asking cuz I disagree - I don't know enough to do that - but I would like to know, for my own edification, the reasoning as to why the check valve is in the wrong place.

Thanks!

TMN

 

The check valve goes in front of the pump (between the well and the pump). That way it insures that the pump retains it's prime. With the check valve after the pump, if the foot valve leaks the water in the pipe from the well to the pump can empty causing the pump to loose it's prime or take a longer time for it to self prime.