OK,a plumber I’m not. I have a 4 unit house on a well. Recently I’ve gotten calls from a couple of the tenants that the water pressure is droped off badly.
The pump kicks on at about 50psi, and pumps up to about 85psi before it turns off. This is how it’s run for years. Trouble is even when it’s at 85psi the pressure drops very quickley till the shower is just kind of trickling out.
My first thought is that the bladder in my pressure tank mightbe shot. Does this sound right?
The tank is a modern, fiberglass bladder type. Somebody advised me that I might be able to adjust the bladder pressure by adding air. It seems like this might be more of a bladder failure than a question of fine tuning.
Am I on the right track? should I just go out and buy a new tank and throw it in?
Thanks.
Replies
My understanding of pressure tanks on wells is that there should be as much pressure in the tank as the low side of the pressure cut off. (Or 50 PSI in your case. I think you check the pressure when there's no pressure in the water lines ??? (Not certain about that one)
Does the pump cycle often? Like every few seconds when someone is using water? That would probably be a waterlogged tank. If the pressure bleeds off when there's no one using water, you've got a bad foot valve or a serious leak.
Stray, I'm not a plumber either but Boss is correct if what I had been told is right. I was told to shut off the pump, close the valve between the pressure tank and the rest of the system, and depressurize/drain the tank. Then, when everything has settled down, use a standard tire pressure gauge on the schrader valve and check the pressure in the tank. It should be right at (or a pound or 2 higher than (from what I was told)) the cut-in pressure for the pump. You can use a small compressor to adjust the pressure if needed.
My symptoms at the time were: Rapid decrease in pressure as seen on the gauge (somewhat noticable at the shower) and the pump would kick in/out quickly and often.
After correcting the air pressure, the pressure drops much slower and more steadily and the pump kicks in/out 1/10th as much.
Does your shower head pressure drop in tandem with the gauge?
Is the gauge good? Put a new one on while it's drained.
Maybe someone with more experience will chime in...I'm curious if what I was told was right.
Ron
Even though I have a bladder tank, I still add air regualrly (once a year), they all seem to have some slight leak. I have an old compressor gotten at a garage sale for $5 that I leave in the pump house for just such use.
Also, most pressure switch contacts are only cheap junk and last 10 or so years at most before they are slagged and arc damaged, so contact can be intermittent and it takes more pressure to close again - the low water pressure signature. If it is the problem, add a motor contactor to the setup when you replace the pressure switch- pressure switch controls the much better contact quality motor contactor, will last for decades that way
Edited 5/24/2002 9:37:57 PM ET by JUNKHOUND
Edited 5/24/2002 9:38:55 PM ET by JUNKHOUND
I'm not positive about this, but I think you need to set the air pressure in the tank 2-3psi BELOW the cut in pressure on your switch. If you the switch kicks in at 50psi and you have the air pressure at 53psi it will never get down to the low pressure level and start the pump.
I've had the same problems, usually it's just the pressure, but I did have a bad tank at my last house.
Thanks for the ideas everyone. I think I'll valve it off and check the pressure in the tank first thing in the morning.
I don't seem to have a short cycling problem. The interval between water being used/drained down and the pump kicking on seems like it's normal interval (several minutes of steady flow usually).
The pressure gauge seems good, since it readily measures 50psi when pump kicks on and 85psi when pump kicks off. I'm failing to comprehend why there would be pressure on the gauge, but not much flow coming out the shower heads.
I don't have a compressor, am I a damn fool to think I can add suficient pressure with a bicycle pump; or should I break down and buy one (Maybe could rent it I guess).
Funny thing: tenants don't like to pay rent when their showers don't work. Got to get this thing licked soon. Keep the ideas coming.
By all means buy at least a small compressor, you will wonder what you ever did without one. Of course, that means you'll need to buy: 3 or 4 different air impact wrenches, a few nailers of various sizes, impact chisels, random orbit sanders, air driven vacuum, car hoist, inflation tools, lots of hose, filters, then a bigger compressor, then another, etc, etc. <G>
PS: I think I've only got 8 compressors (counting the ones mounted on my trucks), but am looking for a deal on another.
PPS: about the gauge. You may have a gauge like I once had, after a few years it NEVER dropped below 20 even disconnected ( I run 20 to 30 psi with 1-1/2 pipe to the house and all 3/4 distribution 'cause I'm cheap). Took it apart once and the little arc brass gear was all corroded up or caked with calcium or something to where it would normally go below 20 psi, so it stuck there, your pressure may be going well below what the gauge says if it has a similar problem.
Edited 5/24/2002 11:37:21 PM ET by JUNKHOUND
Stray, Once upon a time..... same problem, exact same symptons, cause ???? well I'll tell ya, the pump man , he say's " Let's just take a look at this pressure pump" He takes off the Volute ( possible misspell), it's the cone shaped thing on one end of the pump, and by golly by gosh, out falls a little flat, finger nail sized rock. When that piece of debri would get turned sideways, well, not much water would come out, even though the pressure gauge showed proper. I carried that piece of rock around in my pocket for two or three months as a reminder of Life . Best of Luck Jim Jensen
Well... I think I figured it out (maybe)
I did go ahead and replaced the gauge. Turns out it was reading like 25psi higher than actual. New gauge showed that pump wasn't coming on until it got down to 18psi.
Pressure tank bladder seems OK, but was only at 18psi. I rented an air tank , filled it up at a gas station, and pressureized the bladder to 36psi. I then set the pump to cut on at 38 psi and off at 58psi. Re. the debate above, the pressure tank should be pressurized 2psi lower than the cut-in level of the pump (per the "Well-Mate" tank instruction booklet).
Pressure improved some, but not enought to have been the cause of the problem. I then bypassed a carbon filter tank I have on the system. WHAM...system pressure went right up. I think the carbon tank is clogged solid (I have lots of clay sediment in my aquafer). It's supposed to backflush every night to wash itself out, but I suspect that's not really happening. I manually backflushed it a couple times today and hope that that'll be the end of it (will have to get the timer part fixed of course).
Junkhound: I almost walked out of the store with a compressor today (Dewalt, but it had the Emglo name of the tank too) $357. In the end it only cost me $0.75 to rent the air tank for 5hrs. Some day soon though....
Thanks all.
44 may be one to something. If you have a filter somewhere in your system, it may be clogged. The problem with the trickling shower may be volume - not pressure.
We had a problem like that. Upstairs the shower would go dead when somebody washed dishes [not often] downstairs. Called a plumber in and he found a filter thing in the basement. Removed the element and no more problems.
Maybe this may help.
-Peter