How often should the well pump (submerisible) turn on?

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cichy1012

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I have a submersible well pump 270 feet. I have a 30/50 pressure switch. How often should the pump turn on? When its at 50 psi and someone in the house starts to use water it slowly drops to 30 after about 10 mins then kicks on and goes back up to 50 psi. Is this normal?
 

Reach4

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Yes, it is normal. If you have a 44 gallon pressure tank, it will go on after about 11 or 12 gallons of water have been used.
 
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LLigetfa

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How long it takes to draw down the reserve depends on how fast you draw the water and how much drawdown capacity the tank has.

How long does it take for the pump to shut off? It should run for at least a minute. Longer is better.
 

cichy1012

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not sure how long the pump is running but once it cuts on it raises to about 50 psi in about 30 secs...also would it be wise to change my pressure to kick on at 20 psi. I have 5 kids. We use alot of water... I think its a 32 gallon on the pressure tank
 
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Reach4

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You could add another pressure tank of the same size to work together with your current tank to double that 30 seconds. Alternatively, you could buy one twice as big or bigger, and replace the current tank.

You don't want to drop the pressure to 20. With a 30 PSI turn on, you should turn off your pump, open a faucet to let the tanks drain, and check the air pressure with a tire pressure gauge. It should be set for 28 PSI. Adjust if needed, and turn the pump back on after.
 
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cichy1012

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one more question.. if im at 50 psi and i use some water here and there and it drops to say 40 psi and no water is used for hours after that will it stay there at 40? or will it pop up back to 50 later on.
Or only when it gets to 30 again?
 

Reach4

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one more question.. if im at 50 psi and i use some water here and there and it drops to say 40 psi and no water is used for hours after that will it stay there at 40? or will it pop up back to 50 later on.
Or only when it gets to 30 again?

Only when it gets back to 30.
 

LLigetfa

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would it be wise to change my pressure to kick on at 20 psi.

Consider setting it to 40/60 instead. If you do so, you would need to add another 10 PSI of air to the bladder. Pumps run on a curve so as the pressure raises, the GPM drops off, taking slightly longer to refill the tank.

A larger tank or a CSV would reduce cycling.
 

Valveman

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once it cuts on it raises to about 50 psi in about 30 secs...

30 seconds of run time at full amperage is not good, one minute is acceptable, two minutes is better, and no cycling is optimal. Doubling the size of pressure tank will get you a 1 minute run time. It would take 4 times as big a tank or 4 tanks just to get 2 minutes of run time.

A 32 gallon tank only holds about 8 gallons of water. Adding a CSV to the system you have will eliminate ALL cycling while you are using more than 1 GPM. A CSV could also make the pump run 8 minutes with the tank you have, as the CSV refills the pressure tank a 1 GPM. But I would set the CSV at 55 PSI with a 40/60 pressure switch. That way the CSV completely eliminates cycling while you are using water, then will take about 2 minutes to refill the tank from 55 to 60 PSI after you turn off all the faucets.

Since longer run times and fewer cycles are better, it should be a no brainer that eliminating all cycling is best.
 

DonL

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If it is not broke, there is no need to fix it until it is.

Its just a small price that you pay for raising kids.


Have a Happy New Year.
 

LLigetfa

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If it is not broke, there is no need to fix it until it is...

WOW, that has to be the dumbest advice I've read in a while. I suppose you don't check or change the oil in your engine either and just wait until it's broke?
 

DonL

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WOW, that has to be the dumbest advice I've read in a while. I suppose you don't check or change the oil in your engine either and just wait until it's broke?


I thought the engine oil light told you when to change it ?

I do make sure the bulb is good.

lol
 

DonL

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Even 1/2 HP pumps are recommended to have at least a 1 minute run time. Actually it stated as 300 cycles per day. And since there are 1440 minutes in a day, that would be a cycle every 4.8 minutes max.


If the pump only needs to pump 8 gallons then it don't take long.

A 1/2 HP may take a minute, But a 1HP may not take that long.


That is all I was saying.
 

LLigetfa

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30 seconds of run time at full amperage is not good, one minute is acceptable, two minutes is better, and no cycling is optimal...

Some folk cannot wrap their mind around the heat issue. If it were a constant current to heat to time issue, then the amount of heat produced in 30 seconds would be half of that produced in a minute. The reality is that it is not constant. Rather, the high start current produces more heat in the first few seconds that then needs to be dissipated which happens when cooling flow is drawn across the motor. Also, current draw runs on a curve, tapering off as GPM tapers off.
 

DonL

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Some folk cannot wrap their mind around the heat issue. If it were a constant current to heat to time issue, then the amount of heat produced in 30 seconds would be half of that produced in a minute. The reality is that it is not constant. Rather, the high start current produces more heat in the first few seconds that then needs to be dissipated which happens when cooling flow is drawn across the motor. Also, current draw runs on a curve, tapering off as GPM tapers off.


OK.

I must be one of those people.

Please explain how a submersed pump that is in, and pumping cool water over heats ? The CSV lowers the flow rate that much ?

You need to invent water heaters if you think a water pump motor can heat water as fast as it moves it.

Surge current can be a issue, but when a cold pump starts it takes time to get hot, even if the rotor is locked.


Please explain this heat problem, that you speak of, thank you.
 
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