Low well press. + empty press. tank? Just moved in :(

[Alex T]

Hi everyone, new to the forums but considering the place we're renting (~1800s manor that's being renovated, we're kinda "house sitting" since the owners aren't moving in till they retire in a few years) I'm sure I'll be in here MANY times!

So we moved in the other day, and I do a load of laundry... the thing isn't really doing much and an hour later it kinda looks like it's moved on to some kind of spin cycle? This was my first clue. So then I realize I got one flush out of toilet and nothing is filling (never good) - the water pressure at that sink and the others is minimal, but after about 20 seconds it's just a 1/4" stream of water, if that.. (hence the struggling washer..)

The home owner mentioned one of the contractors said something about turning off the water - but all the circuits are on (I figured perhaps I had just drained what was left in the tank and the pump was actually off) - it does appear that there's live water flow. After almost 3 days, I still have the same symptoms (20 seconds of okay water, then nadda.. ) so the pump has to be doing SOMETHING.

Cracked the valve at the pressure tank base, and there was pretty good pressure. Gauge reads from 20-28ish - I believe 20 was with a faucet on? The unit is an Amtrol Well-X-Trol WX-252 (86 gal) - top looks great but lower is fairly rusted and mfg date is 2002. The problem is that tapping the tank sounds like it's almost entirely empty except maybe the lowest 12" - if the bladder failed it would be water-logged right? Although that all assumes the pump is working and we have pressure. An empty tank would imply some sort of issue with the pump?

At those pressures, I'm guessing it's impossible to ever reach the cut-out, regardless of the switch programming.

I guess I don't want to admit that it sounds as if the pump is toast, but I wanted to make sure there wasn't something that could be shut off, or wrong with the pressure tank, etc?

Tonight I'm going to verify power into and out of the switch - if it's at full / correct voltage and I only have minimal pressure, I'm concerned.

There's ONE valve (after the press tank pipe) however it moves so freely that I can't possibly imagine it's working. The shaft is moving with the handle (at least the visible part) - there's zero change in pressure reading on the gauge when I move this handle. I figured either the tank would start to fill, or pressure would go up and cut-out, but nadda.

Or perhaps the pump is just turned off, and I was using gravity water from piping upstairs? Ok I'm grasping at straws now. Tank is basement (3 floors total).

I'll let you all know what my power readings are tonight, but if I'm good.. not sure what my next step would be.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Alex T]

Few images I snapped on my phone to look up model #s and such, seems like a normal layout - plastic coming in (no valves before the tank at all).

I have zero clue how people plan on messing with this well pump, there's an 8' drop through a ~22" stone opening that goes into a little area under ground.

 

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[Reach4]

You are looking at the right things.

Open that drain valve and see if you get out much sediment. Get rid of what sediment you can. You may want to use a hose to move the water to a better place to drain, but that makes it harder to see the sediment. Run it for a pump cycle or two, and watch the pressure gauge.

While shopping, get a garden hose thread pressure gauge. You can find that locally. That can be connected to the drain valve in your photo. That will check the gauge. It looks like you have a liquid filled gauge, which is a premium gauge. However those normally have more liquid and less bubble in them. It looks like that is rusting apart, although it has a reasonable looking indication. I would buy a new gauge for that too. You want a 0...100 gauge rather than 0...200.

The GHT pressure gauge can also be used to troubleshoot pressure drops by checking pressure at the washer or water heater drain valve.

The problem with well pits is they can flood. And if they flood, the water goes down the well. If you put a shallow dish in the pit with an aspirin tablet in it, you can detect if there has been flooding since you placed the dish.