Please help. Losing pressure. Not prime.

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MStewart

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Replaced a flawless 1 hp 10HD2 Burks that froze with a Sta-Rite SLE-1 deep well jet pump 1HP. Works fine till I use washing machine then flush toilet (example). When pump comes on at 30 PSI the pressure gauge will spike downward and sometimes will recover but other times will lose pressure and not recover. I don't need to prime, just shut off water line to house and turn on pump. It will regain pressure. Pump can sit for weeks and not lose pressure (cottage). Only when unit is stress for water will it lose pressure.

121' deep well. Foot valves, breamer check valve, etc,. replace about 9 years ago.

Has spent the last several weekends up North (Michigan) going under my crawl space. Need Help. Thanks
 

MStewart

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Precharge I guess that means tank pressure. That was set at 28 lbs. It's possible it could be waterlogged. Wasn't sure what to look for till searching this forum. Will have to go up north to find out. My pump froze so I'm assuming the tank did also. Could of damaged it. Thanks
 

MStewart

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Went Up North and found air pressure was high. Lowered it to 28 psi. Seem to work better that weekend, then the following weekend had problems with pressure again. The air valve doesn't leak water when checked and the tank sounds hollow half way up and solid on the lower when tapped on. I lower the pump pressure to cut off at 47 psi but the cut on pressure stills starts at 30 psi. The pump seems to run a long time to build pressure and cut off (2.5-3.5 minutes) so I thought it would help if I lower it. Again I never lose my prime just pressure which will not regain unless I shut off water to house and start pump. . Thanks
 

Reach4

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I would try lowering the precharge to 26 PSI. That would give the pump a little more time to provide the water.

Some pressure switches have a low pressure cutoff intended to cut off the pump in case the well runs out of water. Those pressures switches have a lever that you have to operate to restart the pump. Do you have such a pressure switch?
 

LLigetfa

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What sometimes happens is your air pressure gauge reads different than your water pressure gauge and you think you have less precharge than you actually do. The two need to read the same anytime the pressure is at or above cut-in.
If the pump has difficulty reaching the cut-off it could be the the jet is partially plugged. If the pump has a regulator for the jet, it could need adjustment.
 

Reach4

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Looking at http://www.sta-rite.com/resources/images/15097.pdf , I wonder if you expect too much from that pump. You did not say how far down the water is.

If you replace your pump and down-hole parts again, you might consider a submersible. A 1/2 HP submersible would give better water and pressure than a 1 HP jet pump it would seem to me. That would require a 4 inch or bigger casing I think.
 

MStewart

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I don't have the low pressure cut-off switch. The jet might be plugged but before my pump froze my system worked great. Before I bought this Sta-Rite pump the web site said this was the replacement pump for the Burks pump that I had before. The well is 121'. Is there a water pressure gauge that's different than a air gauge? Next time up North I'll try to lower the bladder pressure to 26 psi. Thanks for the advise.
 

Craigpump

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Sounds like there is a flake of rust or scale floating around in the jet assy and it sometimes blocks the jet so the pump won't make pressure.

Whenever we work on a jet pump, we ALWAYS install a cone shaped stainless steel screen in the drive pipe at the pump or in the jet assembly, I would strongly suggest you install one if you have to pull the lines and jet.
 
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Reach4

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Is there a water pressure gauge that's different than a air gauge?
Not by design, but you will find that tire pressure gauges often differ from each other, and I presume that the same can be said for water pressure gauges. So a tire pressure gauge can differ from a water pressure gauge.
 
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