Well issues

[Derric1984]

I am having an issue with my well and I'm not totally sure with it I'm am pretty new to a well I've done some research but can't find much. What is happening is after we do a few loads of laundry or use a lot of water I seem to run out of water and if you wait a hour or so we have water again. I've gone to the basement when it happens and there's still 40psi in my tank but I don't here and water being pump in I'm not sure if the pump is running or not any help would be great I'm not sure what is going on or if it's an east fix or not

 

[LLigetfa]

I've gone to the basement when it happens and there's still 40psi in my tank...

How do you know there is 40 PSI in the tank? If you are checking the air pressure on the bladder, it should always show pressure. If you are looking at a water pressure gauge, then it is probably not telling the truth.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Derric1984]

I was just looking at the gauge on the tank I knocked on the tank and it sounded empty on the top but not the bottom

 

[LLigetfa]

I knocked on the tank and it sounded empty on the top but not the bottom

You cannot rely on the sound. The lower part of the tank under the bladder is lined whereas above the bladder it is not.

 

[Reach4]

I don't know what your problem is, but I suggest getting a second pressure gauge. You can attach it to a faucet such as your laundry sink faucet.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Watts-3-4-in-Plastic-Water-Pressure-Test-Gauge-DP-IWTG/100175467 has a second needle to tell you the lowest pressure it has seen.

 

[Derric1984]

Ok I'll try that but I can tell you that after I do a few loads of laundry there is no water pressure for at least an hour then it is fine again so I can tell you there is no pressure at the faucet

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Best guess, either the well runs dry or the pump shuts off on thermal overload when it's worked.

 

[Derric1984]

Thanks Tom how do I tell if it's the well running dry or the pump shuts off and how do I fix this problem??

 

[Reach4]

I suggest you look into getting a clamp-on ammeter. I expect the answer will involve one of those.

 

[Derric1984]

Ok great I'll try that next time it happens. It doesn't happen to much. But what is the fix for these??

 

[Derric1984]

I live about 100 yards or so from a the lake and on a peninsula so I'm not far from a lot of water I'm not sure if that matters and the pump piping and wiring is maybe about a year old. But I do know we do get a lot of sand in the area I'm at and the people who put the pump in said the well put out about 2 gpm I'm not sure if that's bad or not