Well water pressure tank issues

[creamcheese742]

Howdy Forum,

I have a slight problem with my pressure tank. The pressure gauge keeps falling down to 30 and then charges back up to 50 for about 2 seconds then starts falling again. I heard that it may be a bad gauge or it may be the tank is bad and needs replaced. Just bought the house and it sat for about 8 months and I am trying to get the system back up and running. Cleaned out the softening brine tank and put new salt in it, has a soda ash tank that is working fine, but it kicks on whenever the pump starts up which is about every 15 seconds now. I turned the valve closed that is coming from the pump and it stopped losing pressure. The pump still works fine it seems. Any help would be appreciated. Is it pretty easy to change just the gauge to see if that fixes it? Also if there is any more info needed just let me know.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[creamcheese742]

Type of pump?
Submersible_____Submersible___
Two wire (no control)________
Three wire (control box)__Has a box to start the pump and then set to auto____
Wire Size_________ Wire Length________
or
Jet Pump (above ground)_________
One or two pipes down the well____

Size of Pump? No Idea on any of this...house was a repo and no homeowners disclosure
Motor Horsepower?__________
Pump Model #______________
Date Pump Installed__________

Pumping from? Well...again no info on well...digging for that info
Cistern tank___________
Pond, lake, river________
Water Well____________
Depth of well__________
Depth to water_________
Pump Setting__________
Pipe Size_________"
Drop Pipe Material
PVC________
Steel_______
Poly________

Well Recovery Rate_______gpm
Well Casing Diameter_______”
Rock Well__________ Sand Well__________ Other______________
Date Well Drilled____________

Well Casing Material
PVC________ Steel_________ Other_________


Pressure Tank?
Bladder or diaphragm tank (one pipe to tank)______One pipe to tank____
Size or model of tank_____30 gallons it seems_______
Air charge in top of tank, with pump off and water drained_______Checking when I get home_____PSI
(check with car tire gauge)
or
Plain Hydro Pneumatic tank (two pipes to tank, one in and one out)_________
Size of tank________________

Pressure Switch Setting?
On 30, off 50 ____30-50____
On 40, off 60_________
Other_______________

Pump Control Method?
Cycle Stop Valve model #_________
Variable speed control #__________
Pump Start Relay (sprinkler timer, no tank)__________
Manually turned on and off____________

Pump Protection
Cycle Sensor_________
Pumptec_____________
Low pressure cutoff switch (lever on side)__________
Other_______________

Filters or Softeners____Softener System and Soda Ash Tank__________
Before or after pressure tank____Both After pressure tank___
Type of filter________No filter as of yet___________
Bypass available____can bypass softener____________

Water Used For?
House Use__House use_____ Number of baths__2 full 2 half _____ Number of People___2 _____
High Flow Showers___no idea...showers have great water pressure____gpm?
Plus/Or
Irrigation with timers________
Irrigation with hoses________
Heat Pump______gpm?


Problems Experienced
No Water_________________
Water only part time________
Water at all times but weak_____
Air in water_______________
Pressure surging___________
Water Hammer (noise)______
Too Much pressure_________
Other____________________


Pump makes clicking or buzzing sounds________
No Sounds______________
Pressure gauge reading________psi
Other____________________________________

Do you have, and know how to use
an Ampmeter and Voltmeter_____I know how to use but do not have as of yet_____________

Describe Problem Problem listed above...the water pressure is awesome and always works...It is just constantly going back and forth between 30 and 50

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Craigpump]

It isn't the gauge.

It's a leak. You closed the valve coming from the pump....do you mean between the pump and tank or the valve on the tank that shuts off the water into the house?

 

[creamcheese742]

I closed the valve coming to the pressure tank from the pump. I take it that means that somewhere between the well and the pressure tank there's a leak and I'll have to do some digging.

 

[Craigpump]

More than likely the problem is in the well, probably the check valve in the pump is bad.

 

[creamcheese742]

Sounds like something I need to call someone in for? I pulled the well cap off and it doesn't look like it's very deep...30-40 feet to where I can see water.

 

[Valveman]

30-40 feet to water doesn't mean anything. Your pump could still be set 500' deep.

 

[creamcheese742]

Ah ok...thanks for the help guys. I really appreciate it.