Will an RO system cause pump to cycle more often?

[Cobra1365]

as title says. My shallow well pump (Gould Jet Pump) has started cycling about every two hours when nothing is running(no water usage in house). A friend said it could be the waste water from the RO system. But, shouldn’t the system shut off when the tank is full?
I have not yet shut off water main to isolate house from pump/pressure tank.

BTW, pump is new last August (2018). Tank is maybe 3 yrs old. RO system is new this past January.

Thx

 

[Reach4]

as title says. My shallow well pump (Gould Jet Pump) has started cycling about every two hours when nothing is running(no water usage in house). A friend said it could be the waste water from the RO system. But, shouldn’t the system shut off when the tank is full?

Yes, but it might take a while for the tank to become full.

I have not yet shut off water main to isolate house from pump/pressure tank.

That seems like an easy-enough test that divides the problem investigation roughly in half. If you want to go right to testing if the RO is causing the cycling, you could just close the appropriate stop valve under the kitchen sink (or wherever).

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Cobra1365]

Well, tried isolating the RO system. Pump still kicked on.
I’m starting to think my pressure tank might be bad. I’ve also noticed that I sometimes get no aeration at the kitchen sink. I turn it off, then on again and it aerates fine.
I also have a slow drip at kitchen faucet. So, first things first...fix the drip!

 

[Valveman]

The slow drip could cause the pump to come on. But water has to be going somewhere for the pressure to drop and the pump to come on. More likely it is a bad check valve than anything wrong with the tank.

 

[Cobra1365]

The slow drip could cause the pump to come on. But water has to be going somewhere for the pressure to drop and the pump to come on. More likely it is a bad check valve than anything wrong with the tank.

That also crossed my mind.

Question: is a pressure gauge needed? My set up does not currently have one.

 

[Valveman]

That also crossed my mind.

Question: is a pressure gauge needed? My set up does not currently have one.

A pressure gauge is only needed if you want to know what the heck the pump system is doing.

 

[Cobra1365]

OK. Next symptom. I noticed this AM when I went to turn the RO system again that My RO tank is empty.
Looking at various troubleshooting solutions, it mentions low pressure could cause this. But, I haven’t really noticed “low pressure”. Just the pump cycling every now and then. I always have at least 40lbs (pump kick on pressure).

Maybe I’m over thinking this?

 

[Valveman]

The RO system probably needs to be on before the tank level switch can keep the RO tank full. If it is not making RO water it is not filling the RO storage tank.