Can not get up to pressure, I've replaced everything.

[CManhugh]

As the title says I've replaced everything in my system. Well pump, pipe from pump up, pressure tank, pressure switch, installed check valves and I can not get up past 35psi please help I'm at my wit's end. Full back story below.

I have a submersible pump, well total depth 50’, water starts at 15’, pump is at 30’ about 100’ from pressure tank/house entrance. My issues all started after Hurricane Irma. A tree fell perfectly between the well pipe coming out of ground and where it goes back in ground to the house. I fixed that and got water running to the house again(I live in very rural area and have a house generator). As far as I could tell there were no issues, running at 65psi and cycling.

About a month after my wife calls me and tells me the yard is flooded. I come home and sure enough its like a soaked pig pen all around the well. I started digging at the point of the the pipe that goes to the house. I didn’t have to go far to find the the bend going to the house was cracked and shooting out water. I fixed that and then once again everything seemed fine. Until my electric bill came in and it was x3 the normal amount. My well pump had been running 24/7. Found that my pressure tank was water logged and the pressure switch was possibly broken. So I replaced both of those and could not get back up to pressure(100% running 220v my father is a retired electrician). I then installed a check valve before the pressure tank at my house and another at the pipe coming out of the well the pump as well. Switch I got is 20/40 and the pressure tank is a 10 gal and reads 38psi. No matter what I did I could not get pressure above 40 and it seemed as if pressure tank was not filling either. The pump would continuously run unless I set it to cut off right at 39/40. Pressure would drop immediately if water was turned on so I set it perfectly so it would run only when water was on in the house.

After letting this go on for about a year the pressure wouldn’t reach past 35 psi. So I figure pump. Last week I installed new pump(Franklin electric submersible pump J series 1hp) and replaced all pipe running down to it just in case it was leaking, there were no visible issues with old pipe as far as I could tell. Issue I now have is pressure is still stuck right around 35psi mark (even with house valve turned off) and I can not get it to go past even if I let pump run for whatever amount of time.

What am I missing here? I want to get back up to 65psi. Please tell me it’s something simple. I’d rather not trench the 100’ to my house. I thought it would be a leak again but there’s no flooding or soft spots in my yard.

 

[LLigetfa]

I’d rather not trench the 100’ to my house. I thought it would be a leak again but there’s no flooding or soft spots in my yard.

Most likely a leak but the extra check valves mask it. Start by taking out the check valve closest to the tank. If the tank no longer holds the pressure with no water use in the house, the leak is between there and the next check valve.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[CManhugh]

Most likely a leak but the extra check valves mask it. Start by taking out the check valve closest to the tank. If the tank no longer holds the pressure with no water use in the house, the leak is between there and the next check valve.

Thank you I will do this tomorrow. Can I install a bib/pressure gauge at the one right after the pump and find the same thing? I do not have a hose bib by my well and that would nice.

Another thing, if there is a leak of 30psi, why am I not seeing water in my yard like before?

 

[Valveman]

LL is probably right and the leak is down the well. However, I think you would be complaining about air in the faucets if you had a leak. You said 1HP pump but you didn't say if it was 10 GPM or 40 GPM series? Pressure comes from the pump. If there are no holes in the pipe the pump just cannot build enough pressure. A clip around amp meter would tell you what is going on. A 1HP pulling 9 amps has a hole in the pipe. Drawing less than 9 amps means the pump is bad, restricted, or running out of water.

 

[CManhugh]

LL is probably right and the leak is down the well. However, I think you would be complaining about air in the faucets if you had a leak. You said 1HP pump but you didn't say if it was 10 GPM or 40 GPM series? Pressure comes from the pump. If there are no holes in the pipe the pump just cannot build enough pressure. A clip around amp meter would tell you what is going on. A 1HP pulling 9 amps has a hole in the pipe. Drawing less than 9 amps means the pump is bad, restricted, or running out of water.

I replaced all the pipe in the well itself and installed a check valve there and at the house, and replaced the pump it's the 1hp 25gpm J-Class FranklinElectric. So what's being said is that there is a leak between the two check valves? If I let the pump continuously run it should increase pressure correct?

 

[Reach4]

How much do you think it would take to get some new 1 inch SIDR poly pipe run through the yard? It would probably only have to be 2 ft down. There would be impact on the grass, of course. Easiest is to use a trencher, but having it done would get it done more quickly and efficiently.

What is your dirt like a foot or two down? If sandy, new grass should be fairly easy to get going.

Do you have reason to think the leak is not within 10 ft of where the pipe from the well goes into the ground? If the pipe failed somewhere else where there was no storm damage, it could fail again even if you patch what you have. Don't you think?

Also, check out leak detection services near you. There are ultrasonic and sonic detectors that can find leaks.

I have "no comment" on your 25 gpm pump.

 

[Merrimae]

I have a pump my gauge says 20 might get up to 25 wont get up to 30 maybe 28 goes back down well runs n runs we repaired all holes checked everything .. Is it a sign my well pump is going up? It is not that old . checked and cleaned pressure switch everythings fine just in case took some sand paper to clean it a bit .. I need help ! Its primed water is running I can turn it off then turn it on and use water again but it is staying around 20

 

[Reach4]

I have a pump my gauge says 20 might get up to 25 wont get up to 30 maybe 28 goes back down well runs n runs we repaired all holes checked everything .. Is it a sign my well pump is going up? It is not that old . checked and cleaned pressure switch everythings fine just in case took some sand paper to clean it a bit .. I need help ! Its primed water is running I can turn it off then turn it on and use water again but it is staying around 20

Your post is unrelated to CManhugh's. To post a new thread:
Click Forums, which gets you to http://www.terrylove.com/forums/index.php
Click the name of the forum that you want to post into.
On the right, click on "Post New Thread".

In your new thread, identify your pump. Identify what runs to the well. Post a photo maybe.

 

[CManhugh]

How much do you think it would take to get some new 1 inch SIDR poly pipe run through the yard? It would probably only have to be 2 ft down. There would be impact on the grass, of course. Easiest is to use a trencher, but having it done would get it done more quickly and efficiently.

What is your dirt like a foot or two down? If sandy, new grass should be fairly easy to get going.

Do you have reason to think the leak is not within 10 ft of where the pipe from the well goes into the ground? If the pipe failed somewhere else where there was no storm damage, it could fail again even if you patch what you have. Don't you think?

Also, check out leak detection services near you. There are ultrasonic and sonic detectors that can find leaks.

I have "no comment" on your 25 gpm pump.

I did SIDR from home to my shop which is about 120' away from connection at house, and that's what I did, 2'(Well is in front of house, shop is in rear). I could run from well to house, just didn't plan on it.

I'm not worried about the grass at this point, just want my pressure fixed and grass grows very easily here.

Between my house and the well about 5 trees fell I'm second owner so I don't know where pipe is ran. I don't believe it could be straight to house because then it would have to go under slab. If it is under slab maybe that's why I'm not seeing water leak? Last time there was leak the whole yard was flooded, why not this time?

I'll look into the leak detection services.

What do you mean by no comment on the pump?

Guess I'll start digging this weekend.

 

[Reach4]

If it is under slab maybe that's why I'm not seeing water leak? Last time there was leak the whole yard was flooded, why not this time?

You added a check valve at your pressure tank, which causes the pipe from the well to not be pressurized, except when the pump runs. So the leaking becomes much less.

Guess I'll start digging this weekend.

Digging to lay pipe? I would rent a trencher.

 

[CManhugh]

You added a check valve at your pressure tank, which causes the pipe from the well to not be pressurized, except when the pump runs. So the leaking becomes much less.

Digging to lay pipe? I would rent a trencher.

For now the goal is to find leak and repair. I'm a young man, my digging will be done by hand. Only took a day to lay 120' of pipe.

 

[LLigetfa]

You can test the pump and the pipe in the well by cutting into the pipe where it comes out of the casing and installing a Tee with pressure gauge and a ball valve. With the valve open, turn on the pump and then slowly start closing the ball valve to see how much the pressure get up to. If you get good pressure there, then the problem is downstream of there.

Take out all of the check valves. They are just a source of trouble. The only check valve you need is the one in the pump.

 

[Valveman]

A 25 GPM, 1HP can only build 86 PSI. Lifting from 30' it can only build 73 PSI. Shutting off at 65 is getting pretty close to all the pump can do, but it should do it. So either the pump is not up to par or you have a leak down the well.

 

[Reach4]

What do you mean by no comment on the pump?

I think a 7 to 10 gpm pump is usually more appropriate for a house. Maybe you are sizing for your agriculture.

I think a 25JV1S4 pump should deliver enough pressure however, so you have a probable leak. What are the amps that Valveman asked about? I did not see you ask how to measure that, or where to find a reasonable clamp-around meter. Those are readily available these days.

 

[LLigetfa]

Shutting off at 65 is getting pretty close to all the pump can do

OP stated the water level is at 15 feet and the pressure is topping out at 35 so not likely to be dead headed.

 

[Valveman]

OP stated the water level is at 15 feet and the pressure is topping out at 35 so not likely to be dead headed.

I agree. Something else ain't right.

 

[CManhugh]

Figure I'd come back with an update after this repair adventure.......

So in about an hour this past saturday I dug from my well pipe 30' to a point where it had a T, yes a T. Towards the house and away from the house. Pipe wasn't bad, only about 2' down, very easy. So I decided I needed to figure out where the pipe went away from the house in case that was leaking instead of something else. I found it was capped at about 3' out from T and not leaking but there was more pipe laid after, I didn't follow it. I live out in the country, no city water for a fact.

So I start digging towards house(through my gravel driveway) and pipe got progressively deeper, was at 2' at the T but by the time I got to the leak it was 4' deep. I had pump running entire time so I could hear or see the leak. Anyway about 30' more I start hearing suction and seeing water underground, great! I keep digging and find another T with a pipe coming straight up and was capped about 1' underground. The T was cracked and leaking. I believe the pipe coming up may have been some type of manual sprinkler system the previous owner had installed before making the driveway a large loop. Where that T was the biggest tree had fell right on top of it so I believe it pushed the vertical pipe down and cracked that T.

It's all fixed and I'm getting back to 65psi no issues. I'll be taking out check valves soon. Only about 8 hours of work. Thank you everyone for your help, I should have started digging long ago.

 

[Midriller]

Does this have a control box wired up wrong that is causing your pump to run backwards? just a thought.....