Loosing water pressure

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jtrider

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Hi. New, and need help. Since last Saturday, my well water fed house is loosing water pressure....When I first turn on a tap, I experience good, strong water pressure. Within seconds, the water flow can be cut in more than half. NOT CONSISTENT. On occasion, the water pressure remains strong throughout the usage demand time. Then start a load of laundry, and it can take forever for the tub to fill. Shut the water off for a few minutes, and I have good water pressure again, usually for several seconds, then dropping down again. The pressure tank pressure gauge seems to stay in the mid-thirties range, as opposed to the 60 pound make it usually sits at. Once the source that is drawing the water is closed, the tank pressure gauge rises rapidly, into the 60 lb region. Turn on the water, and watch it drop.

I have a well, pressure system and standard house hold plumbing. I suspect I might have a water logged pressure tank. I don't know for sure if I have a bladder or hydraulic pressure tank.

Any ideas where to start troubleshooting? I'm more than a little concerned about the well pump burning up. Thanks in advance for any help.
 

Cacher_Chick

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Follow the instructions in the sticky at the top of the forum for bladder tank maintenance. I would start by draining the water from the tank and adjusting the air charge, which may reveal a faulty tank.
 

Valveman

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I think you have a restriction in the suction line if it is a jet pump. Or the intake screen is clogged if it is a submersible. The pump builds 60 no problem, and the tank is not the problem or the pump would be cycling on and off rapidly.
 

LLigetfa

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Shut the water off for a few minutes, and I have good water pressure again, usually for several seconds, then dropping down again. The pressure tank pressure gauge seems to stay in the mid-thirties range, as opposed to the 60 pound make it usually sits at. Once the source that is drawing the water is closed, the tank pressure gauge rises rapidly, into the 60 lb region...

There appears to be two problems clouding the prognosis. The symptoms described do point to a waterlogged tank but then as valveman said, the pump should be short-cycling so you also have a flow issue.
 

LLigetfa

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Any ideas where to start troubleshooting?
First, you need to determine how much draw-down the bladder tank is providing and compare it with what it should provide, given its size.

Turn off all taps and cycle the pump until it shuts off. Measure how many gallons you can draw off before the pump starts up again. That will tell you if your tank is waterlogged.

Second, you need to determine how many GPM the pump can provide and at what pressure. For that you need to measure how much water you can draw to maintain a specific PSI. This test is harder to do than the draw-down test.

Connect a hose to the drain cock on the system and vary the amount of flow to keep the pump running at a specific PSI close to the 60 PSI shutoff. Measure and time with a stopwatch, the GPM. Repeat at a lower PSI by opening the drain cock a little more and repeat. This will chart the GPM at various PSI.

Now that you have this info, you can compare it with what is normal for your system. I don't recall you proviiding any detail on your system... tank size, pump size, jet or sub, well static water level, well producing GPM, etc. Without all of those details it is all just conjecture.
 
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