Low well pressure. Help! I’m at a loss

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Guppedup

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I recently started having water pressure issues. Off the bat I replaced the pressure switch and cleaned out the tube it connects to. It still read 20 psi when I turned the breaker off, so new psi gauge. Cut the power back on and still reads 20 psi. I contacted the previous owner and he told me the pump had been replaced 27 years ago. Great, so I put a new pump in( submersible, 225’) I didn’t see any leaks in the poly pipe(all one piece) still not running enough pressure to turn a 30-50 switch off. So I pushed on the pressure tank(bladder, vertical) and it was very heavy, so I replaced it(water logged) I still am not getting over 20 psi of pressure and I’m only getting like 15 psi with a faucet in the house on... any ideas at all?
 

Fitter30

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Have you checked the amperage and voltage on the pump? Brand and model of pump? If its a three wire pump did you replace the starter box? A bad expansion tank will not reduce pressure there made to extend run time when on and extend off time when off. Use 2-3 gallons of water before turning pump on and follow the tank before going off.
 

Guppedup

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Have you checked the amperage and voltage on the pump? Brand and model of pump? If its a three wire pump did you replace the starter box? A bad expansion tank will not reduce pressure there made to extend run time when on and extend off time when off. Use 2-3 gallons of water before turning pump on and follow the tank before going off.
Its a two wire pump, I haven’t had time to mess with it anymore this weekend, but iirc it’s a self priming pump, it’s a zoeller .5 horsepower. I have not checked the voltage, what should it be? The water runs back if I cut off the breaker if that makes a difference
 

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Water running back down is either a faulty check valve or a hole in the pipe before the check. As for as the voltage iand pump performance need the complete model number.
 

Valveman

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From 225' a 1/2HP, 10 GPM pump will not be able to lift water to the surface much less make any pressure for the house. How deep is it to water in the 225' well?
 

Guppedup

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From 225' a 1/2HP, 10 GPM pump will not be able to lift water to the surface much less make any pressure for the house. How deep is it to water in the 225' well?
It’s what I pulled out and it ran it for around 27 years. The water is 160-180 feet deep. It makes 20 psi pretty quickly. Edit: maths, I don’t have an exact measure but the water is 65 ish feet from the top of my well
 

Guppedup

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Water running back down is either a faulty check valve or a hole in the pipe before the check. As for as the voltage iand pump performance need the complete model number.
I’ll have to get back on the model number. The drop line didn’t seem to have any holes when I pulled it. Could be a hole between the house and well drop line though. I haven’t pulled that. Check valve is new on the new pump, but it doesn’t mean it’s good. Thoughts on a check valve right before the pressure tank? Edit: in case you get inpatient it’s the Zoeller pump from Lowe’s. .5 hp 2 line
 

Reach4

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I am thinking 3/4 HP 7 GPM would be good, and would support 30/50 psi even a 40/60 pressure.
index.php


Note that a 3/4 HP 7 gpm pump is stronger than a 3/4 HP 10 gpm pump, and will cost more, because they have more stages. That Zoeller pump doesn't have enough stages for you, and even their 3/4 HP might not be enough. If you used their 1 hp pump, it would probably do the job.

See https://www.zoellerpumps.com/content/literature/fm2487_sm.pdf page 6. That has a table that has useful application info. You probably got the 450-0011 (which I think Lowes may call 1450-0011), and that is not going to be good for a well of your depth. Having too few stages is like trying to climb a hill on a bicycle in high gear. Their 451-0005 looks to have enough oomph for you, but I don't think Lowes carries that one.

Did you see the waterline on the polyethylene pipe when you pulled it? The pump might be set at 205, and your water depth estimates may be right, but unless you are going by some measurement, the water level may be higher than you are thinking.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Zoeller-0-5-HPStainless-Steel-Submersible-Well-Pump/1000675849 To be able to get 20 psi out of that pump, the water is probably higher than you are thinking.
 
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Guppedup

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I am thinking 3/4 HP 7 GPM would be good, and would support 30/50 psi even a 40/60 pressure.
index.php


Note that a 3/4 HP 7 gpm pump is stronger than a 3/4 HP 10 gpm pump, and will cost more, because they have more stages. That Zoeller pump doesn't have enough stages for you, and even their 3/4 HP might not be enough. If you used their 1 hp pump, it would probably do the job.

See https://www.zoellerpumps.com/content/literature/fm2487_sm.pdf page 6. That has a table that has useful application info. You probably got the 450-0011, and that is not going to be good for a well of your depth. Having too few stages is like trying to climb a hill on a bicycle in high gear.

Did you see the waterline on the polyethylene pipe when you pulled it? The pump might be set at 205, and your water depth estimates may be right, but unless you are going by some measurement, the water level may be higher than you are thinking.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Zoeller-0-5-HPStainless-Steel-Submersible-Well-Pump/1000675849 To be able to get 20 psi out of that pump, the water is probably higher than you are thinking.
As stated. When I bought the house the pump was .5 hp and ran a 30-50 no problem. My height could be off. I dropped a string with a nut on it then walked it off. So it’s an estimation. The water pressure was fine until about a month ago( I noticed pressure drop and my electric bill went from ~75 a month to ~160). I will do more research and pumps and stages though. I’m fairly novice in all of this edit: still doesn’t explain water rushing back when I hit the breaker. I’m not exactly sure how air tight these systems need to be, but a leak/check valve does sound plausible as stated by another individual
 

Reach4

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When I bought the house the pump was .5 hp and ran a 30-50 no problem.
It might have been a 1/2hp 5 gpm pump. Those have more stages, and can produce pressure much better than a 1/2 hp 11 gpm pump. Did you notice the new pump was significantly shorter? Fewer stages is much of the reason.
 

Guppedup

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It might have been a 1/2hp 5 gpm pump. Those have more stages, and can produce pressure much better than a 1/2 hp 11 gpm pump. Did you notice the new pump was significantly shorter? Fewer stages is much of the reason.
They seemed to be the same length
 

VAWellDriller

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Your pump is probably not well suited for the application....but you definitely have a leak somewhere....that is causing the problem....the power bill and the water running back are the 2 overriding give aways. There was probably nothing wrong with old pump. You should pull the pump up from pitless and pressure test the drop pipe (first verify the pipe is full of water). If it is full of water, put a pressure gauge and valve on it....see if it will hold pressure. If it will then you know your leak is between the well and the house. Regarding the 1/2 HP pump....without knowing the well yield it's impossible to know if it is appropriate or not....it certainly is not if the well actually draws down to 225'. Even it it is not the right pick, if static level is as high as you say, it should fill up a normal pressure tank and build cut off pressure with no water being used.
 

Guppedup

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Your pump is probably not well suited for the application....but you definitely have a leak somewhere....that is causing the problem....the power bill and the water running back are the 2 overriding give aways. There was probably nothing wrong with old pump. You should pull the pump up from pitless and pressure test the drop pipe (first verify the pipe is full of water). If it is full of water, put a pressure gauge and valve on it....see if it will hold pressure. If it will then you know your leak is between the well and the house. Regarding the 1/2 HP pump....without knowing the well yield it's impossible to know if it is appropriate or not....it certainly is not if the well actually draws down to 225'. Even it it is not the right pick, if static level is as high as you say, it should fill up a normal pressure tank and build cut off pressure with no water being used.
There was a leak in the line from the well to the house, so I replaced that. Still wouldn’t build full pressure. Ended up pulling the pump and replacing the well line because that’s the only thing that wasn’t new. Fixed the problem even though I never could find an issue with the well line. Went ahead and put a 3/4 in there after I had everything working as well. 1/2 hp worked but wasn’t quite as efficient
 
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