New 40/60 Pressure switch and bladder tank cant maintain pressure

[LLigetfa]

The first thing I would do is remove and inspect that checkvalve near the tank. If you replace it with a new chackvalve or substitute a ball vale there just for a test, that would confirm or refute that water is running back towards the well. If you chose to test with a ballvalve and the pressure drops, engaging the switch, make sure the valve is opened right away since it will deadhead the pump and/or burst the poly pipe.

If a new checkvalve there stops the backflow, you should still determine why the water is flowing back. If there is an underground leak, then contaminated water could enter the system which is why topside checkvalves are illegal in many States.

 

[Reach4]

Is it possibly just draining the house pluming or does it keep flowing at that reduced rate?

With the main water ball valve closed the water will still run but at a much reduced rate.

Continuing with that, if the faucet being tested is lower than the top of the water heater, there could be a significant amount of water being siphoned from the WH during the test. I think newer dip tubes have holes that limit this, but I don't know how universal that is, or how long that has been the case.

How about closing the valve, close the drain on the tub, and try filling the tub. Does the flow continue for an hour?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Mark W]

Really appreciate all of your replies and suggestions. I will be doing this tomorrow.

 

[Mark W]

Turns out it was a worn out check valve right near the main. Quick and easy fix and its now quiet again. Thanks for all your help. I hope this may help someone in the near future.

 

[Reach4]

Turns out it was a worn out check valve right near the main. Quick and easy fix and its now quiet again. Thanks for all your help. I hope this may help someone in the near future.

I am glad it is working. I guess the water running in the house with the ball valve closed was water in the pipes or WH draining.

A check valve there would normally not be needed or even desirable. It can serve as a workaround to a failed checkvalve at the pump or a leak somewhere before the topside checkvalve.

If you ever get that pump pulled, get the other problem fixed too. I would then remove the topside checkvalve, or remove its innards. In particular, if you later get a bang when the pump turns on, you would could benefit by not having the topside checkvalve. In this case, it works around the other problem, so you need it. This is not a universal opinion. In some cases the topside check valve is required by states. In some others it is forbidden. Most states I think allow but do not require. The advantage of no topside check valve is that the pipe and pitless to the pump stays pressurized. The advantage to the topside checkvalve is if the checkvalve at the pump fails.

To be clear, keep the topside checkvalve until you next have the pump pulled.