And Lag In Inside Water Pressure
Trying to diagnose the cause of a recent phenomenon where our inside water pressure is dropping/lagging (sometimes all the way off for a second or two) each time our tanks drains and pressure switch cuts in.
My system is comprised of submersible pump with check valve, then another check valve inside the house (at install the diagram called for this; but, seen many posts saying to remove..could be causing my problem?), 40/60 pressure switch, pressure gauge, and a smaller tank with Cycle Stop Valve. Post-install the system worked fine for about a year and a half. Then, recently, started getting the lag in house water pressure as the switch was cutting in.
Based on gauge (which may be faulty?), pressure switch is cutting in at 40 and out at 60; and, CSV is running at 50 PSI, all exactly as they should, which makes me think pressure gauge is ok.
I notice several oddities when I monitor the system operation:
1. After shutting off pump breaker and opening faucets, the gauge stops at 8-10 PSI (I would expect 0 psi?). Wonder what could cause this beside a bad gauge? I removed the gauge and the pressure goes to zero, as it should. Screw it back on and it goes right back to 8-10 PSI. No noticeable block on gauge nipple or in female T end. So, if not a bad gauge, where could this 10 PSI be coming from and could it be impacting my PSI measurement on the tank at the Schrader valve and/or of the switch cut in and out pressures (meaning while the gauge says 40/60 they are really lower due to this mysterious 10 PSI of pressure in the system.
2. After switch cut out, the pressure on the gauge goes up to nearly 80 PSI, then very slowly seems to creep back down toward the 60's.
3. When doing a run down cycle with the water faucet on, I see the pressure gauge drop very fast starting between 44 and 46 PSI and down to 40 when the switch cuts in. It's during this fast drop that the inside water pressure lags or water stops entirely. ***Update..I experimented by taking air out of the pressure tank and the water pressure lag disappeared at around 32 PSI...seemed to work fine for about a month, then problem reappeared. Lowered tank PSI to 26 PSI and water pressure lag went away again. I'm guessing another short term fix as the PSI numbers are not in synch at all..trying to understand what's happening to cause this.
My first instinct was an incorrect tank charge pressure; but, totally confused by the 10 PSI on the gauge and wondering what's might be causing this reading (bad gauge, clogged line to gauge, above surface check valve)? I thought I'd post here before throwing parts at it and hoping someone might have some insight or ideas. Thanks in advance to all!
Trying to diagnose the cause of a recent phenomenon where our inside water pressure is dropping/lagging (sometimes all the way off for a second or two) each time our tanks drains and pressure switch cuts in.
My system is comprised of submersible pump with check valve, then another check valve inside the house (at install the diagram called for this; but, seen many posts saying to remove..could be causing my problem?), 40/60 pressure switch, pressure gauge, and a smaller tank with Cycle Stop Valve. Post-install the system worked fine for about a year and a half. Then, recently, started getting the lag in house water pressure as the switch was cutting in.
Based on gauge (which may be faulty?), pressure switch is cutting in at 40 and out at 60; and, CSV is running at 50 PSI, all exactly as they should, which makes me think pressure gauge is ok.
I notice several oddities when I monitor the system operation:
1. After shutting off pump breaker and opening faucets, the gauge stops at 8-10 PSI (I would expect 0 psi?). Wonder what could cause this beside a bad gauge? I removed the gauge and the pressure goes to zero, as it should. Screw it back on and it goes right back to 8-10 PSI. No noticeable block on gauge nipple or in female T end. So, if not a bad gauge, where could this 10 PSI be coming from and could it be impacting my PSI measurement on the tank at the Schrader valve and/or of the switch cut in and out pressures (meaning while the gauge says 40/60 they are really lower due to this mysterious 10 PSI of pressure in the system.
2. After switch cut out, the pressure on the gauge goes up to nearly 80 PSI, then very slowly seems to creep back down toward the 60's.
3. When doing a run down cycle with the water faucet on, I see the pressure gauge drop very fast starting between 44 and 46 PSI and down to 40 when the switch cuts in. It's during this fast drop that the inside water pressure lags or water stops entirely. ***Update..I experimented by taking air out of the pressure tank and the water pressure lag disappeared at around 32 PSI...seemed to work fine for about a month, then problem reappeared. Lowered tank PSI to 26 PSI and water pressure lag went away again. I'm guessing another short term fix as the PSI numbers are not in synch at all..trying to understand what's happening to cause this.
My first instinct was an incorrect tank charge pressure; but, totally confused by the 10 PSI on the gauge and wondering what's might be causing this reading (bad gauge, clogged line to gauge, above surface check valve)? I thought I'd post here before throwing parts at it and hoping someone might have some insight or ideas. Thanks in advance to all!
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