Pressure tank no longer filling up when pipes leading to house are open

[TessaS]

Our well worked fine before the big freeze from winter storm in Feb, we lost power for a week and when turned back on the pump was struggling so we shut it off to have well guys come look at it not wanting to risk it burning out. They came out and said we needed a new pump and if we wanted to just let it run till it burned out. We kept it off and opted to have it cleaned and reinstalled thinking it was just clogged from sitting in a well that has iron bacteria built up with no movement even tho the well guys said that wasn't it.

After the pump had an acid bath and re-installed it worked just fine using only the water spigot at the well, where the pressure tank is also located. When we opened the valve to let water through to one house (the well supplies water to three houses but we have only made repairs on the one location at the time so the other two we keep off) the tank losses pressure. The first time it happened after the acid bath we didn't realize this was why it was messing up so we assumed we had to buy a new pump, shut it off and left it alone. We saved up money and had them come out to put on the new pump and they said the old pump we had was working just fine, tank too (but the lines to homes were not oppened they only tested it from the spigot and directly from pump prior to the pressure tank). The water at the house when we open the line has good pressure, water comes out just fine but the tank gauge goes from 60 where it normally sits and climbs all the way down to zero and stays there never building back up even with the pump running sounds like the tank is not filling up. When we close the line to the house the tank gauge goes back up to 60 and it fills with water. The supply line is burried in the ground maybe 5 to 6 feet. What is causing pressure in the tank to drop and stay low and not go back up while the line is open and how do we fix it? The pump is submersive, deep well 200 feet, metal pipes, the pressure tank I believe is a bladder tank.

 

[Bannerman]

From your description, it seems there is a leak in the pipe after the shutoff valve following the pressure tank.

It is likely the water within the buried pipe froze and caused the pipe to split open. With a hole in the pipe, the pressure that builds in the pressure tank while the pump is operating will be constantly depleted by water continually flowing through the hole into the ground.

While the home's faucets are all shut-off, the pump is delivering a higher flow rate that is being lost through the leak, which is allowing the pressure tank to slowly fill until the system pressure eventually climbs to 60 psi whereby the pressure switch shuts off the pump. The constant water loss through the leak will then cause the system pressure to become lower until, at 40 psi, the pressure switch will reactivate the pump and the system pressure will rise again until 60 psi is achieved and the process will be constantly repeated.

When water is also flowing to faucets in the house, the additional water requirement is utilizing greater flow than the pump is capable to supply so the pressure tank is not being refilled and any stored capacity from the tank below 40 psi is lost to supplement the flow from the pump.

There does not seem to be an issue with the pump, pressure tank or pressure switch. The appropriate remedy will be to investigate and correct the source of the leak.

A pipe that is buried 5-6 feet deep would not be susceptible to feezing so I suspect there is at least a section that is located near the surface which experienced the sudden freeze.

 

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[John Gayewski]

I think I would isolate the line running from your house top the tank and test it. Although I'm not convinced that's your problem.

 

[Fitter30]

It would of been nice if the well person dead headed the pump before dropping it in all the way. Then drop pipe would be out of picture.

 

[Valveman]

I agree you must have a leak after the shut off valve.