Pump pressure switch

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Wilson01

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87DF664D-B978-421E-849F-5F68156A3B74.jpeg
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I have a drilled well which is 500’ deep with a 1 HP pump and a Wellmate WM-9 which is rated at 100 psi. My pressure switch is a 60/40 and I want to increase the pressure for sprinkler systems I’m installing. What’s the highest pressure I should go to ? I was thinking 50/70 or 55/75. I have both copper and PEX water lines installed in my house and the house was built in 2004 so fairly new. Also if I raise the pressure on the switch should I also increase the bladder pressure in the tank to 2 pounds lower than kick on pressure?
Thanks for any help
 

Reach4

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Turn the 3/8 nut on the big spring about 3.5 turns clockwise for each 10 psi increase.
Also if I raise the pressure on the switch should I also increase the bladder pressure in the tank to 2 pounds lower than kick on pressure?
Yes.
 

Wilson01

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Thanks for the reply. Is 70 or 75 psi to much for the equipment I posted pictures of or to high for appliances and hot water tank ?
 

Reach4

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You have a 7 gpm pump. You have a 30 gallon pressure tank, which holds about 7 or so gallons. So whether the pressure will be OK at 70 or 75 will depend on the static water level. As long as the pressure tank is working well, and it takes less than 2 minutes for the pump to turn off after using water, you should be fine I think.

While irrigating, it would be good if the sprinkler consumed enough water to keep the pump from reaching shutoff pressure.

I am not a pro.
 

Wilson01

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Ok I’m going to check the time it takes to fill the tank. I’ve also been looking at CSV’s but need to get more info to see if one would work for me. Thanks again
 

Wilson01

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Well I didn’t get a chance to check the length of time it took my pressure tank to fill but I did drain the tank and checked the air pressure in the bladder which was 0 pounds. I filled it to 40 psi and let it sit 6 hours and it stayed at 40. What would this do to my system having no pressure in the bladder? Low pressure and pump cycling more often ?
 

Reach4

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Leaky Schrader valve? Put a valve cap with a seal in place.

Kid liked to hear the hiss?

Somebody trying several times to set the precharge to 38 while the water pressure was 50?
 

Wilson01

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I built the the house in 2004 and the well drilling company installed the tank. I’ll be honest I’ve never checked the pressure in the bladder and I don’t have any kids. There was a valve cap with a seal on the tank already and I’ve never had a leak under the tank. Could the air in the bladder dissipate over the course of 14 years ? Or maybe the well drilling guys never put air in to start with? Who knows I guess. I’m going to drain the tank again tomorrow and recheck the air pressure and also turn the pressure up some. I replaced the pressure gauge today while I had everything tore apart and my kick on/off pressure is 35/55 and I have a 40/60 switch.
 

Reach4

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It could dissipate, but I don't know about down to zero.

That tank uses a bladder, and the better ones today use a diaphragm. The bladder is supposed to be replaceable.
 

Wilson01

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I guess I’ll check it periodically and if the pressure drops in the bladder I’ll get a new tank.
 

Wilson01

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I just drained my pressure tank and checked the air in the bladder and it’s still at 40psi after 24 hours. I turned the pressure nut 3 complete turns and now I’m at 45/65. I timed how long it took the pump to fill the tank. Wasn’t sure if it was from the tank being completely empty to full or from kick on to kick off pressure but from empty to shutoff was 67 seconds and from kick on to kick off(45/65) it was 37 seconds.
 

Wilson01

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When I checked the time from kick on to kick off I wasn’t running water. I had the hose hooked to the faucet on the pressure tank manifold and once the pump kicked on I shut the faucet off. I already have 2 sprinkler zones installed so maybe I should turn one on and time it from kick on to kick off ?
 

Reach4

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Now try kicking the pressures (precharge and nut on the big spring) up another 10 psi, and see what the times are.
 

Wilson01

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Valveman if the bladder is holding pressure and the pressure switch is working why would the cycle be faster than 1 minute ? The only thing I didn’t do is raise the bladder pressure when I raised the pressure switch. I’m at 45/65 now and bladder is still at 40 psi. I tried my sprinklers in the front yard and they are spraying 3-4 feet farther then they did before I made the adjustments and added air to the bladder. Reach 4 I’ll give that a try later. Thanks for the help guys
 

Valveman

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It the tank bladder is good and has close to the correct air charge, which you are, a WM9 is designed to hold 9 gallons of water. If your pump is putting out 9 GPM it will fill in 60 seconds. If your pump is putting out 12 GPM it will fill in 45 seconds.
 

Reach4

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The only thing I didn’t do is raise the bladder pressure when I raised the pressure switch. I’m at 45/65 now and bladder is still at 40 psi.
I think that will stretch the bladder more, which is not good for the bladder life.
 

Boycedrilling

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Not with a Wellmate tank. The bladder in a Wellmate works on a completely different principle. It does not stretch. The air is contained in a Vinyl “bag”. Think of a material somewhat comparable to what a waterbed is made out of. The water is outside of the bag, between it and the shel of the tank. The increased pressure of water entering the tank COLLAPSES the air bladder. There is no stretching of a bladder or diaphragm involved. As water leaves the tank, the bladder expands back to its original size.

The problem the original Wellmate design had was that the collapsing of the air bladder could lead to folds in the material that eventually created leaks. I don’t know what they did to the original design to eliminate this problem.
 
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