Video diagnosis - strange partial loss in pressure at pressure tank

[diyguy0864]

I have read a number of forums on check valve failures (which seems to sort of fit what is going on) but I am not entirely convinced which check valve may be going bad (yes... I have learned that it may be wise to remove the horizontal check valve near my pressure tank).

For info, my well is 85' down with a submersible pump. I recently replaced my pressure tank, switch, and horizontal check valve).

When the pump turns on, it pressurizes to 60psi, pump shuts off and the psi drops immediately to 50psi. If water is running, the psi drops to 40 before the pump turns back on and the process repeats. The strange thing is that with the pump off / water to the house shut off, the PSI in the tank did not drop. Videos below..

With water softener regenerating:

With softener running (but pressurizing looked different)

With water running, but shutting off faucet once pump turns on

Excited to hear the responses, thanks!

 

[Reach4]

What pressure tank? 32 gallon maybe? smaller?

1. Pressure tank precharge air should be 38 psi, measured and set with water pressure zero. Yours might be high, such as 44 psi.
2. You would be better off without the horizontal check valve, but I don't think that is contributing to this symptom.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[diyguy0864]

What pressure tank? 32 gallon maybe? smaller?

1. Pressure tank precharge air should be 38 psi, measured and set with water pressure zero. Yours might be high, such as 44 psi.
2. You would be better off without the horizontal check valve, but I don't think that is contributing to this symptom.

The tank is 36 gallon. I will give the pressure a check tonight to be sure, but the switch does turn the pump on at 40psi and shuts off when the gauge hits 60psi, the pressure just drops to 50psi once the pump is off. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Reach4]

I just realized that your pressure switch is not in your videos. The pressure switch should sense very close to the pressure that the input to your pressure tank sees. Where the pressure gauge is now would be a good place to connect the pressure switch if your pressure switch is not mounted to your tank tee. That connection could be a tee that feeds both the pressure switch and gauge.

How about a wider photo that includes the current location of the pressure switch?

 

[RetiredInGueydan]

I have read a number of forums on check valve failures (which seems to sort of fit what is going on) but I am not entirely convinced which check valve may be going bad (yes... I have learned that it may be wise to remove the horizontal check valve near my pressure tank).

For info, my well is 85' down with a submersible pump. I recently replaced my pressure tank, switch, and horizontal check valve).

When the pump turns on, it pressurizes to 60psi, pump shuts off and the psi drops immediately to 50psi. If water is running, the psi drops to 40 before the pump turns back on and the process repeats. The strange thing is that with the pump off / water to the house shut off, the PSI in the tank did not drop. Videos below..

With water softener regenerating:

With softener running (but pressurizing looked different)

With water running, but shutting off faucet once pump turns on

Excited to hear the responses, thanks!

Sounds like there is a leak downstream of the house shut off valve.

 

[SuperGreg]

Is it possible the tank is waterlogged? Check/set the pressure with the system empty and the drain hose bib open.

 

[Valveman]

Is it possible the tank is waterlogged? Check/set the pressure with the system empty and the drain hose bib open.

The tank is nearly always waterlogged. Lol. But if the pressure decreases when no water is being used, there is a leak somewhere.

 

[SuperGreg]

The tank is nearly always waterlogged. Lol. But if the pressure decreases when no water is being used, there is a leak somewhere.

You know what I mean... busted bladder and no air in the tank. That decrease in pressure is too fast for it to be a leak I would think.

 

[Valveman]

Could be both. But even a waterlogged tank won't lose pressure unless some water escapes. Just doesn't take much.