water pressure issues

[RichardN]

I have followed some of the threads and find them and the memebers quite helpful.

We are experiencing low water pressure and so tests have provided the following:

wellxtroll psi 22lbs
pump kicks in at 8psi and raises to only 18psi
with all water off and elec, power to pump on pressure guage stays at 18psi
When power to pump is turned off gauge immediately drops to 0psi

Any advise tests to run greatly appreciated

[mrcaptainbob]

YIKES!!!!
THere's a leak! How do we find that?! Can you hear any hissing anyplace? IT kicks on at EIGHT?!! and off at EIGHTEEN?? Do you mean to say the max PSI on the gage is only 22? How long has this problem been? What were the pressures before? Need more info. Will be asking a lot more questions.....How old well? how old pump, how far away from house? Has heavy equipment driven past that feed line lately?

[RichardN]

thanks for your prompt reply

Started happening within the last several months or so (low pressure that is)

What was the pressures before? 40ish
How old is well - house is 64 years old
How old pump - age of submersible – unfortunately the label was written in pencil and illegible
We bought the house 9/99 prior legible label Franklin/Gould reads 8/7/1990 3/4hp (while new label is ½ hp)

How far away from house – 20 feet
Has heavy equipment driven past that feed line lately? - negative

Reading at well x troll tank is 22 psi (Schrader valve)

Pressure switch gauge reads 18 at highest though the gauge capacity is to 60 lbs

Initially the pump (submersible) was occasionally not coming on until the power was turned off and then on – that seems to have disappeared though it might be that we had a serviceman out who "recharged" the wellxtroll 203 and told us the tank would need to be replaced – that was several months ago as well and the tank is either still at or now at 22psi

Could the check valve be malfunctioning and letting the pressure go back down the pipe?

Thanks in advance.

[HayZee518]

22psi is the tank bladder pressure? There's a rubber bladder inside that's charged with air - supposed to give you a small back pressure on the water inside.the 10# differential seems right - but the line pressure high side is low - 40-45 lbs is right. Did you try adjusting the pressure switch?

[RichardN]

ok just finished replacing the submersible

when we pulled it the check valve at the pump was rotted with 2 1/8 holes on either end - no holding there

replaced the pipe and the pressure switch as well

thanks for all your help

[mrcaptainbob]

And now your pressure is fine? No more leak down?

[RichardN]

yup thanks for your input

the pump would have dropped into the well judging by the multiple holes in the inline (just after the pump) check valve

[mrcaptainbob]

That's interesting stuff. I pulled forty feet of pipe from my well about ten years ago. Found the walls were pitted. There were very shiny divots about an 1/8" all over those pipes, but seemed to be a bit more congested neerer the bottom. I'm thinking that, since there was a break in the insulation on one of the feeds, it was causing a 'battery' condition and was using that galvanized pipe as an anode. Just a suspicion. I changed out all the wire along with all new pipe. After that, no more porblem.

[RichardN]

that is a thought but in this case it was localized to the brass check valve 2 holes top and bottom

I am somewhat curious to learn the year of mfg of this pump as the whole setup looks kinda dated (not on my watch prior owners replaced) the prior prior was in 1990 and subsequently between 1990 and 1999 (our occupancy) the pump was changed out again (if one can believe the fact that there where 2 set of labels (as mentioned earlier the lates was done in pencil an illegible at this point)

how long should these pumps last (acid water included)??