City guy trying to figure out country living - Well water, GPM and Pressure?

[Parks 788]

OK, we now live out in the stick as most of you are now aware. We have two wells on the property (no rural water). Here are my situations and questions.

Our property has 6-8 of the frost proof yard hydrants. Placed around the main house, small house, shop and covered RV parking areas. They are wonder and very convienent. Everyone we have has a ton of gpm coming out of it. I tested two of them today and each one would fill up a 5 gallon bucket in 24 seconds. So estimated to be about 12 gpm per hydrant/bib. I thought that is great but why when I attach my 3/4" hose and nozzle to them they barely pizz water out. Almost like the handle is only cranked 1/3 of the way on.

Does this have anything to do with the pressure tank in the garage or could the pressure tank in the garage only pressurize the houses water? I really don't understand our systems very well, as you can see. Is it possible to have good GPM and crappy pressure at the same time? When i open the hydrant valve water comes out at an impressive rate. Can the pressure in the tank be increased safely? Not really sure if there is a remedy or it is what it is. What say you?

 

[hunter966]

The 1st thing I’d check is to see if the air pressure in the pressure tank is set within specs as your points. If your points aren’t kicking on and off quickly then your tank pressure is probably good.

Are ya turning on all or some of the hydrants on at the same time?

 

[Parks 788]

The 1st thing I’d check is to see if the air pressure in the pressure tank is set within specs as your points. If your points aren’t kicking on and off quickly then your tank pressure is probably good.

Are ya turning on all or some of the hydrants on at the same time?

I'll take a closer look at the tank tomorrow. Only have one hydrant on at a time.

 

[hunter966]

Take the cover off of the points, look on the inside of the cover and it’ll tell ya the psi you need on your tank.

 

[PBramble]

So pressure and volume are two different things. You may have half inch feeder lines to the spigots. Attaching a 3/4 inch hose lowers the pressure but increases the volume.

 

[Okvet03]

Does your hose or nozzle have the little mesh filters? Are they clean? How's the pressure without the nozzle? Just making sure it's not something easy.

 

[okietool]

I would shut down one well at a time and see how things work.
5 gallons in 24 seconds is only 15 gallons per minute. That's not a lot JMO.
It sounds like when you open any spigot it takes the “head” off of the pressure tank(s) and the wells don’t pump Fast enough to keep up. That could be a bad bladder in the tank. If you don’t have a good bladder , water doesn’t compress.