Water wells and pressure reservoirs

[cyberslider]

The short story - replacing a water heater that has been out of commission for a couple of years. The home's water supply is a well with a pressure reservoir that was installed in 1990. Water was working fine but, there was only water to the kitchen sink and a toilet since the water heater wasn't working. Installed new heater and turned on fill valve, now water (both hot and cold) will flow for about 30 seconds to a minute and stop. As soon as the well pump kicks on, the water starts flowing. It will flow for a bit after the pump shuts off but then the flow stops. The water pressure gauge (between pump and reservoir) reads about 58 psi and doesn't fluctuate more than a 1 or 2 psi. The well pump kicks on every 2 or 3 minutes now as well.

Any thoughts on what the problem might be? New reservoir needed?

 

[rickm]

sounds like ur pressure tank is water logged need to shut the pump off and drain the tank if it is the old style without a bladder in it it may have alot of sedamits in it that needs to be flushed out also was never fond of the new style but then only used one for a short period of time and didnt have a chance to get to know really how it worked.

 

[NightShade]

It sounds to me like a blockage in the line between the pressure tank and where you are drawing water.

I also agree to take the pressure tank and drain it/get the crud out of it. You will probably have to totally remove it to get the sediment out. When you put it back on you will have to have an air compressor handy. Make sure the system is sealed and then turn the pump on. Once the pump shuts off you add air to the schrader valve on the top of the tank. The older style pressure vessels just had an air bubble in the tank that came in contact with the water, the newer ones have a bladder in the top of the tank that separates the water and air so before draining the tank drain the air so the bladder doesn't get too stressed.

While you have the system apart you may want to go to the area where you are having problems and disconnect the supply lines and hook up an air hose and give it a blast to see if there is blockage. There could be a check valve that is sticking as well, sometimes there will be one put in line on long runs with a well and pump system like yours.

 

[Driller]

Sounds like a line restriction to me, too. You might try a new pressure gauge; the fact that it doesn't change much with the pump on and off suggests that it is stuck. Pressure fluctuation is what makes the pump turn on and off, and most pressure switches are set for a 20 psi difference between pump on and pump off.

On the bladder type air tanks I have installed in the past, the air pressure is usually set at 2 psi below the cut-in pressure setting on the pressure switch. The bladder is charged with the pump off and no water pressure in the system. If your pump cut-in pressure is 40 psi, the tank should be charged to 38 psi, or to 28 psi on a 30 psi cut-in pressure.

Is there any way to run the water at the well/pressure tank? That would be the quickest way to determine whether the problem is the pump system or the supply line to the house.

 

[willystruck]

Wells have one of 2 levels of operation depending on the setting of the pressure switch in use. Usually On at 30psi and off at 50psi or on at 40psi and off at 60 psi. These switches are attached to the system through a short piece of 1/4" pipe. They can go bad with age. Also the pressure tank air bladder should have air pressure set to 5 lbs less than the turn on pressure of the pressure switch with no pressure in the system. ( switch set to turn on at 30psi, set pressure in air tank to 25psi.)
You may have to replace the pressure switch along with the guage and insure there is the proper amount of air pressure in the tank before all works correctly. This should not cost you more than $30-35. Good Luck!

Driller got there before I did! His info is just as good if not better than mine.