Loss in water pressure from booster

[jslantz94]

Hello, me and my wife bought a mobile home, and hooked the water up to an existing well that we share with my parents. We needed a booster pump due to the loss in pressure from the almost 200ft run of pex I ran from the well to the house. Without the pressure pump the water pressure is around 30psi. What is included in my water line under the house is a water pressure regulator, into a sediment filter, into a check valve, and then to the pressure booster which is a Truper 1HP booster pump which has a sensor that tells it to turn on when it senses a decrease in pressure.

Now when I first hooked it all up, it was increasing my pressure from 30 all the way to 90, which is obviously to much, so I used my pressure regulator to decrease the pressure to around 55psi with the pump running. Well recently I noticed a decrease in pressure, so I adjusted the regulator to allow around 60 psi and it was good for a few days. Now today the booster pump will only boost to 40 psi, no matter how far I open up the pressure reducer. And the amount of pressure coming from the well without the booster is still the same it was when we moved in. All parts are only 1 year old. And my pressure gauge which attaches to my hose spigot that is connected directly to the booster does not decrease when the water is shut off, so I know there isn't water leaking.

Where should I start troubleshooting this issue? Could it be the water pressure regulator is already going out?

Thanks for any info.

 

[jslantz94]

Anybody have any ideas?

 

[MicEd69]

What is the quality of the water? If you have lots of minerals, the pressure regulator could very well have mineral deposits that prevent it from operating, even though it is only 1 year old.

You really need a pressure gauge before the pump, after the pump and before the regulator, and after the regulator to trouble shoot if the issue is the pump or the regulator, or something else.

 

[jslantz94]

What is the quality of the water? If you have lots of minerals, the pressure regulator could very well have mineral deposits that prevent it from operating, even though it is only 1 year old.

You really need a pressure gauge before the pump, after the pump and before the regulator, and after the regulator to trouble shoot if the issue is the pump or the regulator, or something else.

We haven't ever really had issues with mineral deposits in toilets, sinks, or showers, so I don't think the issue is with the water quality. My main theory is that maybe sand has gotten into the regulator. I should have put the sediment filter before the regulator. Is this a likely cause for the regulator to stop working? I do often have sand in my sediment filter.

 

[jslantz94]

I took the pressure regulator apart today, and made sure it was clean and free of debris, and it seems to be working properly. If I close it all the way the water stops coming through, and as I open it I gain pressure. So I don't think that is the problem anymore. So next thing I did was starting looking at the booster pump itself. I took the nut off of the top and looked inside and noticed a significant amount of rust colored buildup inside. I want to try to see if I can clean it with white vinegar, but I cannot for the life of me get the stupid drain plug off. So I'm not sure what to do there. And I really don't want to have to take the whole thing apart because that would be a major ordeal in the case of my system. The pump is turning on as it should when water is turned on. With the pump off I get about 30 psi, and with it on I am only getting a boost of 10 psi, which is far far less than I used to get from it. I really don't know where to go from here.

 

[MicEd69]

Is the 10 psi measured across the pump only? If so, and assuming the pump used to increase the water pressure by 60 psi as you've indicated, then you've discovered the issue.

A picture of the "rust colored buildup" would help? Is it a hard buildup? On what parts is the buildup located? It would surprise me that a buildup of some type of material on the internals of a pump would be the cause of your problem. Can you force the pump on to see what the pressure is with it running with no flow through the line?

 

[jslantz94]

Is the 10 psi measured across the pump only? If so, and assuming the pump used to increase the water pressure by 60 psi as you've indicated, then you've discovered the issue.

A picture of the "rust colored buildup" would help? Is it a hard buildup? On what parts is the buildup located? It would surprise me that a buildup of some type of material on the internals of a pump would be the cause of your problem. Can you force the pump on to see what the pressure is with it running with no flow through the line?

I can't really take a picture of the rust colored build up, I can try later, but the hole is pretty small, it's the hole where you prime the pump with water. I can just see into it enough to see that there is a build up or some kind. The same stuff was built up on the bottom of the plug, it wasn't stuck on to it at all, it rubbed right off. So if the pump is the issue, what should I try to do?

 

[MicEd69]

I can't really take a picture of the rust colored build up, I can try later, but the hole is pretty small, it's the hole where you prime the pump with water. I can just see into it enough to see that there is a build up or some kind. The same stuff was built up on the bottom of the plug, it wasn't stuck on to it at all, it rubbed right off. So if the pump is the issue, what should I try to do?

You said the pump has a sensor that tells it to turn on when it senses a decrease in pressure. My last sentence was, "Can you force the pump on to see what the pressure is with it running with no flow through the line?"

 

[jslantz94]

You said the pump has a sensor that tells it to turn on when it senses a decrease in pressure. My last sentence was, "Can you force the pump on to see what the pressure is with it running with no flow through the line?"

Yes, there is a red reset button that causes the motor to run as long as you have it pushed. Pressure in the system does not get higher than 40 to 45 PSI, when I push this button.

 

[MicEd69]

Do you have a bypass around the filter? I doubt that a filter restricting flow would cause this problem, but that would be worth a try.

If it is the pump, based on not being there but on what you have posted, then the next step would be to look at the pump parts for damage. Check the suction for obstruction, the impeller for damage, etc. You might consider purchasing an identical pump and having it on hand while you take the existing one apart in case something goes wrong, or the existing one is nonrepairable.

 

[jslantz94]

Do you have a bypass around the filter? I doubt that a filter restricting flow would cause this problem, but that would be worth a try.

If it is the pump, based on not being there but on what you have posted, then the next step would be to look at the pump parts for damage. Check the suction for obstruction, the impeller for damage, etc. You might consider purchasing an identical pump and having it on hand while you take the existing one apart in case something goes wrong, or the existing one is nonrepairable.

The filter is clean and clear, there is no waterflow problem. Without the pump running I am getting right at 30psi like always. The pump is barely boosting if at all anymore. I did take the pump apart today and found nothing broken or anything that seemed wrong. Just a lot of iron deposit, which I did my best to clean off. I even opened up the water flow sensor and both the intake and outflow have pieces that open when there is water flow, they were moving freely with no problem. The impeller inside of the pump looks exactly like it should, no chips or any visible damage. The pump turns on within a second of waterflow being turned on, and turned off 5-10 seconds after the water is shut off. The red fail light never comes on, and the pump appears to be working as it should. Only it isn't.