Water pressure issues

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Chris Wurtinger

Chris Wurtinger

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Hello,
I am having issues with my well water pressure. I just replaced the well Pressure tank with a 52 Gallon Tank. The pump I have is Sta-Rite SNC-L Which is a 1/2 HP Pump. Before I replaced the tank we had no water pressure and the pump would constantly run (waterlogged) so I replaced the tank. Since then if we take a shower it is wonderful at the beginning and then it tapers to being almost no pressure. I am brand new to wells and how everything works. Where do I start to troubleshoot to try and figure out whats wrong... I think our pressure tank was bad for a while, so I don't know if that means the pump is wore out or if when i installed the tank it was to big for my system or if I didn't set something up properly. Please let me know if you need more information to give me an idea where to start.

Thanks for any help
 
Sorry for the delay. Was out of town for a few days. A bad pressure tank does not make the pump run continuously. Just the opposite. A bad pressure tank will cause the pump to cycle on and off rapidly. The pump running when no water is being used is because it can't build up to 50 or 60 PSI so the switch can shut off the pump. Either the switch is clogged or bad, or the pump is just not making enough pressure. That SNC can make 69 PSI, which is plenty of pressure to run a 30/50 or even a 40/60 switch. But when a pump does not shut off when it should it gets hot and melts the impeller, which keeps it from being able to build the pressure it should. So, the impeller could be melted, It could also be the jet nozzle is clogged. There is a 1/4" plug under the suction connection on the pump. Remove the plug and run a wire hanger in the hole to unclog the jet. You could also have a suction leak, which is common after a pump gets hot. If the pump won't build to 50 or 60, it is a pump problem not the tank.

https://vimeo.com/cyclestopvalves
 
Chris Wurtinger said:
Hello,
I am having issues with my well water pressure. I just replaced the well Pressure tank with a 52 Gallon Tank. The pump I have is Sta-Rite SNC-L Which is a 1/2 HP Pump. Before I replaced the tank we had no water pressure and the pump would constantly run (waterlogged) so I replaced the tank. Since then if we take a shower it is wonderful at the beginning and then it tapers to being almost no pressure. I am brand new to wells and how everything works. Where do I start to troubleshoot to try and figure out whats wrong... I think our pressure tank was bad for a while, so I don't know if that means the pump is wore out or if when i installed the tank it was to big for my system or if I didn't set something up properly. Please let me know if you need more information to give me an idea where to start.

Thanks for any help
Click to expand...
Sorry if I replied too late to help. I understand being without water is second only to not having oxygen to breath, people won't wait long to do something about it. Hope you are back in water?
 
Good Day Valveman,
I have water so that isn't a worry, and I appreciate you getting back to me. I just had to take a look so I understand a little bit more about what I am doing. Let me first start by backing up a little bit.

I know the tank I had was bad and I did replace it. The old pump was cycling and we had very little pressure. Now we have good pressure for a while but then seems to disappear in the middle of a shower. I think the tank was bad for a long time.

The pump doesn't cycle nearly as much as it did before, it just seems that it really fights to get to 60 PSI to shut off. 55 to 60 can take at least 10 min or more.

So from what I am understanding, I need to make sure the little hose from the pump to the pressure switch is clear of any kind of blockage. When I take this little hose off there is obviously pressure there, how much water will come out, just a bit or gallons? Will it empty the tank? Or should I have a plug in hand to plug it off while I am working on the hose to the switch.

You also mentioned (Clearing with a coat hanger) at the very bottom of the suction connection. I am guessing that will spray water as well? Will that be gallons?

I did pick up a lower switch, 30/50 so it wouldn't have to work so hard to get to 60, should I replace that right away to see if it helps?

I am fine with replacing the motor, if I need to. My biggest fear is messing something up and having no water at all. So I am trying to be aware as much as possible before moving forward.
 
So I got the hose replaced from the pressure switch to the pump. I also replaced the pressure switch from a 60/40 to a 30/50, since it had a hard time between 55 and 60 when pumping. Well now I cannot get anywhere past 40 lbs. I think I have it primed. There is a plug down on the nose that has no air, and because my understanding is that you have to get the air from the highest point I took the gauge off and made sure that was water to the top as well. I am at a loss, and my wife is extremely pleased with me as well. Any hints before I have to call a plumber in the morning? If not I fully understand but thought I would give one last ditch effort. Below are pictures of my system. I would really like to get a filter in the whole thing somewhere as well. Thanks for any help/advice.
 

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Sorry for your problem. It is a pain being out of water. I have never seen a 4 way tee like the one you have just this side of the wall in the picture you posted? It has both suction and discharge pipes attached? I do not understand. Normally I would say low pressure is caused by a clogged jet nozzle or a suction leak. But I think that 4 way device maybe recirculating some water, which would also make for low pressure. It could be that 4 way tee thing did not circulate water in the past, but now has failed and is doing so. Here is the normal way to plumb suction and discharge from a jet pump.

Jet Pump Booster 20 gallon tank with CSV125.jpg
 
Valveman thanks so much for your continued input. I thought it was a pretty crazy way to pipe things. I also had a plumber come today and he said he felt the point was clogged. Suggested I would need a new well drilled. I am kind of at a loss and a bit overwhelmed. We just shelled out what money we had on a new boiler.
Before I replaced the pressure switch as described above, I could hit 55 lbs on the gauge quickly and eventually it would hit 60 and turn off. Now I hit 40 and it never goes any further. This is after a 45 minute run of the pump. If I take the pipe out of the wall and cap off the 2 side outlets just come in the front of the pump and then pipe it like your diagram do you think that would be worth a try? The pipe work in front of the pump scares the hell out of me to touch, but then at this point am I really out everything if I end up messing things up?
 
If this was my problem, I would get a gallon of muriatic acid and pour it down the well, if you can do that, but I don't know your situation. Is the top of the well exposed? I also don't understand the fitting in the suction line with all the pipes attached. Maybe it's an older model of a cycle-stop valve? If you use acid you have to give it time to do its job, maybe someone with more experience will add something. I use it every spring to clean the intake screen for our sprinkler system before I put it in the lake. When I start, you can't even tell it's a screen, after an acid bath it looks like new.
 
RS I have been reading about muriatic acid. The top of the point is just outside my house. If I poor the muriatic acid down, would we be able to drink water again at some point? Also how much time do you think it would need? I apologize if these seem like dumb questions I am very new to all of this stuff.
 
Your questions are not dumb at all, they are important! I'm sure you could drink the water after a thorough flushing, but I really don't know how long, I am hoping someone with experience will comment on it. I am not thoroughly convinced that the point is plugged, because I don't know what the fitting is in the suction line, if it was me, I would like to connect a known good pump directly to the line and test the well. A plugged Sandpoint should only effect volume, not pressure. I know when a friend of mine did it he put a small (3/4) line down to the bottom of the well and poured the acid down that, so the acid went directly to the problem, and wasn't diluted by all the water in the well. His well is a 6-inch casing, so there is a lot of water in it. Then he connected a large air compressor to the line and blew all the crud out the top of the well. He did this 20 years ago and it's been fine ever since.
 
If I redo the plumbing as diagrammed in Valveman's attachment, will I need to remove that T? I am very afraid of breaking something if I try to get that off. Can I just plug the sides of it and leave from the wall into the pump alone? Also if I redo the rest will that be ok as PVC or will that have to be copper?

I am a bit afraid of the acid. When I bought the house 7 years ago I had someone come in and go over the well and the septic. It sounds like they should have never have sold it with a point rather than a well. Till yesterday I didn't know the difference. He told us the well went down 50' and we should have plenty of water and no problems for a very long time. But with the point being down 50' pipe I would guess the acid would never reach the point with what I have at my disposal. It's kind of hard to know who I trust and who I don't, we went through a long process of getting the boiler sorted out. Its also a matter of getting a plumber or well drilling company to even answer the phone.
 
That's why I recommend running a smaller line down the well, so the acid gets to the screen without being diluted so bad. Just something like a garden hose would work. I just talked to my friend who had a similar problem, his well was plugged with iron bacteria, so he used bleach to clean it. He shocks it once a year now with bleach and it has been fine. So, it depends on what your screen is plugged with, if its calcium, muriatic acid works the best. Is your water very hard, or does it have iron in it? 2 different problems. If you're worried about the acid get the water tested by a lab after cleaning the well. Lots of folks get along fine with sandpoint wells, if you get it working properly you should be fine for years.
 
OH I didn't realize a hose would be ok, I thought it might melt. I think it might be an iron issue. The water has also become quite rusty looking.
I do have a well drilling company coming to look today.
 
The well and pump are making some water, so the point is not clogged. I think you gave me a clue when saying the well is 50' deep. A shallow well jet pump can only lift from less than about 25'. So, the device in front of the pump must be some kind of converter, to make a shallow well jet pump like you have work with a packer in a deeper well. With a packer down the well there are many other possible problems. The leathers could be leaking. Could be a hole in the casing. Jet nozzle in the packer assembly could be clogged or worn. Probably going to need to start at the well head and pull the packer to see what is going on.
Deep Well Packer with CSV1A and 20 Gallon Pressure tank.jpg
 
I hadn't thought about that odd fitting in the suction line having something to do with the well being so deep. it might be an external jet? But just because the well is 60 feet deep, it doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be a deep well pumping system. Our first well was 140 feet deep, but the water came up to 3 feet below the surface. As long as the water level stays above 25 feet when the pump is running a shallow well pump will work. The well at our current home had a +12 foot head!
 
Good Day,
First off thanks very much for all the wonderful help. We ended up having a new well drilled, with them finding the issue was the pipe out to the point was leaking. We now have more pressure than we ever had since we lived here. Thanks for all the head scratching and suggestions to help me out. People should know how fortunate it is that this forum exists.
 
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