Well Not Maintaining Pressure

[Admin]

We have a well and if you look at the gauge coming out of the well it says 40lb. Then it goes into a pressure tank which has 40lb PSI. Then it goes through a sediment filter, then 2 other filters. We have a gauge before and after the filters.

When you turn water on inside the house, the pressure drops to 20lbs on all gauges and there is very little pressure.

We are unsure of which direction to take in order to increase the pressure. It seems increasing it by proxy of the tank or well would put a lot of stress on the pipes.

 

[waterwelldude]

You may have some stopped up filters. How long has this been going on? Noting you have all those filters, one can assume the water is not all that good. The tube or pipe going to the pressure switch may be stopped up, or may need to be adjusted.
The pressure switch can be adjusted up some if you want, by turning the tall screw down a few turns. One full turn is about 2psi.
Just be sure to adjust the tank pressure 2 to 3 psi under the cut on of the switch.

 

[speedbump]

If the gauges drop to 20 psi when your running a single faucet, you have something wrong with your pump, your well or your plumbing. A properly working submersible should be able to keep with all your faucets on at the same time and in many instances get ahead of them and turn off at it's set pressure.

Maybe you have a 20/40 pressure switch in which case the pressure would drop to 20 psi before the pump was told to come on by the switch. Then it should start back up toward 40. If that's the case, I would add air to the tank and change the switch to around 40/60 psi.

 

[Admin]

We removed all filters by proxy of a bypass we installed and it still runs at 20lbs but shows 40lbs prior to opening faucet.

How can I tell if I have a 20/40 switch?

The tank says it can take 100PSI. Should the PSI in the tank not match the desired PSI of the pipes?

 

[speedbump]

You can read all about Bladder tanks here
.
I need you to explain in more detail what you are doing to do this test. You say it's at 40 psi until you open a faucet then it's 20 psi. Does it happen that fast? How much water are you running? Does the pump (once it turns back on) catch back up to 40 while running water or not???

You will know what switch you have by watching the pressures when the pump turns on and off.

 

[Admin]

We bypass filters so between the faucet and bladder tank there are no obstructions.

Without an open faucet the gauge BEFORE the tank and AFTER the tank is 40lbs. There is 40lbs of pressure in the bladder as well, brand new bladder. As soon as the SINK faucet opens all gauges read 20lbs. It does not build up back to 40, it stays at 20.

 

[speedbump]

Does this happen immediately or does the pressure slowly go down to twenty?

You said you also have 40 lbs in the bladder tank. Did you check this with 40 lbs on the gauges?

 

[Admin]

No it's immediate.

Correct. When the gauges say 40lbs, I use the gauge checker to check the bladder pressure and it's 40lbs as well.

 

[speedbump]

Ok, from what you have told me, I believe your tank is totally waterlogged. This is why the pressure drops so quickly. Then if the pressure stays at 20 while your running one faucet, that is showing what your pump can produce at 20 lbs.

To check the air pressure in a bladder tank, you must first turn off the pump and open a faucet until the flow of water stops. Then check the air pressure. I'm betting it's Zero.

What kind of pump do you have? Jet or Submersible?

 

[Admin]

If the tank is waterlogged, what is the solution?

I will test this weekend and report back using the conditions you said. Any other tests I should conduct?

We have a submersible.

 

[speedbump]

Ok, you have a sub, and a sub in good working order will produce more water and pressure than your entire house can use at the same time. If your running one faucet and the pump won't go beyond 20 psi, you either have a sub that is going bad, a low producing well or some kind of restriction before the tank.

You don't have any in line filters in the main line before the tank do you? If you do, get it out of there. Although it may be too late to save the pump.

 

[Bulldog77]

When you push on the schrader valve on the pressure tank does any water come out, If so you need a new pressure tank. and i would replace the 20/40 pressure switch as well. Just a good idea to make everything as new as ya can when ya make any big replacements. Dont buy the homedepot pressure tank either they dont have a lining, (not to be confused with the bladder which all have). and prematuley waer out. Ya get what ya pay for in this department.