Shallow well pump question....
#6573807
07/14/19 06:12 PM
07/14/19 06:12 PM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,964 Pillager, Minnesota
patfundine
OP
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,964
Pillager, Minnesota
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I have a pump question.....
This is not my first rodeo, I've worked on many pumps and rebuilt many. I've even put in wells and pumps.....
I don't know how old the pipe and sand point is. I would say my grandfather put it in back in the 60s. I know it wasn't touched from 1990 to about 5 years ago (city water was put in). I removed all the broken and old junk when we bought the house. I hooked up a small used jet pump to the sand point and ran 100 feet of black plastic pipe out to the garden. It has a very small air tank, and it worked great for watering the garden. last spring the pump had some issues with holding pressure and cycling a lot. I figured we were due for new pump. I replaced it completely.
The new pump and air tank is set up to turn on at about 40 psi and shut off at 60 psi. The air tank has roughly 55 psi in it. I worked great. Pump would run, shut off, had enough pressure for over 20 to 30 seconds pressure then turn back on. It's been working great this spring till recently. I am now back to the fast cycling, on, off, on, off. I can not find any reason it's doing this. The only thing i haven't looked at is the check valve on the well, I'm suspecting that is my problem.
Has anyone delt with this issue?????
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Re: Shallow well pump question....
[Re: patfundine]
#6573816
07/14/19 06:21 PM
07/14/19 06:21 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,786 Northern lower Michigan
Feedinggrounds
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,786
Northern lower Michigan
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All the shallow wells with a bladder tank I have put in used or repaired, has a air pressure of 2 psi below cut in pressure of pump. That is without and water pressure and pump off, meaning shut off pump turn spigot on till no water comes out and set pressure. Fast cycling to me means bladder issue. Add some air to Schrader valve, if pump stops short cycling the bladder is leaking. Or if water comes out of Schrader valve.
you're only allowed so many sunrises... I aim to see every one of them!
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Re: Shallow well pump question....
[Re: patfundine]
#6573855
07/14/19 07:10 PM
07/14/19 07:10 PM
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,326 vermont
vermontster
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,326
vermont
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I wonder if your expansion tank is too small.
The bitterness of poor quality last a lot longer than the sweetness of low price
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Re: Shallow well pump question....
[Re: Bob_Iowa]
#6573887
07/14/19 08:08 PM
07/14/19 08:08 PM
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,462 Oregon
H2ORat
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,462
Oregon
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definately check on the check valve -- turn the pump off close the discharge valve and see if the guage drops quickly or slowly -- or add a check valve up top before the pressure tank on the discharge side of the pump. this can keep you from having to pull the tubes. whichever is easiest-- if you add a check valve up top and the bottom one is leaking be prepared for priming issues.--davem
Last edited by H2ORat; 07/14/19 08:08 PM. Reason: clarification
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Re: Shallow well pump question....
[Re: patfundine]
#6574058
07/14/19 11:56 PM
07/14/19 11:56 PM
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 3,547 Southern Illinois
Foxpaw
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 3,547
Southern Illinois
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Thanks. Sometimes you are so close to the problem you can't see it. I incorrectly set the air pressure in the tank. I set it to just under the cut off, and it should have been just under the turn on pressure. I did this a few weeks ago when I thought it was low.
The check valve is good. The pump is working much better, still not what it was. Tomorrow I will tear apart the plastic tube to the pressure switch, that may have sediment in it. I shouldn't need to pump for a few days since we got 2.25 inches of rain today
If its not still snapping on and off maybe the tube don't need cleaning, but if you do I always try to get the switch up above the pump so when the water settles in the tube the rust and dirt goes down to the pump and not up in the diaphragm in the switch. The one I have now I added a longer tube and have it tied to the wall up above the pump.
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Re: Shallow well pump question....
[Re: patfundine]
#6574339
07/15/19 02:07 PM
07/15/19 02:07 PM
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,326 vermont
vermontster
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,326
vermont
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I believe expansion tank only has 1/3 of its capacity for usable water so only good for about 4.6 gallons per minute. What’s the flow rate of the pump.
The bitterness of poor quality last a lot longer than the sweetness of low price
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Re: Shallow well pump question....
[Re: patfundine]
#6574639
07/15/19 10:25 PM
07/15/19 10:25 PM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,287 Va
Owen156
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,287
Va
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When the pump shuts off and the outside valves are closed it holds pressure. No leaks If you open the valve and it starts cycling, the gauge should reflect pressure drop and then pressure rise until the switch cuts off, if this is correct you have water going somewhere downstream of the cutoff valve.
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