No water after planned power outage

[Carl_NH]

It sounds like you have a submersible pump and a tank tee with the gauge and bladder tank. Definitely get a new low-pressure cutout switch 30/50 or 40/60, and also check the pipe to the switch (you mentioned incompatible metal) - it should be 1/4" brass or a copper line with ferrules. If it's a galvanized pipe and you have heavy mineral content, that causes the corrosion and blockage you may be seeing of not maintaining pressure - (meaning the switch is slow to respond when pressure drops)

When your changing the switch and the tank is empty make sure the bladder pressure is 2-3 PSi under the cut in pressure (27-28 for 30/50 and 37-38 for 40/60)

Then adjust the switch to cut in around 32 and off at 52 or so.

 

[jfsawatzky]

Thanks for your suggestions. I just picked up a few parts but the system was unpressurized after 1.5 hours after turning off the supply to the house… so that would indicate the check valve in the pump if the isolation valve is operational but to further pinpoint the problem I turned the supply back on and turned off the value for the toilet that’s running… waiting to see if the pressure holds.

 

[Carl_NH]

That's not great news - that means it is either a line leak in the pipe to the well, or a bad check valve on the top of the pump.

You could install a check valve at the tank which would stop the backflow from the tank if you don't want to pull the pump now. Otherwise it will continue to cycle - so this is a temp measure.

Is this your main house or the camp/cabin property that you are closing for the winter?

 

[LouNY]

I don't know about your area but many people around here will add a second check valve at the pitless adapter in the well makes it possible to have outside hydrants that work off of your pressure tank and can be changed if needed by raising the pump the 6 to 8 ft to get to the check.

 

[Valveman]

Does sound like a bad check valve or leak down hole. Adding another check valve at the pitless or tank will solve the bleed down problem, but will cause a water hammer on pump start. If the leak is down hole it will need to be fixed. A check valve up top will work temporarily, but the water hammer will be annoying and break something fairly soon.

You could also have too much air in the tank, which will cause a low pressure switch to trip out instead of starting the pump.

 

[jfsawatzky]

I think I’ve eliminated the check valve as an issue by turning off the valve for the toilet that is running and the pressure has held for 6 ish hours… I have not used water today so next step is to see if the pressure is maintained while drawing water or if it drops to 0 again.

 

[jfsawatzky]

The system is now repressurizing as needed, without any changes… the only action I took was to lightly tap the pipe going to the pressure switch. I doubt that did made a difference but maybe it dislodged something with the switch?
I’ll monitor it for a few days or week before I return the pressure switch I purchased in case the issue returns.
To recap, the issues / factors I encountered were …
Needing to hold the pressure switch part way to build pressure in the tank and a leaking toilet.
What puzzles me is after realizing the switch needed to be held to pressurize the tank, there were a couple days where it did not repressurize the tank as water was used even with the toilet leak… but the main thing is it’s working now.
I’ll keep an eye on it for awhile to confirm if it is resolved. If anything relevant or material happens I will post updates.
Once again, thank you all who commented. I appreciate the time and assistance you offered.

 

[jfsawatzky]

It sounds like you have a submersible pump and a tank tee with the gauge and bladder tank. Definitely get a new low-pressure cutout switch 30/50 or 40/60, and also check the pipe to the switch (you mentioned incompatible metal) - it should be 1/4" brass or a copper line with ferrules. If it's a galvanized pipe and you have heavy mineral content, that causes the corrosion and blockage you may be seeing of not maintaining pressure - (meaning the switch is slow to respond when pressure drops)

When your changing the switch and the tank is empty make sure the bladder pressure is 2-3 PSi under the cut in pressure (27-28 for 30/50 and 37-38 for 40/60)

Then adjust the switch to cut in around 32 and off at 52 or so.

I believe it was galvanized pipe to the pressure gauge and copper elsewhere..but that was repaired by my brother before I purchased the property from my parents estate.

 

[Valveman]

The nipple to the pressure switch should be brass or SS. Galvanized nipple will clog easily and not let the pump start or stop as needed. Having to tap on the switch is not good. Can also still have too much air in the tank, which will cause the low pressure switch to shut the pump down instead of starting sometimes.

 

[ponytug]

The system is now repressurizing as needed, without any changes… the only action I took was to lightly tap the pipe going to the pressure switch. I doubt that did made a difference but maybe it dislodged something with the switch?
I’ll monitor it for a few days or week before I return the pressure switch I purchased in case the issue returns.
To recap, the issues / factors I encountered were …
Needing to hold the pressure switch part way to build pressure in the tank and a leaking toilet.
What puzzles me is after realizing the switch needed to be held to pressurize the tank, there were a couple days where it did not repressurize the tank as water was used even with the toilet leak… but the main thing is it’s working now.
I’ll keep an eye on it for awhile to confirm if it is resolved. If anything relevant or material happens I will post updates.
Once again, thank you all who commented. I appreciate the time and assistance you offered.

Tapping a pipe and having things get better to me is a sign of either blockages into the pressure switch or a dying switch.

I have seen something similar a few times. Once it was that the pipe to the pressure switch had corroded almost shut. Tapping it broke something free. Two other times, there were deposits or sand in the diaphragm for the pressure switch, preventing it from actuating.

All the best,

Peter