m1garand762
Gold Member
The pump doesn’t dictate your psi. Pressure is created by your tank. The pressure switch turns the pump on and off look at the tank and the switch first
More residential well questions
- Thread starter Cub 7275
- Start date
- Views: 9179
paulsharvey
Elite Member
Also, your pressure switch; they typically come in 40/20; 50/30; and 60/40 switches, but you can't also adjust the nut on the spring. Has your pressure noticeably dropped recently? Or just became a noticeable issue once they told you it was 30 psi? You might throw a new 60/40 switch, (turns off once it reaches 60 psi and on once it drops to 40 psi). If your bladder tank has issues; not only will a new pump not correct that; it will also cause premature failure of a new pump. Plus side; switches are Very easily DIY work, and only like $12 @ acehardware, and pressure tanks, dang, they have went Up... used to be like $89, now it looks more like $250+....
ponytug
Super Member
If ants are getting into your pressure switch, a little tape or caulk goes a long way toward sealing them out. Just don't cover the air hole in the back plate with anything impermeable.
In the FWIW bin, you can adjust a 20/40 pressure switch to be a 40/60, or even a 30/60. The instructions are inside most lids. There are usually two nuts or screws; one adjusts the kick-in pressure, and the other sets the offset pressure from the kick-in to kick out. You want the kick-in pressure slightly above (2-3psi) whatever the air pressure is in your pressure tank. You will use less energy if your maximum pressure is lower, e.g. 40psi, instead of 60psi.
All the best,
Peter
In the FWIW bin, you can adjust a 20/40 pressure switch to be a 40/60, or even a 30/60. The instructions are inside most lids. There are usually two nuts or screws; one adjusts the kick-in pressure, and the other sets the offset pressure from the kick-in to kick out. You want the kick-in pressure slightly above (2-3psi) whatever the air pressure is in your pressure tank. You will use less energy if your maximum pressure is lower, e.g. 40psi, instead of 60psi.
All the best,
Peter
Egon
Epic Contributor
paulsharvey
Elite Member
Not really, the air bladder in the top of the tank holds air, and yes, the pump pushes against that, and that's what builds the pressure. The pump itself is really just generating GPM. The pressure from the air bladder allows pressure to build. It's also what allows the pump to not short cycle.
Now, if the pump isnt creating enough flow, or the foot valve is bad, a good tank still won't help
Edit: there is also an old style of tank that didn't have a bladder, and just had the air in the top of the tank; issue is/was, when the power went out, it allowed that air to escape once the water in the tank was used up, and you had to re-air the tank, or risk short cycling the pump.
mrmikey
Veteran Member
Just to add to the excellent explanation above. The reason you need air in the tank is that liquid is not compressible so you couldn't have a pressure tank without air above it.
Growing up that's what we had, it was a pain when the tank would get water logged. We had an old bicycle pump we used for pressurizing it.
Egon
Epic Contributor
The old style tank would build up enough pressure to shut off the pump Even with no air in it.
A tank bladder is just a compressible component. It definitely can’t build up any pressure.
A pump adds energy to the system. The tank just stores it. It don’t make nothing.
Egon
Epic Contributor
Thinking a little more about this scenario :
As the pump was not pull-able cut & pull the tubing, drill out the pump, acid flush the entire bore hole, pressure test and if good flush the well bore and install tubing and pump. If the pressure test is bad drill new well.
Just a question for the tank pressure fellows; how many stages does the tank need to build pressure and provide sufficient volume To fill & pressure tank???
As the pump was not pull-able cut & pull the tubing, drill out the pump, acid flush the entire bore hole, pressure test and if good flush the well bore and install tubing and pump. If the pressure test is bad drill new well.
Just a question for the tank pressure fellows; how many stages does the tank need to build pressure and provide sufficient volume To fill & pressure tank???
paulsharvey
Elite Member
Not sure I 100% follow; but if the pump went straight to the house, yes, there would be flow, and associated pressure, but only when the pump was running. The pressure tank keeps 15-200 gallons of water pressurized, while the pump cycles off. Think of a sump pump, what happens when it switches off? Water stops immediately (well minus what is in the discharge hose, if pointed down hill). A well pump shouldn't turn on every time you use some water. Once the tank drops to say, 20 psi, the switch is pressurized, and closes the circuit, turning the pump back on. The alternative, would be a pump that lifts water to an elevated tank, then gravity would provide the pressure. The bladder just replaces gravity, as we don't all have 20+ ft to give us good pressure. 1 ft of head = approx 2 psi. So if you wanted to, you could have a tank on a 20 ft tower, and provide about 45 psi of pressure, and just use a remote float to control the pump.
paulsharvey
Elite Member
For the OP, 1971 and galv pipe tells me your down pipe likely started life as a 1"; but if probably down to well less than 1/2" do to Tuburculation, think of it as cholesterol for pipes. All pipes get it, as mineral deposits cling to the ID of the pipe, but Galv is probably the worst, followed by Ductile Iron, and cast iron. The only cure I know of that feasible for a home kinda situation, is pull the pump and replace the pipe. Pump isnt cheap, the the labor to pull is more, so there is no way in heck I would pay someone to pull, replace pipe, and then drop the old pump with new pipe back into the well.