Plumbing question

[ROUSTABOUT]

Its not a pressure problem. You have a flow problem.

 

[Rockbadchild]

If your filter is restricting your flow, then move your filters before the pressure tank.

 

[MossRoad]

I hate to ask, but is all packaging removed from the filter housing and filter media? Stranger things have happened. (I'll admit to it).

 

[jjeff]

Get a sand filter I did when I started having sand problems clogging my Big Blue filter at my cabin eliminated the flow and filter problems for me anyway. I Installed before my filter and pressure tank.

 

[Jstpssng]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. The best thing I could have done would have been to pull the filter and try it without, before posting.
This has been a summer place which I am finally winterizing, and I haven't had a chance to do anything. The filter housing is clear and I am surprised that the 30 micron filter seems to be clean.

 

[LittleBill21]

you have something going on, I am on a well have 2 filters and a water softener, my last filter is 1 micron, yes 1 micron, and I get 7 gallons a minute through the system at a 55 turn off psi.

 

[jjeff]

I hate to ask, but is all packaging removed from the filter housing and filter media? Stranger things have happened. (I'll admit to it).

Check the psi of air in your accumulator/pressure tank also.

 

[jjeff]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. The best thing I could have done would have been to pull the filter and try it without, before posting.
This has been a summer place which I am finally winterizing, and I haven't had a chance to do anything. The filter housing is clear and I am surprised that the 30 micron filter seems to be clean.

I hope you post what you figure out/fix, I enjoy reading/learning about problems and subsequent fixes like this.

 

[Jstpssng]

I hope you post what you figure out/fix, I enjoy reading/learning about problems and subsequent fixes like this.

It will be a couple of weeks. Winter is finally here (I hope) and I wasn't quite ready for it.

The other thing I am going to throw out though, is my new plumbing. 3/4 inch pex into a manifold with (3) 1/2 inch lines coming off it... one to the kitchen, one to the washer/flush, the third to my shower. I could be restricting it too much but don't think so.

 

[plowhog]

(3) 1/2 inch lines coming off it... one to the kitchen, one to the washer/flush, the third to my shower.

I don't know how long your distances are, but in my opinion those sizes are extremely small. An old plumbing joke is if you really dislike someone, put them at the end of a 1/2 inch water supply.

A realize a number of modern plumbing fixtures (i.e. showerhead) will only accept a 1/2 in connection. But that's only one of the issues-- friction loss of the water traveling through pipe can become a very big deal, especially if it is a long run or if you have flow or pressure limits to begin with.

Hope it all works out-- as others have said, please keep us updated!

 

[Jstpssng]

I don't know how long your distances are, but in my opinion those sizes are extremely small. An old plumbing joke is if you really dislike someone, put them at the end of a 1/2 inch water supply.

A realize a number of modern plumbing fixtures (i.e. showerhead) will only accept a 1/2 in connection. But that's only one of the issues-- friction loss of the water traveling through pipe can become a very big deal, especially if it is a long run or if you have flow or pressure limits to begin with.

Hope it all works out-- as others have said, please keep us updated!

I wondered after the fact if my 1/2 inch lines might be the problem. They are relatively short runs... 3-8 feet from the 3/4 inch manifold.

 

[LittleBill21]

I wondered after the fact if my 1/2 inch lines might be the problem. They are relatively short runs... 3-8 feet from the 3/4 inch manifold.

its not my entire house is 1/2, still get 7 gallons a minute

 

[jjeff]

It will be a couple of weeks. Winter is finally here (I hope) and I wasn't quite ready for it.

The other thing I am going to throw out though, is my new plumbing. 3/4 inch pex into a manifold with (3) 1/2 inch lines coming off it... one to the kitchen, one to the washer/flush, the third to my shower. I could be restricting it too much but don't think so.

I wondered after the fact if my 1/2 inch lines might be the problem. They are relatively short runs... 3-8 feet from the 3/4 inch manifold.

at my cabin I roughed in 1 3/4 bathrooms, a kitchen, and utility room with washer and dryer using 1/2 inch PEX I have enough pressure to use both showers at the same time and washer, only restriction is a 40 gallon water heater producing enough hot water. my friend who's an actual plumber laughed at me when I told him I was buying manifolds, I ended up using tees, mostly because of cost and I had enough room to split all the lines relatively neat and orderly in utility room. One thing I've learned with PEX is you don't need 90s on it just a gradual bend if you have room so there's minimal friction vs using a 90 and in my unprofessional opinion PEX produces a lot less friction than traditional copper. I used 1" PEX coming from well to the filters and pressure tank. Anyways in my case the problem was sand and my primary filter. Installed an easy to drain sand filter before everything and my problem was remedied, for several years now.

 

[Carl_NH]

No, the PEX 3/4 to !/2 aren't the issue IMO. And sounds like a seasonal house you recently updated? Are you just getting this low flow at the fixtures/sink with a variable valve, meaning one where you modulate the H/C water mix?

Have you tested the flow before the filter? Or at an outside faucet before the filter? If these are fine - it's in your fixtures/

Do what i suggested earlier, disconnect the sink cold water feed and open the valve to flush out the screen that is in these new plumbing lines.

 

[Jstpssng]

No, the PEX 3/4 to !/2 aren't the issue IMO. And sounds like a seasonal house you recently updated? Are you just getting this low flow at the fixtures/sink with a variable valve, meaning one where you modulate the H/C water mix?

I'm getting it everywhere beyond the filter

Have you tested the flow before the filter? Or at an outside faucet before the filter? If these are fine - it's in your fixtures/

Do what i suggested earlier, disconnect the sink cold water feed and open the valve to flush out the screen that is in these new plumbing lines.

Yes, the pressure is great before going into the filter. Everything beyond the pump was new 2 months ago when I hooked it up. To be honest right now my "pump" is my legs with a 5 gallon bucket running down from the well... until I bury the waterline so that it doesn't freeze.

I think my best bet once the pump is set up again is to pull the filter and run it direct... then I will report back. Thanks again for all of the input.

I'm also glad to hear that I don't need to redo my 1/2 inch lines.

 

[Carl_NH]

OK thanks for update.
- water source - enclosed well source or lake?

- Pump - submersible or single stage and HP?

 

[civilian]

One thing with pex tubing, the fittings restrict that 1/2" pex even smaller. Something to keep in mind. Jon

 

[PILOON]

Get a sand filter I did when I started having sand problems clogging my Big Blue filter at my cabin eliminated the flow and filter problems for me anyway. I Installed before my filter and pressure tank.

Did not know this as a sand filter but that device is what I filter my lake water into the house for over 20 years now and still using the same screen element that I simply toss into the dishwasher about 3 times/year.

 

[PILOON]

Having worked around many DIY cottages I have seen the effects of mixed plumbing fittings.
One system was all brass and or poly but the one steel union was rusted internally down to about 1/16th or so.
My 'trademark' is that I only use brass and/or stainless and that on poly B lines.

 

[jjeff]

Did not know this as a sand filter but that device is what I filter my lake water into the house for over 20 years now and still using the same screen element that I simply toss into the dishwasher about 3 times/year.

That's what my buddy who recommended called it. I have a 50 yr old well, well and casing still looked good so I replaced the submersible pump 10 yrs ago, being a diyr I probably set the pump to low in the well. It's about a 100' well with 8" steel casing. Funny thing I found the pitless adapter wrench in a scrap pile on property. Did everything from the well pump to my new cabin in PEX. Previously the pump was set in plastic electrical conduit pulling the old pump up every coupling broke LoL only thing preventing pump from dropping was the wiring.