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ICorbin
@omcastbusiness.net

ICorbin

Anon

Pressure drops to zero when pump comes on

I installed a new jet pump, pressure tank, and check valve on my sand point well this spring in my cabin and everything was working great until about 1 month ago. When we first arrive at the cabin and start using the water the pump will cycle and as it turns on the pressure drops slightly. Normal enough. As the pump cycles on throughout the weekend the pressure drops to zero and there is no water coming out of the faucet for about a minute until I assume the pump gets re-primmed, then there is water again. I thought the check valve had a leak on the well side, and the water was falling back down the well so the pump had to get re-primmed every time it came on. I've tightened the valve but it is still happening. Could I just have a bad check valve and need to install a new one. I have not taken note of the exact PSI that the pump is kicking in at (I assume around 30-35psi, whatever it is set to at the factory) so shouldn't I have a little pressure left after the pump comes on? Instead it drops right to zero until is sucks water again. Someone said the pressure switch could be clogged but does that make sense? Why would the pressure drop to zero?

pro7070
BJ "The Prodigy" Penn
Premium Member
join:2002-06-28
Inman, SC

4 edits

pro7070

Premium Member

Could have a bad pressure tank as well. Have you put a gauge on it to see if there is the proper pressure in it? Yes you should always have pressure on the system

I would troubleshoot it by putting a guage on the pressure tank. I've seen them come unfilled or busted from the factory. Rare but it does happen. Then if that checked out I would replace the check valve.

I don't see a clogged pressure switch causing all your water to fall back into the well. But just for piece of mind you could take out and clean it.

This may be a stupid question but did you prime the pump or reprime it when it's sucking air?

icorbin
@omcastbusiness.net

icorbin

Anon

Thanks for the quick response. I haven't re-primmed the pump once the pressure drops. The pump just runs for a minute until it starts sucking water again. It's odd that it does it even if it cycles only a couple of minutes apart. I would think if there was a small slow leak on the well side of the check valve, the water would slowly drop back down the well. It's almost like there is a substantial enough leak that it drops far enough down the well that the pump has to pull it up every time. That's what's making me think I have a faulty check valve. Are faulty new check valves that common?
shit7
join:2003-07-14
Skowhegan, ME

shit7

Member

The best thing to do is check the pressure tank pressure, it should be around 30 psi. You could also test the pipe from the well to the pump by pumping pressure into it with an air compressor with the proper fittings, this will tell you if the pipe has any leaks and if the foot valve in the well is working properly. I had a similar problem earlier this month.

icorbin
@omcastbusiness.net

icorbin

Anon

So it is OK to pump air into the well side of the check valve to see if it is holding pressure? That's not going to force water back down the well? Or will the water in the bottom of the well pipe act as a cap or resistance on that end?

pro7070
BJ "The Prodigy" Penn
Premium Member
join:2002-06-28
Inman, SC

4 edits

pro7070 to ICorbin

Premium Member

to ICorbin
Well sounds like you got some good advice. I called my father who is a Master Plumber and worked on well pumps alot more than me. I live in a area where you seldom see wells anymore. But, He said it is more than likely your pressure switch not coming on and telling the pump to come on at its cut on pressure. He said to take the cover off switch and see if the points are making contact with each other at the set pressure. He said could be clogged nipple there at the switch or could be bad switch. There should be a small nipple coming vertical out of the switch. Take that out and clean it and see if that helps.

He said if your check valve was draining the water your pump would lose it's prime and wouldn't pump water until reprimed. And to see if you are holding water take the prime plug out and you should be able to see water there after your pump cuts off. If you see water and then an hour later you don't then you are losing water somewhere.

My guess is when you take the prime plug out and look your pump is keeping it's prime which would indicate the switch is the culprit.

Hope this helps

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

2 edits

robbin to icorbin

Mod

to icorbin
said by icorbin :

So it is OK to pump air into the well side of the check valve to see if it is holding pressure? That's not going to force water back down the well? Or will the water in the bottom of the well pipe act as a cap or resistance on that end?
There should be a check valve at the bottom of the well -- that is what this test will check. My guess is that the lower check valve (may be called a foot valve) is malfunctioning.

[edit] As far as the well having to be re-primed, it depends on the depth of your well. A shallow well will pull it's own prime, a deep one will not.