water pressure tank pressure

djuhnke · #1 11/07/05, 06:57 PM

I bleached out my well yesterday and left the water running to clear the lines. I now notice that my water pressure drops signifcantly after 3 seconds to a trickle. What can I do to bring it back up? My thought was to release some of the precharged air bladder and fill back up until its at precharged 30lbs. Any thoughts?

Dan

agmantoo · #2 11/07/05, 07:03 PM

Dan,
Is this a jet pump or a submersible one? If you leave the pump on after the 3 seconds will the output increase, remain a trickle or cease?

djuhnke · #3 11/07/05, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agmantoo

Dan,
Is this a jet pump or a submersible one? If you leave the pump on after the 3 seconds will the output increase, remain a trickle or cease?

I the pump is a submersed one. It worked fine until I added the bleach and ran all faucets open for 1-2 hours. There was no pressure at all when I was done flushing the system. I was thinking maybe the membrane was over extended in the pressure pump. The submersed pump seems like it runs normal.

djuhnke · #4 11/07/05, 10:39 PM

Whewn I give the system a few minutes to recover the pressure comes back up. If I run the water to wash hands or shower, it starts decreasing within 10-20 seconds

pyper7 · #5 11/08/05, 06:48 AM

My husband could give a better answer, but we just had the switch on our pressure tank go and had to replace the hole tank. It did a similar thing that your discribing, pressure fluctuated dramaticly. It was only 7 yrs old. When I stood next to the pressure tank, I could hear it clicking on every 10 sec. or so. Wouldn't hold. Lowes had them in stock for $170- or so. Good luck

VALENT · #6 11/08/05, 05:08 PM

What steps did you go through to bleach the well? It really sounds more like something maybe got messed up. Or perhaps, running the well so long discharged your capacity. Maybe, just maybe, your submersible pump is worn out and this additional pumping of water was just that straw that broke this camel's back.

Vera · #7 11/08/05, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pyper7

My husband could give a better answer, but we just had the switch on our pressure tank go and had to replace the hole tank. It did a similar thing that your discribing, pressure fluctuated dramaticly. It was only 7 yrs old. When I stood next to the pressure tank, I could hear it clicking on every 10 sec. or so. Wouldn't hold. Lowes had them in stock for $170- or so. Good luck

$170 or so????? Jeez. I had the same problem you had, pressure fluctuating and the switch clicking on and off, and only when my pressure switch gave out, I finally got someone to come out here to fix it (hard to get someone here in this area). The bill, for replacing the pressure switch, adding about 5 feet of plastic pipe to the new pressure tank set above-ground, and the tank, came to $950. The monthly service charge (I have to pay this off in installments due to unforseen events) is $25.
I don't think I can express eloquently enough how much it means when you can do a job like this yourself... and how badly it sucks when you can't.

agmantoo · #8 11/08/05, 06:07 PM

The membrane cannot over expand. You ran the pump for an extended period and the water flow ceased. IMO you pumped all the water from the well. I remain unclear as to whether you have some water coming continuously or whether the water totally ceases now. You say the pump runs ok, what you hear is the motor. The pump itself may or may not be ok. My suggestion for now is to determine at what pressure the pump control switch cuts the power ON to the pump. This needs to be an accurate reading. Next, with no water going to the bladder tank (well power off) open a faucet until all water ceases. At this point measure the air pressure in the bladder tank using the schrader valve in the top of the tank. Set this pressure to be 2 lbs. BELOW the pressure you got when you read the pressure at which the control switch turned the pump motor on. Once this is set, apply power to the system and let the tank refill until the pump turns OFF. Now, catch all the water that comes out of a single faucet until the pump turns back on. I want to know how many gallons you catch. I will check back here to get your results. We can fix your problem and you do not need to call a repair person.

unioncreek · #9 11/08/05, 06:15 PM

I had the exact same thing happen when I bleached my well. I started flushing the system in the morning and I had no pressure either, I have a submersible pump also. I messed with it all day and it never got over 10 pounds of pressure and the pump never shut off. We had water in the well, so I know there was water there. I finally quit for the night and was wondering what we were going to do since we couldn't really afford to spend that kind of money. I woke up the next morning and decided to try it again. Flipped the breaker and it pressured right up.

We are living on borrowed time with this pump since its been in since 1993 just before we bought the place. We had it pulled once to remove a check valve and the guy pulling it said that pumps only last four or five years in this area. He didn't know why but thought it may have to do with lightening.

Bobg

djuhnke · #10 11/09/05, 12:33 PM

Good news. Agmantoo was on the right track. I called the service people out (hard not being ablke to take showers for more than 10 seconds and wife was impatient for me to figure it out). He checked the well and turned off power to it. Drained it and added air (hadn't been added in years). the bladder was so low that it couldn't create pressure. While draining it he added air to the bladder to the proper air pressure. The pressure valve is dead but I can replace it in abit (he gave me one for free). Turned power back on and pressure is very good. It cost $65 for this info but now I know I'll never have to pay it again.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. You guys are the best!

Dan