Water pressure problems

[Ardie/WI]

Roger, Ardie's husband here and this is the problem. Any ideas??

Using an above ground deep well pump, Red Lion RJC series, ½ horse. The run from the house to the well is about 30 – 40 feet of galvanized pipe, and then down I would guess, 40 – 50 feet. Not really sure of the well depth. A 20 gal. Captive air tank with a neoprene bladder is piped next to the pump. The pump has a screw type control valve to control the output of the pump.

The pump was maintaining a maximum pressure of about 40 lb., but the most I am able to obtain is 30 lb. now. I have replaced the pump seal since I took the pump apart to inspect the impeller. I did not replace the plastic diffuser in the pump, as it appeared to be ok. The impeller appeared ok also. I have also changed the air pressure on the captive tank, which helped a little volume wise, but not pressure wise.

Do I assume the water level is lower, the jet in the well is going bad, or could it be the diffuser in the pump, or simply a rotted pipe that might be drawing air, or everything at once?

[River]

Roger,

The pressure switch dictates the maximum pressure. Is it functioning properly?

River

[agmantoo]

A few things can be done to isolate the problem.
First, shut all water leaving the bladder tank going to the home and observe the pressure to determine if it rises. If it does there is a leak in the supply to the house. Next, verify that the gauge is functioning and reading correctly. Typically these are low quality gauges and should only be relied on for general indications. Does the pressure switch shut the pump off with the water closed going to the home? If it does and you have not readjusted the pressure switch the cutoff is basically a minimum of 40 lbs. and the gauge could be defective. If the pump runs continously with the line closed going to the home and the pressure is never above 30 PSI then you have one of several problems. I would initially suspect the jet that is in the well have trash in it. If the checkvalve at the bottom of the well is in mud or has debris clogging the inlet this can also cause the problem. This will require removing the down pipes. The downpipes need to be inspected to see if they have any pin holes. The only other thing that needs to be inspected is the condition of the impeller and its area surrounding it. You will inspect for wear and for debris at this location. The most frequent fault causing your problem is the one related to trash/debris building in the jet at the end of the line in the bottom of the well

[Ardie/WI]

Ardie here: Roger tried to post last night but was unable to. And I have not the slightest idea what he wanted to say! I just wanted you to know you're not being ignored.

[Ardie/WI]

I brought this post back up simply to tell the men out there to LISTEN to your wives!

After fiddling with the pump and repriming it a time or two the water pressure came back up in the bathroom, laundry area and was fine in the dishwasher. But we only got a trickle in the kitchen sink. I kept saying to Roger that it didn't make any sense! I suspect that he had me on "Ignore"! :yeeha:

Yesterday, I showed him now I got plenty of water pressure using the spray hose attached to the sink! "Duh, blank look on face"! I literally had to show him, using a empty jar, that I could fill it in a matter of seconds using the spray attachment, but it took a L O N G time using the faucet! A light went on above his head! He pulled off the faucet and the diverter was stuck! Water pressure is fine all over!

He should be doing this to me! :worship: :worship: :worship:

[joan from zone six]

don't back down ardie - he owes you big time -
so much easier fixin the diverter than fixin the jet -
be creative, you can figure something appropriate for payback

[agmantoo]

The problem Roger posted is totally different than what you described related to the faucet Ardie. You just got a load of dislodged trash that was clogging the jet during his repriming exercises. He is just being nice and letting you think you found the solution. If he still had just 30 lbs. at the pump, the pump would be running continuously.

[joan from zone six]

don't you buy it ardie - they're just gangin' up on you