Author	[Modern View]
James Wheland 01-05-2013 10:14:09 173.87.209.45 Report to Moderator	Moved disabled FIL into farmhouse. Well switch is kicking on and off over 10 times to fill Washing machine. It has a pre-charged blue tank and the guage by the switch is showing 35 lbs. I shot some air into the tank last week and it improved it. Now it is back to constant on and off. What is happening here??? Thank-you to all in advance!! [Reply]   [No Email]
GlenIdaho 01-06-2013 18:51:15 71.220.163.185 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to James Wheland, 01-05-2013 10:14:09   Here"s the site I mentioned below.You"ll need to search it for your specific problem. Well Info [Reply]  [No Email]
GlenIdaho 01-06-2013 08:03:00 71.220.163.185 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to James Wheland, 01-05-2013 10:14:09   Does it hold pressure when no water is being used? If it leaks down, then it is the check valve. If it is the check valve water is running back into the well. It will create a vaccum that can cause damage. I had a valve go bad and watched as my fiberglass softwater tank collapsed as I was talking to my well man. There is a good site on the internet for diagnosing well problems. Can't recall its name, but easy to find. [Reply]  [No Email]
led 01-05-2013 19:23:00 66.163.102.68 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to James Wheland, 01-05-2013 10:14:09   Replace pressure switch. Led [Reply]  [No Email]
John B. 01-05-2013 17:37:19 38.114.64.177 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to James Wheland, 01-05-2013 10:14:09   Replace the pressure tank. We had the same problem with my MIL's system. A new pressure tank cured it. [Reply]  [No Email]
JMS/.MN 01-05-2013 14:59:36 209.237.125.241 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to James Wheland, 01-05-2013 10:14:09   Bladder tank is just a convenience thing- certainly not necessary. If it does go bad, just DRAIN it, restart the pump. Old plain tanks used to have an air valve on them so as not to get waterlogged. Starting and stopping too often means it is waterlogged....ie, not enough air space in the tank. That's why you pump some air in to create the 'cushion' above the water to make the system work right. I've never had a bladder tank- current tank (since 1997) is an old (bad) 52 gallon water heater. Put a tire valve on it to pressurize when necessary. Can't remember the last time I had to do that. Been at least a couple years since I had to drain it and restart. [Reply]  [No Email]
Russ from MN 01-05-2013 13:23:33 68.235.89.15 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to James Wheland, 01-05-2013 10:14:09   Bad bladder and possibly a bad tank, it should of worked better for more than a week. You cant put too much air in them (up to the system max) as the excess will just burp out. I use an old water heater tank for the cabin and I add air about twice a season, not a problem. [Reply]  [No Email]
Paul Janke 01-05-2013 15:56:48 216.166.168.54 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to Russ from MN, 01-05-2013 13:23:33   A tank with no bladder will get rid of the excess air. A good bladder tank won't. We shoot for two pounds less than the start pressure. If the air pressure is higher that the start pressure then the tank will run out of water before the pump starts and will cause a momentary out of water situation. Water well pumps and the tanks to go with them should be sized so the pump runs for at least one minute before it shuts off. Frequent starts causes the motor to overheat and eventually die$$$$. [Reply]  [No Email]
Russ from MN 01-05-2013 19:15:59 68.235.89.15 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to Paul Janke, 01-05-2013 15:56:48   Once the bladder is broken you can't over charge them, its only until you replace it, right? [Reply]  [No Email]
rusted nuts 01-05-2013 21:25:44 98.16.79.242 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to Russ from MN, 01-05-2013 19:15:59   Yeah, You CAN over charge them!! Till they BLOW UP in your face, also too much air press and your pump setting will be all screw up, If they pump at all. [Reply]  [No Email]
Russ from MN 01-06-2013 07:25:25 68.235.89.15 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to rusted nuts, 01-05-2013 21:25:44   You didn't understand my post, I said up to the system pressure. I guess I should be more careful what I post when people only read half the words and only understand half of what they read. At our cabin I just shut off the power to the pump, hook up the compressor to the outside faucet and let it run, it is set to shut off at 65psi, same as the water pump. I blow the water out of the tank a couple of times and then unhook the air and turn the power back on to the pump. then I put the water hose on a tree and let the pump cycle a few times to get the dirt out of the system (very rusty water) and that gives me the proper pre-charge in the tank. Then we are good to go for 3-4 months, very simple if you understand the system. This is a used water heater tank lying horizontal in a crawl space, no room for a big bladder tank as the ones I have seen are all vertical. [Reply]  [No Email]
rusted nuts 01-06-2013 12:54:34 98.16.79.242 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to Russ from MN, 01-06-2013 07:25:25   Well, no pun intended, maybee ya should read your post. I try to read all the words in a post, sometimes I miss some, Didn't miss any in yours. [Reply]  [No Email]
Paul Janke 01-05-2013 20:37:11 216.166.168.54 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to Russ from MN, 01-05-2013 19:15:59   I am a well driller, not a service guy, but sometimes end up out on service calls. If I"m not mistaken, I think many times when the bladder is bad, you can"t get any air in it. I don"t know that for sure............. [Reply]  [No Email]
Russ from MN 01-05-2013 20:52:53 68.235.89.15 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to Paul Janke, 01-05-2013 20:37:11   I had one with a bad bladder a couple of years ago, it was water logged and the pump was short cycling. I aired it up and it worked OK until I got time to change it the next week. It was under warranty from a plumbing contractor and didn't last 5 years. The first bladder tank I ever had came from Sears about 38 years ago and the bag was replaceable in it, had a large flange on the bottom. [Reply]  [No Email]
DonTN 01-05-2013 12:41:35 96.125.229.133 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to James Wheland, 01-05-2013 10:14:09   The way I set up my pumps and pressure tanks is to make a note of the pressure at which the pump turns on, then with the pump turned off, and the pressure tank empty of water, fill the valve stem on the tank with air to a pressure that is between 2 and 5 PSI lower than your pump turn on pressure. In other words, if your pump turns on when the pressure drops to 45 PSI, then you want 40 to 43 PSI of air pressure in you tank, but be sure the tank is empty of water when you adjust the pressure. This assumes that your water pressure gauge and your air pressure gauge are both somewhat accurate. Make sure that the valve stem does not leak once you air the tank up. If this does not solve your problem, especially if the air pressure goes down after a short while, then your bladder or tank may have a leak. [Reply]  [No Email]
rusted nuts 01-05-2013 11:58:38 75.88.142.252 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to James Wheland, 01-05-2013 10:14:09   Press tank is bad if it has a bladder, replace it, Seeing as you already added air to it and it"s back to comeing on all the time. Check the new one for air press before you put it in and hook it up, Should be around 30 lbs out of the box, Just put a tire gauge on the valve stem like you are checking air in a tire. Used to install pumps and tanks Only ever had one bad one out of the box in 13 years. BUT one bad one will get you PO when you have to take it back out 5 min after you put it in. lol. [Reply]  [No Email]
downsouth 01-05-2013 11:24:00 64.12.116.141 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to James Wheland, 01-05-2013 10:14:09   The blue pre charged tank is a bladder tank as others have said. I had to replace mine recently for the same reason. Don't wait too long as the pump is working much harder than it needs to in this condition and it will die prematurely. I found mine to be full of sand, quite the challenge to get out of the well house. A new well is in order here a bit later this year, but for now I installed a drain valve in the lowest line coming out of the tank so I can at least try to dump some of the sand as needed. [Reply]  [No Email]
old 01-05-2013 11:03:13 209.86.226.40 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to James Wheland, 01-05-2013 10:14:09   Bladder type tank or just the old simple tank where after a period of time would get water logged?? If it has a bladder it maybe bad and has a hole so you lose air into the water system. If the old type then it is water logged and needs to be shut off with a facet open and add air [Reply]  [No Email]
Ted in NE-OH 01-05-2013 10:39:00 72.16.19.80 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to James Wheland, 01-05-2013 10:14:09   Drain the tank and let air enter It's water logged.If it is a standard tank and not a bladder tank it will work.If it is a bladder tank recharge it if there is an air valve (tire valve) on it, otherwise new tank. [Reply]  [No Email]
RayP(MI) 01-05-2013 12:55:27 207.241.137.116 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to Ted in NE-OH, 01-05-2013 10:39:00   I have to recharge my bladder tank about monthly for same problem. Apparently the bladder is no longer seaworthy. Replacing the tank is a job I don't want to do without a large lifting machine to pick up pump house off'n the well and tank. So it's out there with the portable air tank every once in a while. [Reply]  [No Email]
oj 01-05-2013 10:21:20 199.195.160.196 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to James Wheland, 01-05-2013 10:14:09   i bet the pressure tank is on it's way out, ours did that a year or so ago... teh new tanks don't seem to last like the old ones... surprise surprise [Reply]  [No Email]
SuperHank 01-05-2013 17:47:11 67.233.195.107 Report to Moderator	Re: Well pump problem in reply to oj, 01-05-2013 10:21:20   Check the pressure switch to determine the start/stop pressure. Likely 20/40 or 30/50. Drain the tank turn off electic etc and use a tire pressure guage to determine pressure in tank. Add or remove air pressure to be two pounds below the turn on pressure (18 if 20/40; 28 if 30/50 switch)should work and if bladder is not working replace it. [Reply]  [No Email]