Well Problem

paintr56

Pressure gauge on well pump is bouncing between 40 and 60 psi the contacts are opening and closing every second or two. The pump sounds as if it is cavatating but the water pressure in the house seems normal. I found this problem because of a thumping sound in my hot water heater. I do not know what is causing the problems and what is being caused by the problem. ie. is there a problem with the switch causing the pump to run and then shutoff over and over or is the pump the problem causing the pressure to bounce or is the problem in the bladder. Any suggestions would be truely helpfull. It is -4 outside I have been down in the hole where the bladder is and I think it was above freezing. I put some heat in there just to make sure and shut the well off untill morning.

Thank you Jim Bunton

TimNJ

Guessing, but maybe bad check valve letting the water drain back into the well????

dirt diggler

well?

mdshunk

That's the classic textbook sign that your bladder tank has failed, and needs replaced. Either that, or the schraeder leaked all the air out. More than likely, though, the bladder has failed.

Glasshousebltr

Shame .........And at such a young age.

Bob

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Bob

reveivl

You've likely got no air in the tank.

__________________
From where does knowledge come? If you need to know what is in a box, you could ask someone (not reliable), you could pray, (not useful), you can consult with the scripture (not helpful) or you could open the box (science)

Teetorbilt

If you're not sure of the temp., the water in the tank or line feeding it may have frozen. The operation would be the same as a bad bladder or low air pressure.

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

paintr56

Thank you all for your good guesses with limited information. Spent some time today looking for my problem. I found water bubbeling up in a building that I thought the water had been removed from long before I bought the place. This is an old milk house that the barn was torn down and rebuilt along with a new milk house else where on the property in the early fourties. as far as I can tell the pipe was just capped and not protected all these years, I know I bought the place and moved in Jan.01 and have not given the pipe a thought. This year it burst.

Before finding this I did some checking on the bladder. It pegged my tire gauge at over 50 psi The tank did not seem like it was full of water it had a hollow sound on the upper parts when I tapped it and when rocking, it didn't feel full. After finding the leak I called in the professionals. He came out said they would dig up and cap the pipe and that the bladder needs replaced I think this was based primarily on the quick cycling. He explained that the bladder probably had a hole allowing water to fill the tank. He used an air compressor to blow the water out of the tank then left to go to another job he had scheduled. I got thinking that I wasn't so sure about the bladder so I checked the pressure. I used a 100 psi gauge andd the pressure blew it apart. Remember he added air tring to empty the tank.

My question is if there is a hole in the bladder and I know there is an open line shouldn't the pressure have escaped? I am talking 4 or 5 hours later.

He will be back tommorow to tackle the job Should I have him fix the pipe and see if that fixes the problem? I think the puump just isn't keeping up with the size of the leak.

Jim Bunton

Ron The Plumber

Let us know what happens after the leak is fixed.

A leak in the line will cause pump to turn on and off.

paintr56

Thank you Ron That is what I was thinking.

Jim Bunton

paintr56

Just a short update to let everyone know how things worked out. The well people came out yesterday and dug up my broken pipe and capped it. So far the well is running properly no more quick cycling. I truely am thankfull for the responces to my questions.

Jim Bunton