H22lude
Member
Nothing odd at the faucet. Everything seems normal there. No air or extra debris.
Oh I wonder if water isn't flowing into the well much right now for some reason. That could explain why it takes a while for it to get back to 60psi.
Odd pressure switch behavior
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Nothing odd at the faucet. Everything seems normal there. No air or extra debris.
Oh I wonder if water isn't flowing into the well much right now for some reason. That could explain why it takes a while for it to get back to 60psi.
H22lude
Member
Well guy just left. He tested the amps, tested the switch, looked to see if the pressure dropped to see if there was a hole. Everything looked ok to him in regards to those things working. Pressure was still taking a long time to get back up to 60psi. He tested the static value and all that outside. The problem is recovery and static level right now. We've had the recovery tested twice. Around 1 to 1.5GPM. Today it tested at .36GPM. And the static level is usually at 40ft, today it was 330ft. Most likely because of the drought we are in right now.
He said we can try hydrofracking but obviously there is no guarantee there. Another option is to get a 1HP pump and lower the pump even deeper so we have more storage. I'm not sure which option is better. If we get the bigger pump, we do have more storage but at .36gpm, we can still run out. Hydrofracking we could get 5gpm out of it, or we could get nothing and be out all that money. Part of me says just wait and see what happens when we get a lot of rain in the fall.
He said we can try hydrofracking but obviously there is no guarantee there. Another option is to get a 1HP pump and lower the pump even deeper so we have more storage. I'm not sure which option is better. If we get the bigger pump, we do have more storage but at .36gpm, we can still run out. Hydrofracking we could get 5gpm out of it, or we could get nothing and be out all that money. Part of me says just wait and see what happens when we get a lot of rain in the fall.
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The thing you describe explains the symptoms nicely.
Since the gpm delivered to the the pressure tank will vary a lot, that soda ash injector will no longer be appropriate. You will be looking at some kind of proportional control. :-( More money.
Since the gpm delivered to the the pressure tank will vary a lot, that soda ash injector will no longer be appropriate. You will be looking at some kind of proportional control. :-( More money.
H22lude
Member
I think as long as I keep the water level high, it should be ok, right? When it is full, it is at 40 ft. Right now it is at 330ft after using it often for newly seeded lawn. I'm going to test what the static level is tomorrow morning after not using water overnight. As long as it can get back to around 40ft, I'll have about 400 gallons until it gets back to the level it is at now. I'll just have to make sure we don't use that much water all at once, which we normally don't do unless we are watering the lawn. It will be a different story if it doesn't get full anymore. Then I think we are in bigger trouble than just the soda ash system.
Ahhh, new lawn watering... that makes a big difference!
H22lude
Member
Yeah that's where a lot of our water usage was coming from. And actually, doing the math it all makes sense. Static level has been 40ft when measured prior to this issue. Water was at 330ft right now. Almost 300ft. I have 4 sprinkler zones, two using 1.5gpm, one using .75gpm and one using 3gpm. I believe I have them set to run for 67 minutes each throughout the day (broken out into three waterings). That would be about 450 gallons of water, which would be 300ft in a 6in casing. Obviously the recovery rate and household water affect the actual water level. I just started that watering on Saturday. It all sort of goes well with what is happening.
Do I have this correct? A drought would cause a lower water level which would in turn cause a lower recovery rate because there is less water throughout the entire well? So the recovery rate was 1gpm because there was water up to the 40ft depth. But now the recovery rate is .36gpm because the water is at a lower level and there is less water getting into the entire well?
Not necessarily. Most deep wells are not directly affected by rain this year.
I guess if it has not rained, more people would be sucking from the aquifer 150 ft down than normal and that could affect neighboring deep wells.
H22lude
Member
So what would be causing the lower recovery right now? Or is it not a right now situation and this is what my recovery is even when we aren't in a drought? That would not be good
Recovery rate may be the same as since you moved in. You used less water before.
Why did it test at .36GPM? Could be various things.
Could be the two cranberry farms down the road sucking the aquifer dry.
The recovery rate maybe more from a deeper setting. You will need a larger pump to lift from deeper, which will give you more stored water to work with, and again, may even increase the recovery amount.
H22lude
Member
I understand the cranberry farm comment. I didn't think about other people using more water around me too.
I'm confused by the first comment. Why would water usage affect recovery rate?
H22lude
Member
Oh so you are saying as you go deep, recovery rate may change? It couldn't be less right?
So you think getting a new pump and putting it in deeper is the best option?
Not only will lowering the pump give you more stored water, but lowering the water level decreases the down hole pressure and may let more water flow into the well. Therefore, you can usually get more water from a low producing well by keeping the water level pulled down as much as possible. In other words, the well may fully recover in say 4 hours, but turning the pump back on every 30 minutes or an hour can deliver more water from the well than when letting it take the time to fully recover to the static level.
H22lude
Member
So in essence, I'm keeping the water level lower but also lowering the pump so my available storage doesn't really change but it may recovery faster at that lower level? And obviously if the well fills up overnight, that is just added water in storage.
Your available storage also changes as you will get about 1.5 gallons stored for every foot you lower the pump.
H22lude
Member
So you would recommend replacing the pump with one that can handle going deeper versus trying hydrofracking to see if I can increase recovery rate throughout the entire well?
I think both have their own pros and cons, at least looking at it as a novice well owner.
Replacing the pump and going deeper will guarantee I have more storage but it won't guarantee a higher recovery rate even at the lower levels. I'll also be replacing a pump that still works (just not working with sprinklers).
Hydrofracking could increase recovery rate and I could keep the current pump, but that isn't guaranteed. I also think getting a higher recovery rate could be better for resale. I think having .36GPM right now will drive away some people from buying the house.
I would, combined with a device to cut off the pump if you pump the well dry. Also a flow inducer sleeve, which adds very little to the cost, and a Dole valve to prevent upthrust.
7 gpm 1.5 HP with a 10 gpm Dole valve. Recycled image:
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A lot of people would love to have the option of lowering the pump. You may have deeper water bearing zone that would increase recovery. If not, just the extra storage will be helpful. Deepening AND hydrofracking is the best you can do.
I think the 1 hp 7 or 10 gpm pump may be at 500 ft already. He does not pump air.
H22lude
Member
The depth to pumping water level is ground level to the top of the water correct?
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