Pressure switch Kick-On point

[JustaDIYer]

well, glad i swapped the fittings, they were clogged with a lot of corrosion. upped the pressure switch. definitely helped the house pressure

upped the pressure switch. Tried first zone, went great for a minute or two then pressure went down to 20 psi. Tried another zone and it worked great the whole time. Went thru the other 5 zones and all were either at 20 or started ok and then went down.

 

[Reach4]

well, glad i swapped the fittings, they were clogged with a lot of corrosion.

Clogged with rust or other orange obstruction? Plastic fittings, brass, or galvanized?

upped the pressure switch. Tried first zone, went great for a minute or two then pressure went down to 20 psi.

As indicated by the gauge at the pressure tank?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[JustaDIYer]

galvanized fittings corroding. nothing in the pressure switch.

yes, gage at pressure tank.

 

[Reach4]

Sounds like the pressure tank is supplementing the flow initially, but the well+pump+pipe is only delivering enough volume (gpm) to maintain 20 psi.

So is this a clogged piping system? Seems likely, to it could be a weak pump. Any galvanized you replace should be with plastic, stainless, brass, or bronze. Avoid plastic female threads.

Lower-output emitters should help for a while.

 

[JustaDIYer]

Zones 1-4 (4 impact heads each zone) - low pressure ~20 psi (odd since these worked previous years)
Zone 5 (2 heads; 1 impact 1 mister) - fine
Zone 6 (3 impact heads) - fine ~45 psi
Zone 7 (1 gear; 2 impact; 3 misters) - ok ~30 psi

I'm going to replace the pressure tank today hopefully and order some lower flow nozzles

 

[Valveman]

Pressure tanks don't make pressure, they steal pressure from your system. Sounds like you have a leak after the zone valve for 1-4.

 

[JustaDIYer]

Sounds like you have a leak after the zone valve for 1-4.

yes, you mentioned that before and as I mentioned, there's no signs of a leak. I walked the zones with them running and didn't notice any soft spots or water on the surface. Valve area is dry as well.

 

[JustaDIYer]

Sounds like you have a leak after the zone valve for 1-4.

If there are other ways to find a leak, I'm all ears.

 

[Valveman]

Depending on the formation of the area, a leak can go down instead of up and not be seen for a long time if ever. Could also just be the sprinkler nozzles are washed out and letting through too much flow. Might try measuring the sprinkler volume in a bucket and add them together. If there is not enough flow coming through the sprinklers, it is going somewhere. Won't find the leak but may confirm it.

 

[Reach4]

Zones 1-4 (4 impact heads each zone) - low pressure ~20 psi (odd since these worked previous years)

Does that involve 4 zone valves?

 

[VAWellDriller]

Had the well guy out and he found the issue. Had a lot of debris in the elbow leading up to the switch. He's the one who installed the pump a couple years ago and said the pump is capable of 10-13gpm easily.

So, I'll swap out the fittings around the switch and see what happens.

Thanks!

You need a new pump man.

If the pump is running steady and HOLDING 25 psi like you said (and you are experiencing less than normal flow)...the switch, the nipple to the switch, the settings of the switch, the tank, the filters, and the precharge on the tank HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR PROBLEM. With exception of the filter, everything else I mentioned all works together to CYCLE the pump from on to off.

You have either, a leak somewhere (could be in the drop pipe), a worn out pump that is off in capacity, a lowered water level in the well, or a restriction in the line somewhere. It really could be nothing else.

 

[JustaDIYer]

Does that involve 4 zone valves?

yes, 4 different valves.

 

[Bannerman]

4 different valves.

So when you say 20 psi, to confirm, that is while running only 1 of those zones at 1 time? Each zone is then resulting in an identical pressure drop?

By the manner in which they had been listed, it appears I (& I suspect others) had mistakenly understood zones 1-4 were controlled by 1 valve so all 4 were operating at the same time.

 

[JustaDIYer]

Each zone is operated by it's own valve. Zone 1 runs and once it finishes then Zone 2 starts (separate valve), then zone 3 and so on. Each zone has it's own valve.