Problem with Well Pump, pressure tank?

[wmsill]

Every spring when I try to top off my above ground pool my pressure tank runs dry. My next door neighbor has a much larger pool and fills his with no trouble. I've tried running the water every thing from a slow trickle, to full open. Fully open the tank will be empty in 10 min. at a very slow trickle I can go 5-6 hrs. My tank is a Welltrol 202 LTD, Any suggestions.

[jadnashua]

The size of your tank in this situation will not matter, it appears that your pump can't keep up, or, more likely, your well recovery rate is too slow. The tank is a buffer for the pump so, under normal conditions, it doesn't have to run continously. Depending on the size of the pump, it is preferable to let it rest a little bit inbetween cycles, but if it can't keep up with filling the tank, it won't have a chance of keeping up with an open hose to fill an entire swimming pool. That's a huge load on the pump. You might consider having a tanker bring in water to fill your pool. My unprofessional opinion.

[captwally]

Have you checked the pressure switch? Does the tank run dry without the pump kicking on? Or did I miss something? I told of my experiences with the WX202 tank in another thread, and it is a very good product. If your well has no problem with recovery, and supplies your pump with a constant flow of water, any good pump should have no problem filling a pool, let alone topping it off. Quality pumps are designed to pump water, not sit idle, and can do so for years. If your pump is a cheap Sears plastic thing then I don't know what to say other than GOULDS, STA-RITE, FLINT&WALLING or RED JACKET... It's a simple matter of "pay me now or pay me later.." Quality definitely matters when it comes to pumps.

[wmsill]

I have a quality pump installed by a plumber about 5 years ago. I suspect a problem with the pressure switch, but am not sure how to adjust it. The origonal switch quit on me a couple of years ago. When I installed a new one I left the settings the way they came from the factory. I'm only trying to add about 5 " of water to a 24' round pool. How do I determing if the switch needs adjustment or repacement?

[jadnashua]

Does your system have a pressure gauge on it? Most systems have about a 20-pound difference between when they turn on and when they turn off, say something like 30-50. It pumps up the system until it gets to 50 pounds, then shuts off. As you use water, when it drops to 30 pounds, it turns back on. The pressure you select is somewhat dependent on the pump and the depth and personal preference. Also, the pressure tank's static pressure (the air pressure with no water pushing on the bladder) should be about 2 pounds LESS than the turn on point (lower number) of the pressure settings. If all you get out of the water line is a trickle and the pump is running, it either ran out of water or you have another problem. My unprofessional opinion.

[wmsill]

The switch is a 30 - 50. The tank has 28 lbs. when empty. I'm starting to think I have a well recovery problem.

[Gary Slusser]

It's either that or the water level in the well is falling farther than the pump can lift it. That would be if the pump is set at say 10' below the pumping level. The pumping level is where the water going out is equal to the water coming in, or... the water level stays constant. If the well is a fully cased and screened type as opposed to a rock bore well, they usually have the pump set at a screeend area or at the pumping level.

You don't happen to have a switch with the little wire handle on one side and when the water stops you have to rotate that 'switch' until the pump builds about 20 psi before you can leave go, right? If so then you'd have a 'dry' well condition. That's when the pump sucks air, meaning the water level fell to the pump inlet. The same if the pump is shutting off due to overheating and the thermal overload is opening until the pump motor cools enough for it to come on again.

If this were mine and the well operated without problems except for filling the pool, I'd buy delivered water. This is not good for the pump or the well, and maybe not the water quality.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

[Hube]

As Gary suggested, your problem is more than likely a "draw-down" .
This occurs when the pump eventually draws all the water that the well case can give it.
This can usually be corrected by LOWERING the pump quite a few more feet.
But in your case, as you say you are trying to fill a pool 24 feet in diameter with 5 inches of water (this is approx 900 (u.s.) or 1100 (Can.)gallons.
To try and accomplish this would certainly put an added strain on an already 'water starved' system.
Your best to just continue using the system for the normal household duty's, and import the pool water or make the necessary LOWERING of the pump (if this is possible, as the pump may already be at the lowest depth.)