Low pressure in the morning.

[pdevore]

I am having problems with low pressure in the morning. I start the shower and it takes 4-6 min to get to full pressure. I am also not happy with the "full" pressure. I bought this house 8 months ago, and this is the first time I have had a well. This is what I have:

1: Amtrol tank HT30
2: AO Smith motor c48h2pa105c1 1/2 hp
3: Sta-rite pump ALC-20 code F71

The motor and tank are 2 years old. The pump is about 1972 or so. The gauge on the pump reads 50psi. I am not against replaceing the pump, motor or tank if it gives me better pressure. I would like to get close to city water pressure. I just don't know if I need to step up the pump and motor or the tank or all. It is in a rambler style house in the basement. We have 1 full bath and 1, 3/4 bath, kitchen with dishwasher. We can not run any 2 items at the same time. We can not flush a toilet while showering.
Please help
Thanks
Pete

PS I am in minnesota

[jadnashua]

In the morning, prior to taking that first shower, what does the pressure read?

If the high pressure is 50 pounds, then you probably have a 30/50 switch...it turns on when the pressure drops to 30, and shuts off when it gets up to 50. You can adjust that to a 40/60 setting. If you do, you will need to adjust the static pressure on your bladder tank first, though. That should be 1-2 pounds less than the turn-on pressure (now it should be 28-29 pounds). To check, turn off the pump, open a faucet until the water stops running, then measure it with a tire pressure gauge. Adjust as necessary.

Sometimes, the pipe to the pressure switch gets clogged with rust, and it makes the pressure switch very slow to react, meaning that the pump does not turn on as soon as it should. Also, make sure thatthe pressure gauge is working...while someone is using water, say eithera shower or maybe the clothes washer filling, watch the gauge and see if it moves slowly from the shut off point down to the turn on point, then goes back. If it gets much below the (anticipated) 30 pounds beforeit turns on, it is eithernot sensing the real pressure or the switch is bad.

[speedbump]

The AL series by Sta-Rite is a convertible pump. It could be either deep or shallow well. The shallow well jet pump will produce much more water than the deep well jet.

A 1/2hp pump is very small for the water usage of today, so don't expect real good pressure from this system. If you can get the 1/2hp to go past 50 psi, Jadnashua's idea would help.

If the pump is a shallow well jet, you could install a bigger pump (I recommend a 1hp). If it is a deep well jet, installing a bigger pump won't make a lot of difference. Because of the jet in the well. It has to match the pump.

[pdevore]

OK I looked at i again last night and found out that the gauge was bad. I ran water and the gauge stayed at 50psi. It also took about 4min for the pump to kick on, that is 4 min of the wasing machine filling. I felt that was really bad so I went out and bought a new gauge and switch 40-60psi. when I removed the old switch and gauge more rust than water came out. After installing the new gauge and switch the system works much better. I do really need to get more pressure though. I would like to install an irrigation system this year. some of my problems are I do not have well cap. I have a diagram of my property that shows where the well is but there is no cap or pipe or anything. Is this possible or could it be burried. I assume that I have to have a well pipe somewhere?.

any help would be great

Thanks Guys
Pete

[speedbump]

All wells were buried before pitless adaptors became the norm.

You are not going to run many sprinklers with the present setup.

bob...

[pdevore]

So am I just stuck or is there something that I can do. When you say it is buried are you saying there is a well pipe and cap out there or just the water lines and go into the ground. I am wondering if I can dig down and locate the well pipe, Install a pitless adapter and extension and cap. I would really like to have better pressure and run irrigation, but don't want to drop the $7000 for a whole new well.

Pete