Bob999
In the Trades
Maybe, maybe not. Note that there is a valve on the other side of the T and installations that I am familiar with have the valve on the distribution side of the pressure tank--not the supply side.
Pressure Tank losing pressure
- Thread starter epps
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Maybe, maybe not. Note that there is a valve on the other side of the T and installations that I am familiar with have the valve on the distribution side of the pressure tank--not the supply side.
Yes, the BFP goes on the distribution side, after the main house shutoff. Isn't that what I said? Maybe not clear enough.
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I'd like to hear more about this and specifically how that could happen based on a leaky foot or check valve.
A low recovery rate well is not a bad well.
And usually, unless the driller, pump guy or plumber that sized and installed the pump does it wrong, low producing wells do not have low pressure problems and frankly, the OP said this is a new problem that just started.
As yet we don't know the cause of his low pressure problem. And this possibly dual check backflow prevention device is a real possibility.
Well water system troubleshooting is not taught in any plumbing licensing I've ever heard of. And the sad facts are that the vast majority of plumbers do not know this subject and don't want to.
BTW, I'm sure I would surprise you with my knowledge of backflow prevention.
Bob999
In the Trades
nhmaster wrote: "but either way the BFP is on the downstream side of the pressure switch. "
Maybe, maybe not. I suggest you go back and look at the picture again. There is what we are told is a BFP on one side of the T at the pressure tank and there is a ball valve on the other side of the T. The OP has not told us which side the BFP is on.
Maybe, maybe not. I suggest you go back and look at the picture again. There is what we are told is a BFP on one side of the T at the pressure tank and there is a ball valve on the other side of the T. The OP has not told us which side the BFP is on.
Bob, you could be right and I have looked a few times. Hard to tell but if I had to guess I would say it is on the incoming, Either way though a Watts #7 operates at 10lbs and I have never seen one fail in the closed position.
epps
New Member
no luck
As far as which side either valve is on, I can't tell. Would the manual shutoff valve be on the supply or return from the tank? I would guess the return (the supply to the faucets). I am kind of baffled that there is only one entry/exit from the tank itself, how does this work? By the way, I have a cistern, not a well. I am able to pull the pump all the way out and look at it, and everything inside the cistern is visible, if that helps at all.
Here's the deal now: Still very low pressure to the shower head and to the kitchen. The only other faucet right now is the sink in the bathroom, and this one seems fine, although I don't know if it is maybe because it is a smaller faucet with a smaller stream? I have pulled the pump out and checked the screen filter around it, nothing is clogging it. We had good pressure for a few days from the kitchen sink, but it has gone down again and the screen at the tip of the faucet has been cleared out. The pressure switch has not tripped since my last post, not sure what is going on with that. However, what baffles me is that this lack of pressure is for both cold and hot water, it doesnt make a difference either way. If there were a problem with the tubing or the pressure tank, wouldn't it only affect the cold? Is the hot water heater its own seperate pressure tank?
I know this is starting to sound crazy, but I can't pinpoint this problem. Like I said, this only started when our power started going out and has stayed consistently low since. I have watched the gauge on the tank and it seems fine. I cannot find any filters at all to check. I found debree on the screen of the faucet, which leads me to believe there are no filters. The pump looks to be a 60/30 (or maybe it was 60/40). I believe we have water with a high iron content, but we have all new faucets, eliminating the possibility of a buildup somewhere.
Thanks for everyone's help, and I guess these are sounding like some wierd symptoms, but any other advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated!
As far as which side either valve is on, I can't tell. Would the manual shutoff valve be on the supply or return from the tank? I would guess the return (the supply to the faucets). I am kind of baffled that there is only one entry/exit from the tank itself, how does this work? By the way, I have a cistern, not a well. I am able to pull the pump all the way out and look at it, and everything inside the cistern is visible, if that helps at all.
Here's the deal now: Still very low pressure to the shower head and to the kitchen. The only other faucet right now is the sink in the bathroom, and this one seems fine, although I don't know if it is maybe because it is a smaller faucet with a smaller stream? I have pulled the pump out and checked the screen filter around it, nothing is clogging it. We had good pressure for a few days from the kitchen sink, but it has gone down again and the screen at the tip of the faucet has been cleared out. The pressure switch has not tripped since my last post, not sure what is going on with that. However, what baffles me is that this lack of pressure is for both cold and hot water, it doesnt make a difference either way. If there were a problem with the tubing or the pressure tank, wouldn't it only affect the cold? Is the hot water heater its own seperate pressure tank?
I know this is starting to sound crazy, but I can't pinpoint this problem. Like I said, this only started when our power started going out and has stayed consistently low since. I have watched the gauge on the tank and it seems fine. I cannot find any filters at all to check. I found debree on the screen of the faucet, which leads me to believe there are no filters. The pump looks to be a 60/30 (or maybe it was 60/40). I believe we have water with a high iron content, but we have all new faucets, eliminating the possibility of a buildup somewhere.
Thanks for everyone's help, and I guess these are sounding like some wierd symptoms, but any other advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated!
So I'm looking at the pictures again and I see a boiler drain coming off the tank tee ( it's the big brass tee that goes into the tank) Put a hose on that and see what you get for pressure. If it's good there then the problem is downstream ot the tank tee.
Hot and cold both get their pressure from the same place. Whatever pressure you have on the pressure tank/pressure switch is the same pressure on the hot and cold.
Since this started after power problems, I think you may be running the pump on half voltage. This would explain the pressure switch not "tripping" and also why it just sits at 52 PSI. Check the voltage to the motor.
Since this started after power problems, I think you may be running the pump on half voltage. This would explain the pressure switch not "tripping" and also why it just sits at 52 PSI. Check the voltage to the motor.[/QUOTE]
I would buy that
I would buy that
epps
New Member
OK sounds good. Where can I check this? I can't pull the pump out when it is operating or it will shut off, correct? There is a little breaker box above the tank, I believe the switch runs through this. I could check here when the switch is sending power to the pump, correct?
Yes! Check the wires going to the motor.
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