well pressure gauge

1. You have a way to measure how much water comes out of your sink during your 1.5 minute test. If your bucket is not marked, calibrate it by pouring quarts of water into your big bucket. If your bucket will not fit under your faucet, close the drain on the sink. Calibrate your sink. How long does it take to fill the sink (or bucket). How big is the sink (or bucket). Based on that, you will know the flow rate from the sink.
Let T = the number of seconds to fill your sink or bucket.
Let G = the number of gallons to fill your sink or bucket.
The flow rate will be G/T/60.
The number of gallons that you can use before the pump goes on is about 1.5 times the flow rate. That will actually be an over-estimate, since the flow rate drops as the pressure decreases.
Let your kids help with the math if appropriate. It will be motivating in their studies.
You could avoid the math and use a 5-gallon bucket fed by a hose or the laundry sink tap.

2. You have a watch that can measure the time from when the pump turns on, until it turns off. In fact, you could try measuring that with the kitchen faucet on and off. But if you only measure one way, do that with the faucet off. If that time is under 30 seconds, call your plumber or well person. If that time is over 55 seconds, don't call. If it is in between, think about it.

3. If you provide the external measurement of your pressure tank, somebody could tell you the approximate size of your tank, and tell you what your expectations should be for test #1. If you cannot measure your tank, that's is OK. If you are getting 5 gallons of water during your 1.5 minutes, your tank is fine. If you are getting 2 gallons, your tank is not fine. In between... ??? Do you have room for an inside tank? It is OK to have 2 tanks.

I feel that you are probably not going to be into DYI, even if it only involves using a tire pressure gauge and a tire pump. That would be the bit that could optimize the pressure tank that you already have. Maybe you don't have access to the air valve for your underground tank, so that would be a reason to call the pro.

My opinions only... not a pro. I have provided estimated criteria here. Criticism is welcome.

i just found out it is 44 gallons !!!

That size tank at 30/50 PSI setting should give you about 13 gallons before the pump turns on.

Have you measured how many gallons you get like I asked you?

it stops and holds ...when i turn water off.

i believe it draws just less than 3 gallons in the 1 1/2 minutes draw time before pump comes back on. comeson at 44 off at 62-64. really.
it must come on a bunch of times when i take a shower. so im trying to decide if it comes on too often

i guess i'm calling a well guy. with the kitchen faucet running.....it takes 15 seconds from pump kicks on to pump shuts off. i

sherr said:

i guess i'm calling a well guy. with the kitchen faucet running.....it takes 15 seconds from pump kicks on to pump shuts off. i

Click to expand...

Sounds like a tank problem. May be water logged.


Good Luck

A good 44 gallon tank only holds 12 gallons of water. I agree yours is only holding about 3 gallons, so the bladder in the tank is busted. I am sure it is cycling a lot of times while you take a shower. But even with a new 44 gallon tank it will cycle 2 or 3 times during a normal shower.

The Pside-Kick with the 4.5 gallon tank (1 gallon of water) has a Cycle Stop Valve (CSV) so the pump will never cycle while the shower is on, even if you take a month long shower. Your water doesn’t come from the tank, it comes from the well and pump. A CSV will adjust the output of the pump to match the amount of water being used, so the pump never cycles, even with the little 4.5 gallon tank.

In other words, the CSV and small tank will do a better job than the biggest tank you could get through the door. The Pside-Kick kit sells for $399, a new 44 gallon tank ???

So called “normal cycling” is what busted the bladder in the tank you have, like bending a wire back and forth until it breaks. Cycling is also very bad for the pump. Ask your well guy about a Cycle Stop Valve. They have been saving pumps and tanks for over 20 years. If he hasn’t heard of the CSV, he doesn’t get out much.

The price of a new tank would be about the same Installed, In my neck of the woods.

Seems like a CSV would be a good choice.

The Pside-Kick kit will install at your old tank location.

To install it in your house would require a bit of wire, and would have voltage drop to your pump.


Good Luck.

my guy hasn't called back yet... but thanks... its a big , many many years of service company [family owned[ I have complete faith in them.

if it comes to new tank..... like I said mine is currently in the ground......I gotta find space in my tiny house. thanks for helping. ill let you know what they say.

it is a waterlogless tank.. that's what brochure says.

sherr said:

it is a waterlogless tank.. that's what brochure says.

Click to expand...

That may be true if it is not broke.

If it has a Blatter then it is broke or empty of air.

If your tank has a air volume control valve then the tank is waterlogged.


You need air pressure to make your tank work.

thank-you everyone... yes its the tank, not dead yet but on its way out. don't know specifics yet, kind of tank etc. we haven't discussed it yet , I just caught the well guy on his way home from work today.