well pump cycling too fast
 

My well pump seems to be cycling on and off about every 48 sec. It
appears to cycle off at 50 psi then the guage falls to about 32 psi whn
it kicks on again. This happens even when the water supply to the rest
of the house is shut off. I'm concerned that this will burn out my
well pump. Any help is appreciated.

Could it be the air bladder in my tank? I have a Amtrol Well-x-Trol
203 tank. How much is this likely to cost if I have to replace or
repair?

Thanks,
RD

RD wrote:
My well pump seems to be cycling on and off about every 48 sec. It
appears to cycle off at 50 psi then the guage falls to about 32 psi whn
it kicks on again. This happens even when the water supply to the rest
of the house is shut off. I'm concerned that this will burn out my
well pump. Any help is appreciated.

Could it be the air bladder in my tank? I have a Amtrol Well-x-Trol
203 tank. How much is this likely to cost if I have to replace or
repair?

Thanks,
RD

Two things are most likely wrong with your system.

1. You have a leak somewhere. The pressure wouldn't change when all
water was shut off unless it is going somewhere. Find and fix it.

2. Your tank is waterlogged. The bladder is broken. You can run it
as is by treating it as a bladderless, i.e., air it up every few
months. The air bubble disolves in the water and eventually
disappears.
Drain the tank (shut pump off) and air up to 2 psi below cut-in. Looks
like you are set to 30-50 (on/off)

It is possible that your tank/bladder is just fine and you have a
massive leak allowing the all the drawdown to drain in 48 sec.

Harry K

"Harry K" wrote in message

Two things are most likely wrong with your system.

1. You have a leak somewhere.

2. Your tank is waterlogged.


Is there a check valve or foot valve that can be defective?

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm looking into the check valve and tank
bladder.

RD

Good call, Harry. I had a plumber out today. He said the tank is
definitely waterlogged (fortunately for me the tank is still under
warranty). More disturbing, however, is that pressure is lost even
when the water to the house is shut off. As you surmised, there's a
leak somewhere between the well-pump and my basement where the tank is
located. I have no check valve in the basement and this probably
allowed me to notice the loss of pressure when the house water supply
is shut off.

Any thoughts on what I can expect in the way of finding the leak?
cost? excavation?

Thanks,
RD

RD wrote:

Good call, Harry. I had a plumber out today. He said the tank is
definitely waterlogged (fortunately for me the tank is still under
warranty). More disturbing, however, is that pressure is lost even
when the water to the house is shut off. As you surmised, there's a
leak somewhere between the well-pump and my basement where the tank is
located. I have no check valve in the basement and this probably
allowed me to notice the loss of pressure when the house water supply
is shut off.

Any thoughts on what I can expect in the way of finding the leak?
cost? excavation?

Thanks,
RD

First place to look is the well piping itself--either the foot-valve
isn't holding or the possibility of the pipe having developed leak. Do
you have any place to isolate upstream of the pressure tank to confirm
which side the leak is on?

RD wrote:
Good call, Harry. I had a plumber out today. He said the tank is
definitely waterlogged (fortunately for me the tank is still under
warranty). More disturbing, however, is that pressure is lost even
when the water to the house is shut off. As you surmised, there's a
leak somewhere between the well-pump and my basement where the tank is
located. I have no check valve in the basement and this probably
allowed me to notice the loss of pressure when the house water supply
is shut off.

Any thoughts on what I can expect in the way of finding the leak?
cost? excavation?

Thanks,
RD

Well that is unusual. I never thought that it would be -both-
problems.

As for finding the leak: as Duane says, most likely (hopefully) it is
in the well piping if it is galvanized, pin holed, corroded etc. You
can try listening with an accoustic device (stethoscope type) along the
pipe route between house and well. If it is there you -might- be able
to hear it. Also look for suspicious wet or unusually green spots
along the route.

Good luck.

Harry K

Harry K wrote:

....
As for finding the leak: as Duane says, most likely (hopefully) it is
in the well piping if it is galvanized, pin holed, corroded etc. ...

Can be there if it's plastic too...had a problem in our well just last
year where a joint was misthreaded when placed and the misalignment
eventually caused a failure--took almost 10 years, but it did eventually
cause the pipe to break at the thread...

And, found pinholes in the last section which was left as galvanized at
the same time...

Harry K wrote:
RD wrote:
Good call, Harry. I had a plumber out today. He said the tank is
definitely waterlogged (fortunately for me the tank is still under
warranty). More disturbing, however, is that pressure is lost even
when the water to the house is shut off. As you surmised, there's a
leak somewhere between the well-pump and my basement where the tank is
located. I have no check valve in the basement and this probably
allowed me to notice the loss of pressure when the house water supply
is shut off.

Any thoughts on what I can expect in the way of finding the leak?
cost? excavation?

Thanks,
RD

Well that is unusual. I never thought that it would be -both-
problems.

As for finding the leak: as Duane says, most likely (hopefully) it is
in the well piping if it is galvanized, pin holed, corroded etc. You
can try listening with an accoustic device (stethoscope type) along the
pipe route between house and well. If it is there you -might- be able
to hear it. Also look for suspicious wet or unusually green spots
along the route.

Good luck.

Harry K

Forgot to add about about cost and excavation. I have no idea as I
don't know what your local soil condition is or your physical
abilities. When I had a total pipe blow out (corroded galvanised), I
dug clear across my lot (200 ft) myself - no luck. Finally had to rent
a ditch which and replace the entire water line for 1/4 mile to the
community well. Cost not that bad but then it only invlolved the cost
of the pipe plus rental, no labor as I didn't count my time. Had I
contracted it...

Going through top/subsoil that isn't too rocky you can dig an amazing
footage of ditch with nothing but a shovel, even if you aren't in great
shape (I was in average condition).

If it is a corroded pipe problem, don't just fix the area with the
hole. Replace the entire pipe. The remaining old pipe will also leak
soon if you don't do that.

Harry K