Well Flow
Feb 22nd 2010 | 6:46 am
#31
Pictou County Superstarâ„¢
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,219
From: On top of the Green hill, NS
Re: Well Flow
Thanks for that Iain.
Last time I checked it there was too much air pressure in the tank, so I let some of it out to get it down to the correct level. Doing this seemed to correct the problem I had previously (where the pressure switch tripped off when water demand matched/exceeded supply).
Other than that the system appears to work as it should..apart from it seeming like there's not much water available after the power goes out (I should probably do a test when I get the chance, I mean switch off the power and see exactly how much water can be pushed through a tap by the pressure tank).
Last time I checked it there was too much air pressure in the tank, so I let some of it out to get it down to the correct level. Doing this seemed to correct the problem I had previously (where the pressure switch tripped off when water demand matched/exceeded supply).
Other than that the system appears to work as it should..apart from it seeming like there's not much water available after the power goes out (I should probably do a test when I get the chance, I mean switch off the power and see exactly how much water can be pushed through a tap by the pressure tank).
Basically the pump pushes water into the tank against the bubble of air at the top of the tank. The air is compressed (often within a rubber bladder), and that compression is what pushes water around the pipes. The pump I suspect can push water faster than the pressure tank, so if the UV etc had to deal with those flow rates it would need to be a lot more powerful?
If you have no pressure when the power is out, or the pump is cycling all the time, it might indicate that your tank is waterlogged, the air has somehow escaped over time, if so there is usually a schraeder (car type) valve at the top that lets you pump air back in in order to have an effective, efficient system. The well pump should not be doing all the work.
Most systems have a pressure guage on or near the tank, you should be able to watch the pressure increase as the pump works, then after the pressure switch trips it should remain steady (at about 60-80psi) until you run some water, it will then drop until the pressure switch trips again to start the tank filling again (at about 15 or 20 psi perhaps) If the pressure changes are very fast then it could be there is little air left in the tank to push against, and your pump will be working overtime.
If you have no pressure when the power is out, or the pump is cycling all the time, it might indicate that your tank is waterlogged, the air has somehow escaped over time, if so there is usually a schraeder (car type) valve at the top that lets you pump air back in in order to have an effective, efficient system. The well pump should not be doing all the work.
Most systems have a pressure guage on or near the tank, you should be able to watch the pressure increase as the pump works, then after the pressure switch trips it should remain steady (at about 60-80psi) until you run some water, it will then drop until the pressure switch trips again to start the tank filling again (at about 15 or 20 psi perhaps) If the pressure changes are very fast then it could be there is little air left in the tank to push against, and your pump will be working overtime.
