How to Diagnose Problems with Well Water Systems

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How to Diagnose Problems with Well Water Systems | Ask This Old House

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7 жыл бұрын

Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains how a well water pump works and why it could be behind a high electrical bill.
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Steps:
1. Some well pumps are submersible and sit at the bottom of the well. Others are located inside the home, usually in a basement.
2. Richard explains every time a homeowner with a well turns on the faucet, a well water pump could come on and call for water from the well. The well pump should be connected to one of two pressure systems.
3. One is a large pressure tank. That tank has an air charge at the top and water at the bottom. The tank is pressurized, so if the pump is coming on and off whenever the faucet comes on, that’s likely an indication that the air charge has become water logged and may need to be recharged.
4. The second system is similar, but has a neoprene bladder in between the air and the water reservoir. That would form a barrier and negate any oversaturation of the tank. If the pump is coming on in this situation, that means the neoprene bladder or a balloon-like material in between has failed, allowing the air and water to mix.
5. A well pump that runs to frequently suggests a problem with the pressure systems, which should be inspected and repaired by a qualified well technician.
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How to Diagnose Problems with Well Water Systems | Ask This Old House
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Пікірлер: 153

@lostintime8651 3 жыл бұрын

I just bought a house with a well. Now I have to learn more stuff. My brain is already full!!

@dustinzimmerman7402 2 жыл бұрын

Coming from someone who has a well and does have issues from time to time, and as of recent had to replace my original bladder tank because the pump was turning on and off as soon as I opened a faucet, I'm going with bad tank.

@EatinPeaches82 Жыл бұрын

Nice explanation but i really wish you would have SHOWN how to fill and recharge the old galvanized tank

@kennykemp2790 7 жыл бұрын

As a water well contractor in Colorado, I would suggest checking for a leaky stool or underground water line or in the well. It could be the foot valve or a hole in the pipe in the well circulating water. The loss of air in the pressure tank will only negligibly raise an electric bill as the pump still stays shut off when there is not water in use.

@RADMAN752 7 жыл бұрын

PLEASE help. very good video. we have gotten alot of rain but the well is dry, could this be a problem with a check/foot valve? if so how to i fix this?

@senatorjosephmccarthy2720 5 жыл бұрын

@@RADMAN752 , could be. Pull the vertical pipe out of the ground and see the check valve at the bottom end.

@senatorjosephmccarthy2720 5 жыл бұрын

@@RADMAN752 , could be. Pull the vertical pipe out of the ground and see the check valve at the bottom end.

@map1537 5 жыл бұрын

@@RADMAN752 what happen

@christinedearman9658 5 жыл бұрын

Here at my job we have water well systems for the trailer park, the North pump will not shut off. Even after cutting off the main valve to the park the pressure moves up very little, the water tank is full of water. My feeling is either foot valve or the line going down to the well.

@Neon806 6 жыл бұрын

One major thing you forgot to mention is a leak in a pipe somewhere. If there is a slow leak in a pipe anywhere in the house (slab) you will have the same issue of pump cycling on and off too much.

@dumpsterfire6351 11 ай бұрын

So exciting I am learning some new stuff 😊

@SuperMan-xy8ui 5 жыл бұрын

My well's foot valve lost water prime because of a bad vacuum regulator and the pump wouldn't turn off. It was easy enough to bleed off excessive air in the storage tank but that would only last a week or so until it would happen again. On my system, the vacuum regulator lasts ~6-8 years so I now keep a spare on hand for the next time it happens as my regulator is not the more common of the ones offered so well supply stores don't keep in stock.

@lucastraweek5065 5 жыл бұрын

our electric bill hasn't changed but for about a month now our water completely loses pressure (no water coming out of taps) and after about 5 mins the water comes back. what could be our problem and what would be a cheap fix money is a big issue right now, we dont have hundreds of dollars to spend on fixing this please help.

@bernardbonnetrouge2201 6 жыл бұрын

Something everyone seemed to miss is a leaking foot valve, which would definitely be a cause of an increased use of electricity.

@buggsy5 6 жыл бұрын

One of the people mentioned that possibility about 6 months ago.

@josephsaucedo8691 6 жыл бұрын

Yes or a bad check valve

@rogerdickey3549 Жыл бұрын

My water pressure will not rise above 20psi. The pressure switch is staying closed for demand to satisfy the 50 psi high limit. It’s never getting above 20 psi. I replaced the pump about 1 year ago. The fact that I’m getting some water has got me confused. Thanks for any answers.oh and when I use water in the house the pressure will go to 0 it will take awhile before it builds back up but it still never builds over 20. I’m afraid my well has no water.

@user-cz1kh1xi6z 5 ай бұрын

I have the galvanized big tank at 60 psi, there is not enough pressure as before how much can be added ????.

@karene606 3 жыл бұрын

We have a residential well that is only 2 years old. This summer, when we don’t use the cold water for 2 or more hours the water that comes out is HOT when I only turn on Cold faucet. It will start out warm then get HOT. I will typically run the kitchen faucet for 10 minutes to get cool/cold water or start a load of laundry to use the warm water up and get to the cold water. I’m concerned that this hot water that is sitting in the water lines and pressure tank could be growing bacteria. We do have a reverse osmosis filtration system, but I’m not confident that will filter out all the bacteria of unfiltered warm well water. What are some troubleshooting suggestions to find out why the cold water is getting hot this summer but not last summer?

@EatinPeaches82 Жыл бұрын

Don't understand why you are worried about bacteria. Heat kills bacteria. I'd be more worried about the fact it doesn't work right. 🤔

@dianeyoung5509 4 жыл бұрын

We been living at our house for 29 years. Have a well - always semi low pressure but not a problem. Then in December had Well Connect system put in for heating and cooling. In March, all of sudden lost all water pressure. Turned off the Well Connect system. They primed the pump and we had water again. Kept the system off and had a professional Well Company come and due maintenance on our well. Was told we could turn the system back on and see what happens. Also told that it sounds like we have a slow leak underground. Now July the water pressure goes off again. We turned Well Connect off and husband primed the pump. Water restored. Well company suggesting we should probably put in new deep well. We currently have the above ground, pump in basement system. Meanwhile one week later, we lost all pressure again and had to prime the pump. Any ideas??? Does it sound like we need a new deep well system or is the new pump the problem?

@jasonpurkey5127 4 жыл бұрын

Diane Young sounds like a bad check valve on the suction side of the well pump?

@andytrees173 2 жыл бұрын

What size of pressure tank for a 1 hp shallow well pump, and can it be 200 feet away so the tank is closer to the house?

@san379 7 жыл бұрын

on a modern tank there is a air valve on the top and it can be recharged with compressed air .. takes 10 seconds

@OBEYGOD247 4 жыл бұрын

I have a question and hope you can answer. We rent with a well, and the owner seems to think we are responsible for the very low water level, even though there are only 2 of us, and we barely use. He said he checked for leaks but found none. We just put a new metal connector to backyard spigot, for 2 hoses to connect, cus other one kept leaking, and I think our owner has been coming by early in morning, before we're awake, and putting something through connector to check water level possibly? Anyways, I think he broke something on metal connectors, cus water won't shut off turning valves on connectors, and water won't even flow through hose. I found the metal pcs that go inside connectors on ground just below and put back in connectors. The water shuts off when you turn main knob to right, but when on, both connectors overflow with water, even when that white round like plastic piece to shut off is in place. Can't understand why hose won't flow (just dribbles) now cus the spigot in front works fine (he hasn't messed with that one yet). Thank you. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9

@tsivat1 6 жыл бұрын

Her problem could be the check valve leaking so you loose water pressure so the pump kicks on and then the water leaks out and that is the most common problem, very seldom does a pressure tank fail.

@jamielaird695 3 жыл бұрын

Hi. Question I just replaced the pressure switch. The tank had no air it was a40-60 pressure switch I filled the tank wit 38 pounds of pressure when I turned it on I can here the pump but I watched it for 45 minutes and it only went up to 20 pounds of pressure and the pump was on any thing will help thanks

@bricelewis7869 6 жыл бұрын

There are actually well water systems that have the pump in the house? This is new to me. Where I come from everyone who has well water has the pump outside the house in a small shed called a pump house.

@elained2448 6 жыл бұрын

Brice Lewis ours is in a room in the house, with the storage tank. Well installed in 1970

@gfriedman99 5 жыл бұрын

Must be a pretty big pump then. Mine is in the basement about the size of a toaster.

@yamantakayamantaka9974 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome 👌

@tomluna1201 4 жыл бұрын

Hello I have a 20 gallon retention in my house. It’s like the blue one you guys used as an example. I don’t know how old the tank is it was there when we bought the house. My question is this. When the shower on I can here the switch or pump running on about every minute is that about right?

@thomasschwarz1909 7 жыл бұрын

I had a storage pressure tank go bad which made my submersible pump come on and off. I had already worn out one pump and had it replaced. Cost about $800. I decided to replace the tank and install a stop cycle valve. It is my understanding that the frequent cycling is what causes pumps to wear out and higher use of energy. Here's how the stop cycle valve works. When using water, once the storage tank pressure drops to the low pressure setting, the pump kicks on and the water pressure begins to rise. The stop cycle valve keeps the pressure in the tank from reaching the shutoff pressure as long as the water is being used. The pump continues to run. When the water is turned off the pump runs until the tank pressure reaches the shutoff pressure. This keeps your pump from cycling and makes the pump last longer and by eliminating excessive cycling cuts down on energy usage.

@kennykemp2790 7 жыл бұрын

Cycle stop valves have there place in the world and I have used them on several occasions. However, on a small well it is more efficient to have a pressure tank large enough to cover the requirements of the pump. There is several guides to tank sizing and with a properly sized tank we commonly see 10+ year pump lives with some pumps exceeding 40 years.

@andreSpoolder 6 жыл бұрын

Foras

@buggsy5 6 жыл бұрын

Yep. Although the pressure tank is somewhat undersized, the original pump is still functioning fine at the bottom of my well. It was installed in 1966, so is over 50 years old.

@vinniemass 4 жыл бұрын

Please, help me! I bought this very old house and there was water when I first checked. Then I turned the pump off and came back like a week later (pump back on) and no water was coming out. I changed the pressure tank, switch, valve and every piece that went with the set up (including the pipes) and still no water. I can feel the pipes close to the well pump vibrating a little bit and also hear a water noise coming from the underground when the pump is on. I believe the pump is working, everything else is brand new, so any idea? I left the pump running for about 4 hrs and no water, no pressure...please...give me an idea. There was a lot of iron bacteria in the old pipes from when I first ran the pump. Thank you!

@denisrhodes54 3 жыл бұрын

replace the pump

@kostas5579 3 жыл бұрын

Pump stuck in mud. Raise it up a bit . if proplem same then most likely you need a new pump. You can check the pump with an ohm meter for resistance to see if it's good.

@GrandpaGaming_GT 4 жыл бұрын

That is happening with me too but I hear a noise that sounds as if there is a water leak and when I start listening it sounds like it is the backward valve And when the light goes out I have to add water to the line so I can run water for the house because the pipe is empty I think it is the backflow valve. I need help How to fixing The water pump of the well is outside. I live in a movable house.

@sissymurphy9620 Жыл бұрын

what about sediment build up in the pressure tank . I had to replace my whole house filter and spigot stem broke and well pump was off and tank released the water and at the end the I got grey , black and red seiment that came out and after new spigot was put on my pressure was up to 50 psi and before that it was 38 psi . So what should pressure be at with the size pressure tank you have . My pump failed and do to wire damage in the well and I got dirty water and wondering now since pressure is down to 38 psi , is there sediment build up in the pressure tank again . Should it be flushed again the pressure tank is just over 4 years old it replaced a smaller pressure tank that was making my pump work all the time

@Bradyvilleboy 7 жыл бұрын

Strangely, I have both tanks. I think it's time to update my system.

@denisrhodes54 3 жыл бұрын

don’t need to update, just understand. i also have both tanks. well feeds directly into the compression tank. compression tank has an air valve on top, used for system blowdown. compression tank has a T fitting with drain and line to the expansion tank. expansion tank has the tank manifold with pressure switch, drain valve, pressure gauge, and line out to the filters. filters used are 150, 50, 5 micron. the well water in the area is very high in manganese, having a large compression tank helps to capture some of it, and easily flush out the system. don’t “precharge” the compression tank, but rather have it completely blown down so that it’s empty, then let the well run as normal. should settle at 50% air. pressure relief valves are used throughout the system.

@dally2157 4 жыл бұрын

I think the best thing to do if we have well problems is to get a certified well water inspector and he will explain everything . He will test and check everything and let you know what's the problem .

@mickjager5974 2 жыл бұрын

And soak you with a big bill!

@EatinPeaches82 Жыл бұрын

Thanks captain obvious 🙄. Not trying to be rude but people are asking how to do it themselves. Not everyone has the money to hire those people. Obviously if we did we would just call someone and have no reason to ask in the first place lol

@Bigbopperairguns 3 жыл бұрын

My well pump keeps kicking on without the water being on what could that be I just replace the pressure switch two weeks ago this is the first I’ve heard my pops continuously running tonight I just pulled the fuse just to turn the pumps off until I can get a hold of a plumber I’m worried my pumps might burn up though is that an issue?

@andystitt3887 5 жыл бұрын

We have a well pump this making a grinding noise could this mean there is problem with the amount of pressure in the tank?

@vanessallado493 5 жыл бұрын

I got my gould pump shallow well, the problem is that the meter moves up down point different direction,is it normal to the motor? It turns on but after a few second if i turn on the the volcup it automaticly turn off,what would be the problem?can you help me

@TampaMaximumMike 6 жыл бұрын

How much pressure should be in the tank bladder when there is no water pressure? Is there a way to test the tank bladder by turning off the water and measuring the air pressure?

@RealityCheck1965 5 жыл бұрын

In my case 28lbs or; 2lbs PSI shy of when you ask the pump to kick on. If Max is 50Psi and minimum is 30PSI then you would have 28lbs in your tank as is my case...

@ShaggyDogg0128 5 жыл бұрын

Just purchased a house that use to have well water. I’m on city water now. But I would like to try and connect the well water up to a sprinkler system. I still have the pump. Just curious if it’s worth trying to hook back up?

@map1537 5 жыл бұрын

sounds like a great idea

@troyalec50 6 жыл бұрын

I have a 1/2hp Everbilt shallow well jet pump that I cannot get the volute off. I removed the four bolts and nothing else is holding it on. It only comes about 1/4" apart. I'm afraid I'll break it if I pry any harder. I'm already damaging the plastic housing. Any suggestions?

@joelamolato5474 4 жыл бұрын

So there are air stock inside the tank?

@That-guy919 5 ай бұрын

What if I don’t have a tank and it’s capped off??

@jonathonstrand4106 5 жыл бұрын

I've got air in our lines this morning and low pressure. Psi on the switch is only at 10. It doesn't make any noise. This was a foreclosure so I'm not sure where the actual well is, only the pressure tank house. Any help out there?

@oystercultviking 2 жыл бұрын

This is exactly my situation. Did you ever get it figured out, Jonathan Strand?

@alexramirez5562 2 жыл бұрын

What if you get air coming out the fixtures

@RADMAN752 7 жыл бұрын

PLEASE help. very good video. we have gotten alot of rain but the well is dry, could this be a problem with a check/foot valve? if so how to i fix this?

@josephsaucedo8691 6 жыл бұрын

If your well is dry its dry there no way to fix it you need to drill new well or hope water comes back up. It take years not mouths or weeks. For water to make to well levels. Sorry

@coachmarkbretana8896 4 жыл бұрын

my jet pump is not pumping water. What should i do? i need answer ASAP...

@keithcronksr875 3 жыл бұрын

I'm pulling water 346 feet from well at the pump I have 60lbs of pressure but in the facettets it just trickles out what could it be. Thanks in advance

@BUNNYBUN420 3 жыл бұрын

pump to weak or leak in well line

@mardr7461 5 жыл бұрын

I got very low pressure, one plumber said to replace both auxiliary tank and pressure pump. I don't know if he's honest or just maxing out the job for himself. Anyone can help me figure out what do / buy the right item(s).

@kerrivintson9506 4 жыл бұрын

My water pump stop working 3 days ago, but if you unplug it & then plug it up the next morning it will come on and run for 30 sec. then no power?????

@rcampbell6797 4 жыл бұрын

I’ have wellwater can u tell me what I need to. Do about order when I first turn on faucet

@JuanCoreas10 3 жыл бұрын

The pressure is good, the pump stops and the water returns to the well, reach the low pressure and the pump starts again. How can I fix it? or what part needs to be changed? Thank you

@BUNNYBUN420 3 жыл бұрын

sounds like a leak in the well line. You should have a valve to stop the water from coming in the house, close it and see if the pressure drops.

@JuanCoreas10 3 жыл бұрын

@@BUNNYBUN420 Thank you very much. I'll try it.

@glxwingangel751 5 жыл бұрын

So I have no water SWITCHED the pressure switch nothing so pulled pump and changed it and still no water no pressure on the gauge checked the psi in water tank was low so pumped up the air psi to 28 cuz my switch is a 30/50 going to change the water tank and gage also the check valve

@lindamace5071 4 жыл бұрын

The breaker for my community well keeps going off ?

@jeffreygwynn3245 6 жыл бұрын

When I turn my shut off valve off, the pressure drops and pump surges on and off. Foot valve or pressure tank?

@notredox2 4 жыл бұрын

I have spent months studying treating incontinence at home and discovered a fantastic website at Nilah Control Plan (look it up on google)

@kostas5579 3 жыл бұрын

Tank

@wjb111 7 жыл бұрын

Could loss of air pressure in the tank also be the problem?

@rupe53 7 жыл бұрын

It's not so much loss of pressure, but loss of total air volume within the tank. The idea is the same for both the older tanks and the new style with a bladder. The mfgr bases the air volume as a percentage of the total gallon size for the tank. When that volume is lost the pump "short cycles" which is the rapid on-off situation every few seconds. With older tanks you can fudge a recharge of the air without a compressor by totally draining the water out, which means the tank is completely full of air, then close the drain and allow the pump to refill it. This will give you around 25% air at the top of the tank at 40 psi water pressure and near 50% air at around 25 psi, which is likely near the low pressure limit for restarting the pump. If all is well, the air pocket will last roughly 6 - 12 months before this needs to be done again. With a bladder style tank there is a Schrader valve on top, which is for checking the pre-charge of this air pocket within the bladder. It must be checked with all water pressure relieved and should match the label pressure within a couple of psi. If the pressure doesn't match the mfgr's label you can attempt a recharge in a pinch but most likely there's a leak and the tank will need replacing soon. OTOH, it will get you out of a bind and give you time to get the job done without wearing on the rest of the system. BTW, the pre-charge pressure is typically near the mid point of what the tank is designed to operate at. I'll use an example of 40 psi charge for a system with a 30 - 50 psi pressure switch. As a side note, these internal bladders are rubber and similar to a tire tube. What happens is they dry rot over time and the little pin holes allow the air to get into the water just like the older tanks. IOW, when the air pocket goes away you have the same problem.

@buggsy5 6 жыл бұрын

Yes, but you get plenty of warning. You will notice the cycle time getting shorter and shorter as the air is slowly absorbed. If you have a pressure gauge on the tank, you will see the pressure rising and falling more rapidly than normal. By the time the system gets to a few second "short cycle", there is almost no air left in the tank.

@lanaklatt6277 5 жыл бұрын

Why would the screen washers on the taps coming from the well get clogged with lint? Not mineral deposits but lint. I have to clean them daily or no water will flow out.

@74Vette 4 жыл бұрын

This just happened to me. Did you figure it out?

@MapSpawn 4 жыл бұрын

Might be your cloth filters for the water system?

@stewartblackford3346 4 жыл бұрын

Ive got a new pump and no leaks no pressure tank and i cant get no water to come out

@marshapechman4913 6 жыл бұрын

I have a pipe that goes from the pump to the well that is leaking where it goes through the basement wall( through what looks like a crock). How do i replace that?

@charlesfrankwassonjr.734 5 жыл бұрын

Please forgive me

@jamesa6272 6 жыл бұрын

Or a hole in the poly pipe that is making the pump come on/ stay on. I know that because It just happened to me

@danawilliams5310 4 жыл бұрын

Water comes and goes?

@polkfam27 7 жыл бұрын

question, I had my well updated a while ago, the system is underground, yesterday, I lost most water pressure to the house, I hear air sound when I took the cap off to check the meter, expantion tank was replaced last year as well, any ideas

@jeanbrooks7345 6 жыл бұрын

Dadcanic on a budget I'm 0 now

@Hundert1 6 жыл бұрын

How long should the pump typically run for if we stop using water once the pump comes on?? So how do we tell if the tank is bad? Our tank is an Amtrol about 16 years oId. I just replaced my pressure control switch with a Phoenix Wessol 30/50. I've got a Goulds pump about 16 years old. And the pump seems to run too long. I've got the tank pressure set to 28 ( what Amtrol tech said, 2 pounds below cut in) Before I replaced the switch the pump ran too long( seemed like forever) so I dropped the cut in / cut off down and the pump shut off after a few minutes ( seems more normal). I'm doing the same with my new switch gradually and hoping I'll hear the pump shut off. I can feel the tank getting heavier but pump just seems to run too long. Amtrol tank is about two foot diameter by five foot tall. The gauge on the pump reads at 80 psi. Any advice,???? thank you

@buggsy5 6 жыл бұрын

I wonder about the pump pressure being so high. It should be very close to whatever the tank pressure is - so it starts out low and increases as the tank fills. Are you sure there is not a shutoff valve that is partly closed somewhere between the pump and the tank?

@Hundert1 6 жыл бұрын

buggsy5 Thanks, I turned the big pressure adjust nut down on the switch about 4 turns so the 30/50 factory set is now about 22/42. Now everything seems fine. The pump shuts off after about 3 minutes and the tank feels pretty full. Gauge on the pump didn't lower much. It still reading 80. I think maybe the gauge is broken? ? I didn't drop the tank pressure and think it's about 23-25 psi.

@buggsy5 6 жыл бұрын

Does it stay at 80 psi all the time? If so, it is broken. Higher pressure takes longer, as the pump has to work harder. If the 30/50 pump run time was really long (like maybe 10 minutes), then I would guess that the pump is just getting worn with age. Another variable that can affect those times is using a small pump with a large tank.

@Hundert1 6 жыл бұрын

buggsy5 Yep, I'm fairly certain rhe gauge pretty much stuck at 80. Had this set up for 15 plus years and never had a single problem. Now that I lowered the new 30/50 switch the pump shuts off after only a few minutes, the same as after I lowered the old Furnas 20/40 gauge. So I really did need the new switch it seems. I just got and installed it because I thought the problems have been with the old one possibly defective. The points on the old one I could see were worn but once I fiddled with it (lowered it) the pump did shut off after only a few minutes. We see how it goes. Thanks for your ideas and comments

@kostas5579 3 жыл бұрын

U need new pressure tank

@jefffields5349 4 жыл бұрын

Why dose my water pump kick off only when I use my water hose for 5 min.its the only time it kick off

@cynthiarogers4352 7 жыл бұрын

Well it seems that my pump is working when it's on. But what would cause it to shut off while showering or washing the dishes? You have to wait a few minutes to let the pressure build back up and the water comes back on. This started about three weeks ago. I have a Myers well; I'm not sure what the PH is; I replaced the pressure switch over a year ago. I need some idea on what I'm looking to purchase; will it be another switch, tank or a new pump. Someone please help.

@kennykemp2790 7 жыл бұрын

If you have not figured it out yet I have a few ideas to check. First and most common in our area if it the problem starts suddenly is the pressure switch could have a plugged nipple under it which takes a while to turn back on. This also leads to a delay in shutting off and will have extra high pressure at times if the pump is capable of making high pressures. Also common is there is a check valve on the surface that holds the pressure when the pump is off, then the pipe in the well drains through either a faulty pump check or hole in the pipe. When the pump turns on it takes a little while to fill the pipe in the well before getting water back to the pressure tank/house. This is not noticed on small uses because the tank has enough extra to cover the wait. Another thing to check is the well could be hitting air and getting air locked, which takes a little time for the well to recover some and then the pump to re-prime. If you can run the pump wide open for a long time without it losing pressure this is not likely to be the problem. Also possible are various electrical issues and then there is the strange things that come up that make us well contractors scratch our heads for a while.

@RADMAN752 7 жыл бұрын

PLEASE help. very good video. we have gotten alot of rain but the well is dry, could this be a problem with a check/foot valve? if so how to i fix this?

@rajarimbaraja8188 7 жыл бұрын

OK Sound stage

@anthonygiorgio8711 7 жыл бұрын

Hello, I have a problem with my submersible water pump. When plugged in the ordinary 240 volts mains it runs well, but when I run it with my generator it stops after a few minutes while the generator keeps running, also when I installed a circuit breaker it did the same thing the breaker trips, so there is no more supply and the pump stops.Any idea what the problem could be? Thanking you in advance, Regards Tony.

@anthonygiorgio8711 7 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your reply. I will check the voltage and amperage.This submersible pump is in a well that's 27 meters deep, it was put in place by 3 or 4 men, now I am all by myself so its a big problem if I had to bring the pump out to have it checked. Thanks once again for your help

@kennykemp2790 7 жыл бұрын

I would also check the cycles. If you are over speeding the pump it quickly gets over the motor rating. As long as the voltage stays up pumps can run on slower cycles and not hurt anything but the production.

@anthonygiorgio8711 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your prompt reply. I will check everything next week. Very helpful.

@James-pn9rt 6 жыл бұрын

Francois Deshue I have a question. I have a submersible well no bladder tanks nothing like that just the deep well then when I go to my faucet it works but the next time I use the faucet it doesn't work if I come back and try again in 15-20 minutes it works it's at random that I don't get water this would be the pressure switch right?

@buggsy5 6 жыл бұрын

Not necessarily. The short time that the pump runs against essentially a blocked line (when you shut off the faucet) may be causing an overload switch on the pump to trip. Such switches reset automatically after a delay. Fix the system so it has the proper size expansion tank. The way it is operating now could cause it to fail. Replacing the pump will be many times more expensive than having a plumber add a tank.

@petenestor1 2 жыл бұрын

..........or a check valve isn't functioning and the tank pressure is pushing the water back into the well.

@Jemalacane0 6 жыл бұрын

I would love to have a well for no water bill and better tasting water.

@cardo1111 6 жыл бұрын

Gammareign We had a well in our old house and it was nice not to have a water bill. With a well your electric bill will be higher and pumps while they can last decades are very expensive to replace. We had one of those older design steel storage tanks shown in the video and it needed a new Air control valve nearly every year a couple of hundred dollars installed. Additionally we lived in an area adjacent to old farm land where fertilizers were used. There were nitrates in the water so we had a reverse osmosis filtration system it worked well and the drinking water was good. The last kicker in this area when you sell your home with a well the board of health requires a bacteria test prior to selling of course there was bacteria found we could have shocked it with chlorine and tried again we opted to do the right thing and add a UV system with a sediment trap to prevent frequent UV bulb changes $1500. Later w/required plumbing. That being said I now welcome city water in the area we now live. Costs about a $1,000./yr with a small pool but worth it for better/more consistent water pressure and less aggravation. We use bottled drinking water.

@marco1173 6 жыл бұрын

Ugh, no, trust me, you do not want well water and all the maintenance issues you have to contend with. I have a well and it's nothing but hassles. I'm always wondering when the pump is gonna go out, or when the tank is gonna fail, or a pipe rupture outside (already happened, flooded yard, $1800 bill), and on top of it the water looks and tastes awful despite filters and water softeners (iron bacteria, gross!), so we have to drink bottled water. Oh, and when the power goes out you may run out of water. Now I'm in the middle of a failed pressure switch. Lovely system, isn't it! Really, I wish I had done my homework before buying this house, but we were first time buyers and just wanted our own place. Never again. Even houses for sale in the neighborhood advertise that they're on city water and sewage because nobody wants well water. Wells are terrible. City is the way to go even with water bills. I'd rather pay that than deal with wells.

@n40tom 6 жыл бұрын

Gammareign Be careful what you wish for. Wells have so many more problems then Municipal Water. Start with your well pump then your tank. Adding that your electric bills and with a power failure you have no water other than the pressure in your tank. Your water can go bad at any time and your well can run dry. That's just for starters not to mention you may need a water softener which is fairly expensive or you may need a desalination setup which is crazy expensive. You could have sulfur ,iron ,salt. WELL you get the idea by now. My last house I had a choice and I chose Municipal Water. I'm more rural now and I had no choice and this is costing me a lot more money. During periods of drought I don't even water my garden because I'm afraid of the well running dry even though it never has. But things like that are always on your mind.

@map1537 5 жыл бұрын

@@marco1173 shut up pussboy

@johnwquick 4 жыл бұрын

@Gammareign ,It really depends I've had both although well water does have maintenance along with water quality concerns, but if you can afford it well water is by far a better choice,only because city or county water has too much or not enough chlorine and let's not get started about the mind control due to ingesting fluoride along with all the other chemicals and drugs that are not totally filtered out in city water,also if you have a power outage city or county wide you might not have water.If you have a generator on well water you would have water! Just a thought to consider!

@albertgranadino 6 жыл бұрын

Ohhh...Well

@AndysDogHouse 6 жыл бұрын

I have a problem where my pump in the basement will come on, but there is no water coming out. If I shut the power off to the pump and turn it back on right away, The pump will pump water this has been going on for more that a year. I replaced the pressure tank and still no change. then my pump stopped working all together. I thought that was my problem ( a weak pump). I replaced the pump and every thing worked fine for about 3 months and the pump runs and runs and no pressure. The same old problem. I don't seem to loose the prime because as soon as I flip the power off and on, the pressure builds right away. Any ideas what causes this?? Thanks Andy

@allensandven0 5 жыл бұрын

Air in the line , re - prime the pump if it is above well head? Also the line from pump to foot valve , isolate that section with a valve then preform pressure test over night or a few hours at 60 psi or better

@jimw1659 7 жыл бұрын

foot valve or not. shallow well jet pumps with one drop pipe are only going to give you 20-25' of lift. a deep well twin pipe or packer system will go to lower static water levels. but yeah always have a foot valve

@buggsy5 6 жыл бұрын

Jim W: I don't know how much lift you can get out of a jet pump. But the old style of above ground pumps could only manage about 20-25' of lift, maybe as much as 30' if everything was ideal. With a perfect vacuum, the maximum suction height is roughly 32 feet. I have a single pipe deep well pump installed down about 250 feet. It still is working fine after 50+ years.

@ggolds5 6 жыл бұрын

My wife and I have grown up on city sewer and city water. SO, no well's or septic. We are bidding on a house in a country town with both. The well pump is at least 17 years old. Can you tell me if that is near it's end of life?. I called a well guy and he didn't really give me an answer but said if it failed to call him. He said the price to replace the pump would be around $2500. Is this crazy? or normal?. Can I do this myself, IE buy a pump and have someone who knows basic plumbing skills replace it?. AND, should I replace it now or just wait for it to fail at some point?. Thank you!!!.

@buggsy5 6 жыл бұрын

There is no way to tell how long bottom of well pumps last - although they tend to be pretty reliable. No idea if the ones made in China are as good. My pump is over 50 years old and still working fine. But it wouldn't surprise me if it failed at any time. You probably do not want to attempt the replacement yourself, especially if it is an older well with a rigid iron riser pipe. If that is the case, you need some specialized equipment to raise the pipe a section at a time. If it is flexible riser pipe, then someone with advanced plumbing skills MIGHT be able to do it. Do a web search to see if you can find information on what all is involved. You will need to check with your local building authority to see if any special permits are required to repair a well. Often post work tests are required to ensure the well is not contaminated with bacteria. Don't change it until it fails. Yours might last as long or longer than mine. I have not priced pump replacement, but the pumps are expensive. You can always call a few other well drillers and ask them what they would charge.

@ggolds5 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you for replying. Today, we got the water results which were considered excellent. The guy checking on the furnace -after the seller decided it was fine- said the furnace which is 1954 was old, inefficient , but working well. He also is a well guy and he checked the well head that was under the deck under a little wood deck door. Once lifted he had to brush the leaves and dirt off the round cement or concrete or whatever round top. So the head isn't above the ground. Once again though, the water is great, well never dried or had a problem, and when the inspector checked the well he said the PSI 40 from beginning to end after an hour was really good. By the way the well pump was exposed in the basement so it isn't in the well below the ground. Would you put a well head cap on, or leave it alone?.

@buggsy5 6 жыл бұрын

Personally, if the well head is not sealed, I would get a sealed head. That would protect your well in case of a flood.

@falorien4027 5 жыл бұрын

What if the pump is getting water from the ground but not pumping water into the house

@dennisthemenance5433 7 жыл бұрын

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU HAVE YOUR WELL SYSTEM INSPECTED/SERVICED? Every Yr, 5 yrs? This for PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE reasons and finding the Age of both the Well and Pumps to Replace them BEFORE they go Bad! Thus Setting up a Saving Budget inorder to have Most if not all the $ needed to do any R&R..

@buggsy5 6 жыл бұрын

Don't replace them before they fail. My well pump has lasted over 50 years and still going strong. As you plan to do, put aside a bit every month dedicated to various house repairs. There is little that needs inspecting/servicing that you cannot do yourself. Primarily, make sure the pressure tank has proper air pressure. Verify that there are no slow water leaks anywhere.

@josephsaucedo8691 6 жыл бұрын

Good idea I do this for a living and its the smart thing to do its not cheap and 5 years is about the life span. Wish ever house i show up to would under stand that. Thanks

@josephsaucedo8691 6 жыл бұрын

50 year out of it .was it the first one. J/k I have seen this but they don't make things like they use to the pump was all brass in good water. Key is good water. Just have to ask because I only seen one what is the brand of you 50 year old pump?

@glennbaehr7432 6 жыл бұрын

why does my water pump circuit keeps tripping?

@buggsy5 6 жыл бұрын

The pump could be failing. The pump may be drawing the well dry and the thermal switch on the pump is tripping - such switches automatically reset after the pump cools. The circuit breaker may be failing.

@josephsaucedo8691 6 жыл бұрын

Motor bad high amps

@claudiamartinez9988 6 жыл бұрын

Water around well

@claudiamartinez9988 6 жыл бұрын

Water around well on grass, why

@kostas5579 3 жыл бұрын

Broken pipe in well

@jasonashleyh 5 жыл бұрын

Took me 3 months of $600 electric bills to figure it out.

@denisrhodes54 3 жыл бұрын

what was the problem?

@jasonashleyh 3 жыл бұрын

@@denisrhodes54 the well pump. We bought a new one and that didn't fix it. Then started replacing everything else and still no luck. Turned out the new well pump was bad too.

@bucklyncoffee6257 3 жыл бұрын

inappropriate name for video. I learned nothing about diagnosing problems with well water systems and plenty about the history of pump pressure tanks

@descooo2375 6 жыл бұрын

Yo he got so triggered at 0:11

@nolansmokes 5 жыл бұрын

He was bouta pull out his Ak

@rajarimbaraja8188 7 жыл бұрын

. N saya. Dan adilo

@pkav8tor 7 жыл бұрын

This is misleading. The amount of water transmitted under pressure is directly related to the amount of energy used. Whether the pump moves the water in small cycles when the facet is opened (water logged storage tank) or over a long cycle while compressing the air charge in a working storage tank, the energy used is equal for the amount of water moved. The only difference is when the water is stored with a air charge. the energy expended becomes potential energy in stored air behind the flexible compression bladder. The sole reason to have a proper working storage tank is, that the excessive cycling of the pump, pressure switch, and check valve is hard on those components and will result in early failure. In a deep submersible pump well, that gets expensive. So .... the extra electricity use is not the fault of the well !

@pkacc1 7 жыл бұрын

All electric motors, especially compressors and pumps, will have a high inrush current at startup, so a pump that cycles on and off continuously will indeed use more power than one that cycles less frequently.

@benrhodes8987 7 жыл бұрын

Agreed. Even considering inrush current as Xibalba mentions, it shouldn't make a measurable difference.

@pkav8tor 7 жыл бұрын

That was my point. The problem of short cycling is not extra power consumption but wearing out expensive parts much faster.

@RJ67. 7 жыл бұрын

I've been working on pumps &wells & filtration systems for over 24 years. Starting amps are always higher than running amps "short cycling" A.K.A on off, on off destroys pump motors very quickly As a pump motor runs it cools itself off. So short cycling for a few hours can & will take many years off the pump motors life. Also, well pumps made back 40 years ago like old Grundfos's and or Red Jacket or Burks pumps were & are soo much better than any of the pumps they make today. Now days, all of the aforementioned parts such as the nozzle's, diffusers, seals, impellers are made up of composite plastics such as PVC or ABS which melt in mere minutes if a pump is inadvertently run dry or if cavitation is present Just like anything else, it can be made cheaper & with less quality in the materials, while paying less in labor to have it done in other countries. which in the long run benefits the industry making these products, not the consumer, Yet the decrease in quality parts don't reflect in the price the consumer pays only the profit margin of the industry. I will take a 1940's Burks pump that's been pumping water for 40 years over a brand new Gould's pump right off the assembly line any day. The pumps of old were made with top notch "Made in America" parts such as brass nozzle's and diffusers brass or bronze impellers that if run dry would run unaffected for days.

@pumpdoctor6117 6 жыл бұрын

A pump/motor pulls the most electricity upon the start up. They will actually pull LRA (locked rotor amp) upon starting and then settle back to normal amp draw when running. Rapid cycling will damage a motor and starting mechanisms and will increase the cost of the electric bill. I have seen it many times. I also have had people contact me with excessive electric bills and sometimes it is a leak in the well causing the pump to run 24 hours (or a leak in a field they didn't discover) but still giving enough pressure in the home but not to shut off pressure and that will certainly run up the bill and other times a "waterlogged" tank will cause it. Tanks that do not work properly or are too small are the main reason for pump failures. From the best made to the worst made, they all can fail, some more often than others.

@gabrielbrymer9655 6 жыл бұрын

Submersible pump does not I repeat does not go at the very bottom of the well.lol seriously

@tomnscrubs 2 жыл бұрын

Nothing to see as usual

@senatorjosephmccarthy2720 5 жыл бұрын

Yet Another constantly Interrupting interrupting interrupting interviewer. Trying to sound Important to the message, but exactly the opposite is the case.