Well Pressure tank sound like?

[LouNY]

So if she used all the water that was stored in the well casing then continued watering with a hose wide open in excess of 5 gpm your low pressure switch worked like it should have as your pump emptied your well. With a few minutes of refill time in the well it could continue to work again unless the drawdown was higher then the wells production rate.
The sprinkler is a restriction on water flow, depending on how high the water level got in the casing you may be using the "reserve" contained in the well along with the makeup rate.

 

[tomplum]

That sounds about right. For those in know, does the AMP draw look good? Do I assume that these pumps also physically wear? After an hour with the pump still running, pressure of 54 I did the ice cube trick and counted 4 seconds. At some point soon, I need to get the pressure off the system and recheck my tank's air pressure.

 

[Carl_NH]

Amps are good - for 1/2hp pump likely and with 4 seconds drop time your water level is around 100’ meaning you have maybe 50’ left - not a lot of reserve.

I would reinstall the low pressure cut out as that did what it supposed to do cut the pump off when low/no water.

 

[ponytug]

For now, here is the other half's notes:
Pressure got down to 36-37 filling the barrel - pump kicked on ~42, fell to about 38, then back up to 42-43, then slowly fell to 36-37 while filling; took less than 10 minutes to bring pressure back up and kick off.

I don't think a knew what HP it was. 20 AMP 220 Volt breaker though

Ten minutes is way too long for a booster pump to refill a pressure tank unless your other half was still filling the barrel or running the sprinkler. Was that the case? If not, I suspect that you need a new booster pump unless there is a valve that is partially closed between the pump and the pressure tank, or you have a clogged sediment filter. Does the pump sound differently at the begging of the pumping cycle compared to the end?

Given that you have a low flow well, I suspect that you, and your pumps, would benefit from installing a large (5-10,000gal) storage tank between the well and the booster pump. Around here, there are lots of homes with low flow wells, and all of them have storage tanks to allow the well pump to run at its optimum flow rate, and for the home booster pump to rapidly refill the home pressure tank.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Popgadget]

There’s way too many assumptions being made to get meaningful information.
Assuming (which is never good) that this is a standard submersible pump filling a bladder tank, and controlled with a pressure switch to cycle the pump, then you will normally see a pressure drop on draw down starting with the tank up to pressure and the pump off. Once it drops to the cut in pressure, the pump should run and refill the tank. That differential is typically about 20psi. That’s why a switch would be labeled 40-60. A 40psi cut in and 60 cut out.
If your pump is cycling in a narrower range, there might be a differential adjustment on the switch, or the switch could be bad.

If the OP has a constant pressure system with a variable speed pump, that’s a different animal. But from his description, it doesn’t seem to be the case.

 

[tomplum]

I'm revisiting this while I have some time to think this through, maybe have a better understanding of my well and its design. Then if needed, I can source a good quality pump and other materials. Or if I have it done, can make a more informed decision. Or maybe there are other things in works that require more involved solutions.

At this point, there is not much new. This winter I replumbed the house, moved the hot water heater etc. In refilling the system with the old well switch, pressure was low (in the 20s). I slowed the rate while everything refilled / flushed to keep the pressure up. In day to day use, we don't have issues. 7 years ago we had a well test done and it ran consistently for 2 hours @ 5 GPH. The old gauge had been stuck at 60 when I replaced it a couple years back, so no clue what pressure it maintained when they tested it as I wasn't here. I seems like something has changed, pump or water level I dunno. I have nothing that tells me that any work was done on the well since it was installed. To my knowledge, it has a standard controller and is a single speed pump. Always sounds the same from the top to me!

Any ideas by the well build sheet how deep my well pump is situated and if it sounds like anything would be gained by lowering the pump at the time of replacement? I haven't redone the ice cube test to check the water level. Seeing though it goes from 6" casing to 4" PVC, is the pump above that now on a standard well install? The folks that put the well in are no more, so no one to ask on that end.

Our well build sheet: August 1991

Well depth 159 ‘

Diameter 6”

Depth from ground surface to water level before pumping 30’

Bailer tested 5 GPM

Drawdown of water level is 55’

(pumping level minus static water level)

6” casing 0-79’

(1’ above ground)

Surface seal bentonite 0-78’

4” PVC 69-159’

Perforations:

1/8”x6”x45 90-110’

1/8”x6”x45 139-159’

8x12 Colorado sand 68-159’

Hardness 3

Iron .08

Ph 7.5

 

[stumblinhorse]

I'm revisiting this while I have some time to think this through, maybe have a better understanding of my well and its design. Then if needed, I can source a good quality pump and other materials. Or if I have it done, can make a more informed decision. Or maybe there are other things in works that require more involved solutions.

At this point, there is not much new. This winter I replumbed the house, moved the hot water heater etc. In refilling the system with the old well switch, pressure was low (in the 20s). I slowed the rate while everything refilled / flushed to keep the pressure up. In day to day use, we don't have issues. 7 years ago we had a well test done and it ran consistently for 2 hours @ 5 GPH. The old gauge had been stuck at 60 when I replaced it a couple years back, so no clue what pressure it maintained when they tested it as I wasn't here. I seems like something has changed, pump or water level I dunno. I have nothing that tells me that any work was done on the well since it was installed. To my knowledge, it has a standard controller and is a single speed pump. Always sounds the same from the top to me!

Any ideas by the well build sheet how deep my well pump is situated and if it sounds like anything would be gained by lowering the pump at the time of replacement? I haven't redone the ice cube test to check the water level. Seeing though it goes from 6" casing to 4" PVC, is the pump above that now on a standard well install? The folks that put the well in are no more, so no one to ask on that end.

Our well build sheet: August 1991

Well depth 159 ‘

Diameter 6”

Depth from ground surface to water level before pumping 30’

Bailer tested 5 GPM

Drawdown of water level is 55’

(pumping level minus static water level)

6” casing 0-79’

(1’ above ground)

Surface seal bentonite 0-78’

4” PVC 69-159’

Perforations:

1/8”x6”x45 90-110’

1/8”x6”x45 139-159’

8x12 Colorado sand 68-159’

Hardness 3

Iron .08

Ph 7.5

There should be more info than that on your well. In Colorado everything is public info and accessible via the internet. It should state how far down your well pump is. No way to tell from your info.

 

[Carl_NH]

If it's drawing 6 Amps it's a 1/2 HP, and with 4 wires and control box so it's a 4 Wire 1/2 HP submersible pump with control box, (not a 2 wire with start controls in the pump), and most likely a 4" pump installed at ~ 75' (above the 4" casing). It could be a 3" pump but I doubt it.

The 4" casing with perforations indicates sandy soil (Colorado sand) which allow water in without collapsing - assuming they had to go 160' to get a good volume of water.

The only way to know is pulling the which can be pulled easily by one person, and have a spare pump ready - grundfos make a 3" pump 1/2HP you could install at the original depth or deeper if needed. Last, on the switch, definitely use a low pressure cutout (which you have) either a 30-50 or 40-60 setting as this will protect the pump if it indeed is running out of water.

 

[Valveman]

I agree your pump should be set above the casing at 79'. Draw down of 55' means you have plenty of water. I would not lower it below the casing. I still think your original problem is the pump cycling too much and tripping the overload, not running dry.

 

[tomplum]

That makes sense. What also makes sense was for me to look at the controller.
Here's the info:
Grundfos Submersible Motor Control SA-SPM4

Model 82456902

HP ½

VAC 230

Phase 1

60 HZ

3450 RPM

SFA 6.2

SF 1.60

Code M

MFD 59-71

2060 Cont. Duty

Automatic Thermal Motor Protection