Question about well pressure tank

Bahuffma

I have a shallow well at my rental property that is only plumbed to water the lawn/garden. When I turned on the power to the pump this year I noticed that it did not sound as though the pressure tank was filling up like it did last year. Water came out of the spigot with normal pressure when first turned on, however the tank kept running like it was slowly filling up (would not stop). Now there is no water coming out of the spigot? Any ideas as to what might be the problem? Well pump? Pressure tank?

VIPlumber

Could be the pressure tank. Does top half sound hollow, or is it a dull thud, when you rap your knuckles on it? Dull sound = busted bladder & the tank needs to be replaced.

Bahuffma

Thanks for the reply! I am swinging by the property in a bit to check it out.

Thurman

Not all well tanks have the bladder type tanks, some have no bladder within them at all. Try this: Turn off the power to the pump, drain ALL the water from the tank you can. Next make sure all faucets, drain valves, and fittings on the tank are closed. Turn the power back on and listen to make sure the pump is running, and hopefully you will hear water coming inside the tank. Let the water continue to fill the tank until the pump shuts itself off. Check to see how much water pressure there is in the tank and record this somewhere for future reference. Turn on a faucet, wide open, which is furtherest from the tank and allow to run until the pump kicks in again. Note the pressure at which the pump starts to run again and record. Close the faucet and allow the pump to fill the tank until it cuts off again. Compare the "cut-out" pressure, when the pump shuts off automatically, with the first reading you had. This should be very close. Tanks without bladders need to be drained and re-filled in order to re-pressurize the tank if the system is not used very often. These tanks depend on entrapped air to build up pressure.

Bahuffma

Thanks Thurman! I was able to go by and check on the well yesterday. I was able to hear that the pump is running (very shallow well), however, again all I can hear at the pressure tank is a slow "trickle" and no water is coming out of the spigots. The pressure gage on the tank was reading zero?? The pressure tank say diaphram on the side?? not sure what that means.

DexterII

The pressure tank keeps the pump from having to switch on and off as often, and should not cause a complete loss of water. I would guess that the check valve has failed or there is a leak that has otherwise caused the pump to loose its' prime, or the line from the pump to the tank has ruptured. Check to see if you have a soggy spot where the line runs, as that may help determine a bad spot in the line; otherwise I would disconnect the line at the pump, and see if it is indeed pumping water.

Robothome

I would say that you have a broken line. Well pumps should never lose their prime. These pumps are in suction head ( which means the pumps are always under water, and will always be primed). Now some places have there pumps located outside of the well casing, these are in suction lift, and can lose there prime. If you can disconnect the line that enters the house or building, than turn the pump on, you should get flow. If you do not get any flow then chance are that your line has broken. This would be even more likely if you had a decent winter and the frost made it to the line. Than it could have froze and ruptured the water line.


Mike
Level 2 water distribution/
Sewer collection operator