# Well Pump ????  Water Pulsing



## hiawassee1 (Aug 15, 2012)

Well yesterday morning, I noticed a pulsing in my kitchen sink faucet, water would come on strong, and taper off a little, and then come back strong.  Didnt think much about it then, and then my wife took a shower and really noticed it.  Is my well pump going bad?  Or is there some other issue?


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## shakey gizzard (Aug 15, 2012)

Have you checked the filters for mud/debris?


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## georgia357 (Aug 15, 2012)

Not sure, but I think a water logged well tank might do that.


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## hiawassee1 (Aug 15, 2012)

never seen any filters on the pump.

what do you mean by water logged well tank?


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## hiawassee1 (Aug 15, 2012)

googled it, guess I will give it a try when I get home, hopefully my pump is not running constantly.


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## greg_n_clayton (Aug 15, 2012)

Mine done tha same down at the lake. The pressure switch was doin it. pump was kickin off and on. Take the cover off of it and turn on the water and watch it. A little messin with the adjustments stopped mine.


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## shakey gizzard (Aug 15, 2012)

In line!


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## mattech (Aug 15, 2012)

Maybe the bladder has gone bad.


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## hiawassee1 (Aug 15, 2012)

Who should I call, a well drilling company?


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## Jim Ammons (Aug 15, 2012)

Check for water logged tank and pressure switch!


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## kymark1 (Aug 15, 2012)

Ruptured tank bladder.  I had the same thing that you described happen to mine.  If the tank is above ground it is very easy to change out or call a well drilling company.


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## Backlasher82 (Aug 15, 2012)

You don't need a well drilling company. Call a plumber if you don't want to fix it yourself. If you do want to fix it yourself you can get a pressure switch at Home Depot/Lowes or Ace or try adjusting yours. HD? Lowes has pressure tanks too but you may just need to put air in the bladder.


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## hiawassee1 (Aug 15, 2012)

how can I tell if it the switch or the bladder??


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## SGADawg (Aug 15, 2012)

If you have a bladder-type tank, you can kill power to the pump, open a spigot and let the pressure drop to zero.  Then, using a tire gauge, check the pressure at the bladder valve stem.  The pressure should be about the same as the cut-on setting for the pump.

If your pump doesn't have a bladder, turn on a spigot to a small trickle and watch the pressure gauge on the pump or plumbed into the water line.  If the pressure rises rapidly, then the pump cuts off and the pressure drops rapidly to cut the pump back on, causing the pulsing, then the tank is waterlogged.


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## javery (Aug 15, 2012)

Check the valve stem on top of your tank,if it sprays water when you push it in then you got a busted bladder.You can check it with a regular tire gauge.


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## buckshot4:13 (Aug 16, 2012)

had the same thing happen to mine, bladder was busted, was no problem switching out.


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## Amend2nd (Aug 16, 2012)

Easy checks....

First.

Establish type of tank. Bladder tanks have a pressirized bladder inflated through a Schrader type valve(like on a car tire) Do Inet search to educate yourself.

Other tanks have a air drawdown valve with a float located on the inside the tank to allow air in when needed and shut the air valve by the internal float when the water level rises and a balance between air and water is in equilibrium. On this type you will hear the air being "sucked" in as the pump starts and the tank begins to fill. If it is spewing water from the air intake valve it will need to be replaced. Easy fix for about $20 replacement valve assembly.

If it doesn't have a baldder or a air valve the water has absorbed all the air in the tank and it is now "water logged" and every time there is a demand the pump pressure switch sense the pump need to run. A pump should run at a minimum of one minute once it starts to keep the motor cool on a submersible pump.


Will all faucets shout off and no water demand. Does pump run continuously? If not the water pump and the pressure switch works properly. If the pump runs continously with no water demand/flow the pump impellers may be worn out and the pump will not build enough pressure to "open" the contacts on the pressure switch and shut the pump off.

Most household pressure swithches are set to come on at 20, 30 or 40 psig pressure drop and shut the pump off at 30, 40 or 60 psig.

Now. Turn on faucet/spigot close to the water pump and watch the guage on the tank(if installed). 

If the pump starts almost immediately your tank may be water-logged if it is not a bladdder type tank. If it is a bladder type and starts almost immediately it may have a ruptured bladder.


If ruptured bladder. Investigate whether bladder can be replaced or not. If not purchase and install new tank and pressurize the bladder to match your pressure switche's operating range. Do Inet research in how to do this. Tanks usually have the pressure on instructions as well.

If it has a float valve and no obvious ploblem with water spewing from air valve. Shut off pump circuit breaker and drain tanks completely. Once tank is drained. Close circuit breaker. Pump should start and listen for the tank to "draw/suck" in air as the pump refills the tank. If no air leaks are obvious on the tak the pump should shut off at some point (30, 40, 50 or 60 PSIG). wait a few minute to see if pump "cycles'... running on and off frequently without building up pressure.

That should solve most problems.

Last answer and I hope this isn't it:

If you live in a rural area where the use of irrigation systems is high... your well level may be low.. and the well is not "refilling" quick enough to mainatin a constant water supply. If this is the case... you may need to dig a deeper well. This has happened to many people recently in the are where I live.

Good luck and keep us posted.


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## Bilge Rat LT 20 (Aug 16, 2012)

Conserning the float valve, when the pump comes on excess air is expelled out of the valve. When the pump is off and you open a water faucet using water the tank starts to drain and the float valve sucks in air to stop a vaccuum . It will continue to suck air until the pump comes on then air is expelled out.

When no water is being used and the pump is off  the float valve has nothing going in or out.

There is another schrader valve on the main pipe right at where it comes out the ground that sucks air in when the pump shuts off to drain water out of the well pipe back bown into the well. This is before a check valve that keeps water in tank.
The purpose of this valve is to drain water out of pipe so when pump comes on it doesn't have to fight the water in the pipe overloading the pump.


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## Amend2nd (Aug 16, 2012)

Google "WELL PUMP TROUBLESHOOTING" for more info.




http://www.watergroup.com/pdf-folder/manuals/dynaflo-deep-well-pumps-51813-english.pdf


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## hiawassee1 (Aug 16, 2012)

I think I am going to just replace the whole well tank, it is 15 yrs old, and probably wouldnt hurt, plus I do not see how to replace just the bladder, the tank is 1 solid piece, unless it comes apart from the bottom, which I would have to disconnect everything anyways, and it has some rusty patches on it, so for the 170.00 I think piece of mind I will just replace it all, tank, pressure switch, and pressure guage.


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## mattech (Aug 16, 2012)

the Bladder is in the tank. most are blue tanks but some i have seen to be an offwhite color. I dont think ou can replace just the bladder. you can buy the whole tank fairly cheap.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_160680-4832...=1038591&Ntt=tank&pl=1&currentURL=&facetInfo=


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## hiawassee1 (Aug 17, 2012)

mattech, I thought I had read online that some tanks you could just replace the bladder, not on this one though, and most I guess you cannot, so just bought all new stuff this morning.


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