Pressure Drop at our faucets

[Dumb_Polack]

Hi,

for the past few weeks or so, when we've run the faucet, the water will dribble to nothing and then about 10 seconds later it'll come on full bore.


Some background:

1)We're on a well (Dear God pls don't tell me we need a new well drilled)

2) We have a water neutralizer system that removes the iron. I changes the filters (spun string, about 10" long and maybe 6" in diameter) and add the neutralizer (about the consistency of table salt, maybe a little larger granules). I had changed the filters many time and I did it right before we noticed the pressure drop. I've rechecked it and the values are all set the right way.


Any ideas?



(Bonus points if you can tell me where the reference to Pressure Drop comes from....name the artist and album)

[meackerman]

the backflow valve on the well going bad?

[Dumb_Polack]

hmmm...how do i check that?


(also where is it??)

[Snipe Hunter]

Do you have iron or galvanized supply lines?

Do you see any wet areas between the well and the house?

Go to your pressure tank and water pressure switch. There should also be a pressure gauge there. Do you see the gauge cycling too much and the pressure switch turning on and off too much? If so, you could have a waterlogged pressure tank. You could also have a leak in your well pipe.

You can check the well-pump pressure by digging down to the pitless adapter and cutting the pipe. Don't mess with the adapter itself. Probably a good idea to gut power to it while you are dealing with the muck and mud. Attach a valve to the pipe. You can figure out some fittings to make it seal. Flip back on the breaker to get a pressure reading. It's best to somehow put a release valve or faucet in line to allow air to blow out of the line to get a true water pressure reading. But, I'd only do this after you determine that you don't have a water logged pressure tank or broken well line or iron/galvanized supply lines that have rusted closed.

[A Squared]

Snipe Hunter said:

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If so, you could have a waterlogged pressure tank. ... But, I'd only do this after you determine that you don't have a water logged pressure tank ...

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That to me seems like the most plausible cause of the symptoms described. That's what I would rule out first.

[Snipe Hunter]

Me too.

[CLETUS]

A Squared said:

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[blockquote]Snipe Hunter said:

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If so, you could have a waterlogged pressure tank. ... But, I'd only do this after you determine that you don't have a water logged pressure tank ...

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That to me seems like the most plausible cause of the symptoms described. That's what I would rule out first.

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[/blockquote]



When I had a water logged pressure tank I didn't have a delay in getting water. When the faucet was turned on I could see the water flow pulsating.

[meackerman]

when it happened to my FIL the well guy found it.


Also do you have an water spigot at/near the well head? if so does it behave the same way?

[Snipe Hunter]

Dumb_Polack said:

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hmmm...how do i check that?


(also where is it??)

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It's probably right next to the pressure tank. On the inlet side. It's probably brass.

Do you see the fat spot in the pipe in the lower right of this photo? That's the backflow valve.

[meackerman]

my FIL's backflow valve was down in the well.