Low pressure

[Clint]

Hi.  In August I replaced my Grundfos pump with a  Webtrol WT18102C, 18 gpm 1HP pump, 40/60 pressure switch, 44 Gallon pressure tank and CSV1W valve.  My well is approx. 35' deep with the cycle stop valve about 5' below the pitless and 100' of 1" to the house.   When I first installed it, the pressure in my house was constant at a little under 50psi.   Now, when there is a draw, heat pump starts, the pressure drops to 40psi.  If I run another tap, it'll drop lower.  I'm using a liquid filled pressure gauge, not a cheap plastic piece of crap.   The pump starts at 40 and stops at 60, so I'm sure it's not the gauge.   Could this valve be faulty?  My big fear is a damaged pump just before snow starts to fly.

[Cary Austin]

With a well that shallow, the CSV could be submerged under water.  If the cap and o-ring did not get installed or did not seal, the spring cage maybe full of water and rusting the spring.  If the spring cage is full of water or if the spring rust and gets weak, the running pressure will be reduced.  I like the CSV150 better for submerged applications as the spring is SS and the spring cage can stay full of water and work just fine.  Just need to drill a small vent hole so it can vent water instead of air.

If the valve is not submerged I don't know what could make it do that.

[Clint]

I did put the cap and O-Ring on, but the valve is not submerged.  It's probably 15 feet above the water level.

[Cary Austin]

If the valve is not submerged, then something could be restricted.  Also if the valve is 5' below the pitless and the water is 15' deeper than that, there can't be much standing water in a 35' well?

[Clint]

Yeah your right Cary.  I was going off the top of my head.  The csv is 2' below the pitless and the top of the pump is 24' 8" below that.   I don't have the water level written down, I do but have no idea where, but I know there's 15 - 20' of water in the well.

[Cary Austin]

Well then it is just a process of elimination.  You could pull up the pump and check the screen.  Or you could remove the CSV and see if you still have low presure.  If the well has plenty of water, either the pump is not producing as much as it should or something is restricted.

[Clint]

That's my plan for this weekend Cary.  I'm hoping it's something simple like a leak or blocked screen.  They want me to work but that aint gonna happen.

[Cary Austin]

I will keep an eye on this thread over the weekend so post any questions you may have.

[Clint]

I took the CSV out and put a straight pipe in it's place.  The pump works fine.  What I did notice is that the set screw on the scv wasn't very tight.  I can turn the adjustment screw with two fingers on a screwdriver (I put it back to it's original spot), and the same with the setscrew.   So, it looks like the valve came out of adjustment.  Is there a way that I can adjust it, all the way in and out 5 turns or something like that?  I really don't like the idea of pulling the pump, adjusting, putting back, repeat.  lol

[Cary Austin]

It is very rare for the adjustment screw to loosen on its own.  There is even a little Allen screw for locking it in place.  It is hard to tell the setting without a little trial and error, but start with the adjusment screw flush with the top of the valve and see what pressure it holds.

[Clint]

The allen screw isn't very tight either.   I'll play around with it and see what I can come up with.

[Clint]

Done.   When the heat pump is running alone, it holds at 55psi.  It might climb slowly and eventually shut the pump off if the heat pump runs long enough, but it's better than cycling every few minutes like it did with no csv.  I turned it screw in 1 or 1 1/2 turns from flush, I forget now and I'm not going to pull the pump to look. It now also fills the thank in 1 1/2 minutes from pump on with no draw.  It was 6 minutes before.  Thanks for the help.   

[Cary Austin]

You might turn the pressure switch up about 5 PSI to keep it from shutting off when the heat pump runs.

[Clint]

OK. I'll look at that too.