Design Help Please

[super10brss]

I have 3 houses that get water from one well pump. I have fought and fought pressure issues for years and I am simply sick of it. I "thought" my problem has been my pressure tank and over the past 10 or so years have replaced pressure tanks several times. I started out with box store tanks that lasted a year or two then blow up and water log. Last year I bit the bullet and bought a Amtrol Well-X-Trol 86 Gallon Water System Pressure Tank in hopes this would solve my issue. It hasn't. At the house further est from the well is where I live. I have "good" pressure to shower or wash cars as long as I do one thing at a time. Start the washer and try to shower... yea... not a good idea. I HATE THAT!

So I have thought of two options.
Option 1: Install a CVS1A at the well pump and let her eat. This will give the whole "system" constant 50psi (60psi or what ever) water pressure.
Option 2: Install a booster pump (jet pump) under the house further est from the well with a CSV1A on a pressure switch so when pressure drops below whatever to ?? Not sure how to set that pressure switch but with enough thought that is a non issue.

Question is which option will give me the best (steady pressure and volume) at all houses.

Another variable I am aware of. My pump has to be a big pump. I don't know what it actually is, but my cycle time is like 40-45 seconds for that 86 gallon tank on a 40-60psi pressure switch. Which I know under 1 minute is bad.

Thanks for the help in advance! (I need it)

[Cary Austin]

Sounds like this maybe easier to fix than you think.  If your pump is already that large, maybe all you have to do is turn up the pressure switch.  If you are running on 40/60 now, I would turn it up to 50/70 and see how that works.  You may have to put on a more heavy duty pressure switch to go any higher, but you can turn up the well pump to 60/80 or even 100/120 if needed and the pump will do that much pressure.

Having gone through so many tanks already tells me the pump is cycling on/off too much, which is what destroys the tank diaphragms.

Even with a 60/80 pressure switch setting, sometimes you are at 80 and other times only 60 PSI.  This is where the CSV can make the shower pressure seem much stronger, by holding the system at a constant 75 PSI, instead of continually cycling between 60 and 80.

You own your own well system.  No reason to put up with low pressure.  You can make your own pressure better than any city water system of five star hotel.  You just have to make it happen.

Try turning up the pressure switch by tightening on the large adjustment screw about three full turns to the right.  Don't mess with the little adjustment screw.  Once you figure out how high you can turn it up and the pump still be able to build to that pressure and shut off, then adding a CSV will hold the pressure constant and make it even stronger still.

If you have any info on the well or pump, it would help with sizing the CSV that you need?

[super10brss]

Thanks for the reply Cary!

You know your right! I can adjust pressure. I have just been "scared" to TURN IT UP  afraid of busted water lines. See this system was inherited from my grand parents. I have lived on this property my whole life (37 years). We have conserved water as long as I can remember because up until a few years ago we had 4 houses on this pump. But we have never ran it dry even at the most dry years.

I know the pump is hanging apx. 300 feet in the well. I have had to pull it years ago to replace the wire going to the pump. Pump surge banging the pump around chafed the wire. New wire and a few boots no problems since. The Franklin control box is a 1-1.5 horse (you ca go bigger with control box but not smaller) so who knows if its 3/4 horse, 1 horse,1.5 horse??? My pops kept a spare control box and pressure switch (I do now) and the "good" Franklin control boxes are the 1-1.5 horse. (has the big capacitors and all in them).

Last year going to the big house (one further est from the well) we had a major leak. One day just no water. We could turn that house off and every where else had water. So I go half way and dig the line up and toss in a shut off valve, bAm! water pressure. Walked the line to the house and could not find anything. There was no telling how long the pump ran before someone got home to find no water. Any ways I just trenched a new 1 inch PVC line to the house. The rest of the lines are 1 inch black roll plastic lines to the house. Inside the houses are 1/2 inch CPVC pipe.

I wish there was a way I could "test" gallons per minute my well would produce.......   

[Cary Austin]

All of the problems you describe are caused by the pump cycling on and off too much.  Even the broken line was most likely caused by the water hammer that happens when the pump cycles on and off.  Chaffing the wire will quit with the CSV, so the torque arrestor boots are really no longer needed.  The bladders in those tanks were broken from all the cycling on and off.  And the low pressure at the houses is also in part due to the cycling.  A Cycle Stop Valve will solve all these problems.

And there is a way to test the GPM from the well/pump.  You just need to turn on a large valve or enough faucets to keep the pump running and not let it build to 60 and shut off.  While the pump is running steady, measure the output of each faucet in a bucket and add them together.  I am guessing with a 1-1.5HP at that depth, you are getting 15 GPM or so.

As long as your tank is still working, all you need is a CSV1A to solve all these problems.