Pressure tank replacement

[GloNDark]

I have a PK1A system with a 4.4 gallon pressure tank. Has been installed and working fine a long time.

My system started cycling on and off since yesterday. I traced it down to my pressure tank that is showing zero PSI with no water in the system. I tried added air and car hear it escaping inside the tank. So it’s replacment time. Can I use any 4.4 ish gallon tank as a replacment, or should I order a replacment from Cycle stop directly? I like using original manufacturer parts but also don’t like the idea of my pump kicking on/off as much as it is until the tank comes in.

I might grab one from Lowe’s tomorrow and see how it does.
Any thoughts?

[Cary Austin]

Yeah any 4.4 to 10 gallon size tank will work.  But even with a bad tank the pump should not be cycling, especially when not using any water.  If the pump comes on when no water is being used you probably have a bad check valve.  And a bad check valve causing the pump to cycle while no one is using water could have destroyed the diaphragm in the tank.

[GloNDark]

Is there a check valve in the cycle stop itself? I don’t see anything before the CSV

[Cary Austin]

No the CSV does not work as a check valve.  The only check you need is the one on the submersible pump.  If you have a jet pump a check valve is needed either on the suction line or before the CSV.

[GloNDark]

UGH, sounds like I need to call a well service company and have them pull the pump up. I'm not equipped to handle that haha.

Thanks Cary!

[Cary Austin]

Sorry to the the bearer of bad news.  How deep is your pump and what type pipe is it hung on?

[GloNDark]

160' and I believe it's currently on galvanized pipe. So it's most definitely outside of my skill set.

Will be a good time to just replace the pump, pipe and wiring as well. 

[Cary Austin]

Yeah and 160' on poly pipe is a DIY job.  If you can get someone to pull and haul away the galve pipe, you could easily install the new pump yourself, plus be able to work on it yourself next time if needed.  After you get a quote on a turn key job you may want to consider this.   

[GloNDark]

The saga continues.
 
Pulled the well pump up and we had water at the top of the pipe and it held there for 30 minutes so the check valve most likely isn't my issue.

I installed a ball valve on the house side of the Fleck 5600 Water Softener and can confirm that if I shut off the water to the house it still leaks back.

Shut off the irrigation completely and confirm it still leaks back.

So looks like I have a pipe problem somewhere between the valve at the house and the well head. UGH Next step i'm going to dig up where the pipe is and then have a friend of mine come over and pressure test both sides. I don't know which is worse, having to dig up the new front yard or having to jackhammer the new walkway to the house if the leak is under the concrete. UGH

What's weird is, now with the new expansion tank.  Rises to 60 psi, then slowly drops to 50 psi (Slow as in 90 to 120 seconds to drop) and then once it hits 50 PSI it drops fast to the 30psi kick on and then repeats.

[Cary Austin]

Sounds like your new tank may have 50 PSI air charge instead of the 28 PSI it needs?  That is what causes a quick drop from 50 down.  Also sounds like you may have found the leak.  Sometimes it is easier to just run a new line.  It is not cheap, but you can even bore under things and not have to chip them up.  A short bore can be done with a home made jet on a piece of pipe attached to a garden hose.

[GloNDark]

Unfortunately it won't be easy or cheap in my case if it's under the concrete. We are on a slab foundation which further complicates things.

I will check the air charge tonight in the new expansion tank and see what it's at. Thanks for letting me vent! haha

[Cary Austin]

They can also replace an existing line under a slab.  They drag something through that breaks up the old line as it pulls through a new one.