# Water pressure spontaneously low



## CMys (Jan 20, 2012)

Hello. We are on well water, have copper pipes, have a water softener, and normally have regular pressure even when a shower, washing machine and several faucets are running. We've suddenly started having low pressure problems intermittently, especially if a shower is running or another faucet is running. Our well pump pressure gauge is on 60 psi, and the pressure tank seems to run well.

Any clues as to what's up, and any suggestions as to a DIY fix?


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## joecaption (Jan 21, 2012)

Not sure what you would mean by pressure tank runs well.
Pressure tanks do not "run".
Most have a rubber bladder at the top of the tank, there's what looks like a tire valve stem at the top with a caps on it. If you remove the cap  and push down on the vale stem and water comes out it's shot. There should only be air pressure in the bladder.
The pressure should be about 5 lb. less then what the tank pressure is set for.
When a bladder blows the pump will turn on the instant a valve is opened, there should be a delay because the tank asks as a reserve for storing water. 
Is there a water filter on this system? If so also change the filter.


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## Speedbump (Jan 21, 2012)

If you can tell us more about your equipment, we will be more helpful.


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## CMys (Jan 21, 2012)

Joecaption, sorry about the semantics. What I meant was the pressure tank seems to be fine, the valve stem releases only air when pressed. 

There is a water filter also. The cartridge has recently been replaced, so that can't be it.

I was wondering if the low pressure was due to mineral build up in the pipes, as some websites have warned, however the low pressure problem began so abruptly that I can't imagine that is it. Any thoughts/advice?


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## Speedbump (Jan 21, 2012)

Even though you changed the cartridge in that in lne filter doesn't mean it'a not plugged.  An excessive amount of mineral could have let go up stream of it and plugged it again.  Why don't you remove it and see if that improves your pressure.  
That filter isn't doing anything useful anyway.


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## Redwood (Jan 21, 2012)

I agree with SpeedBump...

Start with that Whole House Filter and see what goes on when it is removed...
They are useless and most often the culprit for low pressure problems.

:agree:

As far as the pre-charge on the pressure tank, that would be 2 psi less than the cut in pressure for the pump. The symptom of a problem there would be the pump short cycling. IE every time you run a small amount of water the pump turns on.

I'll leave you in SpeedBump's good hands now...
He's the guy I ask questions about well pump systems and water softeners... :trophy:


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## joecaption (Jan 21, 2012)

A filter may not be needed in your area but it sure is here.
I live on the coast in VA and without a filter the plumbing would stay plugged up with decompost shells, sand, shale flakes.
We had been having earth quakes here latly that have pluged it up from the ground shaken up so bad.
If it was not for the filter all that trash would have plugged up every faucet,  
stuck the scald valve and dumped into the water heater.


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## Redwood (Jan 21, 2012)

In that case Joe you need a sand/sediment removal filter not a filter with an element that will plug up and restrict flow. Also your pump may be set too low in the well where it is picking up this stuff. SpeedBump may have some other suggestions for you as well.

These are probably what you need....

SandMaster PLUS-Centrifugal Sand Separators for Residential Water Well Systems-LAKOS

SandMaster-Centrifugal Separator for Residential Water Well-LAKOS

Centrifugal Sand Separators For Residential Water Well Systems-LAKOS

I'd start a new thread asking or, just PM SpeedBump....


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## CMys (Jan 21, 2012)

Thanks fellas. I replaced the whole house water filter cartridge. The old one was black with sludge, which is odd because we had replaced it a month ago. So far the pressure seems to be fine... for now.

Just out of curiosity, what does a clean cartridge have to do with water pressure? Does a dirty filter impede water pressure that much? Thanks for your help - I'm new to this site and home maintenance in general.


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## joecaption (Jan 22, 2012)

Take a straw and bend it in half, now try to suck on it. Yes when it's pluged up it's not going to work.


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## Speedbump (Jan 22, 2012)

If your water is that bad; Joe, you would be much better off with a softener, iron filter or just a sand filter ( a softener tank with just sand in it) with an automatic backwash head.  That way you buy it once, let it clean itself and you won't have to worry about it anymore.  And no more cartridges to buy.

When cartridges plug up, the water flow is cut down.  When you restrict flow, low pressure ls the symptom.    The guy that coined those things as "Whole House Filters" should be taken out back and shot.  The only way a filter that size can filter out anything that would be harmful, would practically take your flow down to nothing.  Take Reverse Osmosis systems.  The pre and post filters are simply whole house filters, then the membrane  has layers that squeeze practically everything but water to drain.  And they are used for one faucet which is augmented with a storage tank.  Try running your whole house off one of those.

The lakos seperator that Redwood mentioned is a great little unit.  It doesn't filter anything, it simply spins the sand to the bottom of the unit for dumping later; and lets the water pass without the sand.  No moving parts but the water itself.


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## isola96 (Jan 22, 2012)

Speedbump said:
			
		

> If your water is that bad; Joe, you would be much better off with a softener, iron filter or just a sand filter ( a softener tank with just sand in it) with an automatic backwash head.  That way you buy it once, let it clean itself and you won't have to worry about it anymore.  And no more cartridges to buy.
> 
> When cartridges plug up, the water flow is cut down.  When you restrict flow, low pressure ls the symptom.    The guy that coined those things as "Whole House Filters" should be taken out back and shot.  The only way a filter that size can filter out anything that would be harmful, would practically take your flow down to nothing.  Take Reverse Osmosis systems.  The pre and post filters are simply whole house filters, then the membrane  has layers that squeeze practically everything but water to drain.  And they are used for one faucet which is augmented with a storage tank.  Try running your whole house off one of those.
> 
> The lakos seperator that Redwood mentioned is a great little unit.  It doesn't filter anything, it simply spins the sand to the bottom of the unit for dumping later; and lets the water pass without the sand.  No moving parts but the water itself.



Doesnt this mean that the filter was the issue before it got to the softener? And why add another softener before the softener? Maybe im not understanding it.

As far as the coin air filters they should really be for heat only but if they continue to go bad quick a spiral vent might be a better way to go.


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## Speedbump (Jan 22, 2012)

I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had a softener already.  Since you do, that is just more reason to get rid of the cartridge.  The softener will do a a much better job that the in line filter.


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## CMys (Jan 23, 2012)

Got it. Thanks bro. I've also heard that you can help get rid of mineral build up in your pipes by running vinegar through them. How does one go about doing that? Aside from the water softener tank, the filter is the only obvious place to "get into" the pipes... where exactly does the vinegar enter? And how much vinegar are we talking, here?


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## CMys (Jan 23, 2012)

Thanks for any help!


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## Speedbump (Jan 23, 2012)

I have soaked shower heads in Vinegar with good results, but the Shower Head has to soak for quite a while.  You could fill your filter (inline) with Vinegar and run a faucet until you smell the vinegar, then let it soak for several hours.  I'm not real sure how good this will work,, but can't hurt to try.


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## schlegelplumbing (Jan 27, 2012)

Have you tried putting your softener in bypass mode? Try that and see if there is any change in pressure. First of all get a gauge for the system. One that you can screw onto a hose bib. Get a baseline actual psi first of all. And let's rule out some things. Water softener, I already explained to put it in bypass mode and note the difference if any. Take the whole house filter out if softener isn't the problem. Third if those two easy fixes didn't work focus on the pump. 
Here are the steps to starting down the pump troubleshooting line. This is a good way to start deducing problems and it sounds harder than it is. 
This is for 30 - 50 pressure settings:

Shut off the power to the pump and the water to the house. Drain the pressure tank.

Take your gauge off and replace it after cleaning the nipple off of any rust all the way down into the water line it is screwed into. A new gauge is like $5.00.
Then with the pressure tank drained, check the air pressure. It must be 29-28 psi, with no water in the tank, for 30/50 pressure settings.

This takes two people. Then turn on the water to the house and the power to the pump. Note the pressure reading when the pump shuts off. Then run water in a large sink or tub and watch the gauge go down noting the reading when the pump starts and shut off the sink/tub water. Note when the pump shuts off.

Then repeating the running water and shutting it off, adjust the pressure switch to on at 30 and off at 50. Short screw's nut is high switch setting only and the tall screw's nut moves both on and off. Use the tall one to move both on and off, and then fine tune the off with the short screw's nut. Tightening the nuts raises and loosening the nuts lowers.

Then if you still have a problem and you need to do more troubleshooting but you have a solid place to start from. Hope this helps


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