Water pressure - wells

[Bunky]

We have a house in Virgina and it has always had chronic low water pressure. It was not easy to wash a car using the traditional bucket method and we could not run a pressure water (a 3 GPM powered job) more than a couple minutes to clean off the house, etc.

We finally got the well pump upgraded to a 3/4 hp so it can pump alot more and increased the holding tank (added a 44 gallon tank to the 20 gallon tank - tanks hold a lot less than that) plus upgraded to a 60/40 system from a 40/20 psi system. I never realized how simple the whole process was when they pulled the pump from the well.

I learned a lot about our well. It is 145 ft deep. It was 70 ft to bedrock and then the pump is at 100 ft. The pump is about 20 ft below the water level in the well. The well capacity is rated at 15 GPM so it has plenty of nice clean water.

Also, used a Karcher 1500 psi/1.3 GM) pressure washer (borrowed from the father in law) to clean off the siding and it died after 30 min or so of use. A plastic fitting split open causing a leak so I have ordered a part to fix that.

[black bart]

I much prefer living in the country to a big city but maintaining a well is one of the draw backs.

With the pumps available today you can get plenty of water.

[njcarting1]

Well water is a problem in some cases you are right. My well is 75-80 feet deep with nice water but its hard water, has no odors or problems but will spot up after washing a vehicle. I must dry the vehicle after each wash to avoid spotting problems. I find S&G is a nice way to add gloss as well as rid the vehicle of any water spotting after the wash.

Bunky, you must be happy with the extra pressure you have at the nozzle...

[Bunky]

The pressure is nicer not great.

I did run a test where we had the pressure washer going and a sink faucet running to watch the system.

It took a while for the pressure to drop down to 40 psi (maybe 20 gallons draw down?) where the pump kicked in and the pump was able to actually fill the tanks against an increasing pressure while the washer and faucet were flowing.

[atkinsonair]

Bunky...what kind of waterline is between the house and well? What kind of lines are inside the house? Also you can adjust the differential between cut on and off, but that does cycle the pump more often.

[Bunky]

There is a very large hose (underground) running to the hose. It house has copper plumbing with the usual style: one diameter for main feeds, then smaller lines to each water point.

I ran the pressure washer (although only 1.3 GPM) directly from the spigot at the well so minimum loss (5/8-in house). We shall see how the 3GPM pressure washer does.

I have played with the pump switch before. I may decrease the differential (like come on at 45 and off at 60).

The well guy said the pump should ideally run for about 60 seconds max at a time so it is not constantly cycling. From my tests so far, I do not think it cycles even once every 5 minutes even if using 2 water sources.

[shuddleston]

We were renting a house that had well water. There was a water softner hooked up but then apparently the owner was just renting it. They took it away and two weeks later everyone of our dishes were ruined from the hard water. Not to mention the damage it is donig to all the appliances. Closed today and moving over the weekend into a new house in the city and with a water softner. You don`t miss soft water until you experience it and then it is taken away.

I did however like not having a water bill! Looking forward to living back on pavement - hard to keep black cleanin the country.