I need some help determining if a Cycle Stop Valve can help my situation. We just had our well pump and controller replaced after only 6 years of use. Here is the info on our setup: Well depth 164' - Static water 87'. Pump is a A.Y.Mcdonald #22150P3LB 1 1/2 hp 3 wire 230v submersible. Controller is Franklin Electric model 2823008110 1 1/2 hp 230v 8/11.5 A. We have a Wellmate WM 12 pressure tank. Home has 2 baths, 2 hose bibs, sprinkler system.
What we are experiencing with the new pump & controller is water pressure is about half of what we had before. Pressure guage reads 33psi at no call for water. When we run water gauge goes up to 51psi then shuts off. Tested one sprinkler zone and the well pump kicks on & off about 3 times in 5 minutes of running. That tells me something isn't right. Tested it again while one shower was running, and the same scenario - on/off several times in ten minutes.
Not sure what to do first. I do know I need to put larger nozzles in my sprinkler heads (increase gpm). But my main issue is the reduced water pressure.
Would a Cycle Stop Valve help my situation?
Just turning up the pressure switch from 30/50 to 40/60 will help with the low pressure problem. Then adding a CSV will help even more. Increasing the size of your sprinkler nozzles will actually make the pressure lower.
When the pump is cycling on and off between 40 and 60, as most people think is normal cycling, the pressure in the house seems low. This is because half the time your pressure is increasing to 60 and the other half the pressure is decreasing to 40. When the pressure is swinging between 40 and 60, you have an "average" of 50. With a CSV, as long as you are using water you have a "constant" 50. No swinging back and forth from 40 to 60 with the pressure. A constant 50 is much stronger pressure in the house than an average 50.
Cycling on and off 3 times in 5 minutes can add up to hundreds of cycles per day. Not only does this cycling make the presure seem low in the house, but it will destroy your pump, motor, pressure tank, switches, relays, check valves, and even hammers on the faucets, valves, and fittings in the house.
I have added a 50 PSI Cycle Stop Valve to systems that were already cycling from 40/60. And even though we didn't increase the pressure at all, the customers told me the constant pressure made the shower feel so strong that they no longer need soap, because the good pressure will just blast the dirt off a person.
Where would I find the pressure switch and how do I know how far to adjust it?
The pressure switch is the little grey or black box screwed to the pipe on the pressure tank. It will have some wires coming out of it. There are two adjustment screws in the switch. Don't mess with the small adjustment screw. Just tighten down on the large adjustment screw about three full turns. Turn the power off first, the adjustment screw is very close to the hot wires.