cycling of Well Pump Update

Finally got or made some time to expermit with the well pump cycling problem. I also checked the bladder tank both with the pump just having finished running and when pump had been turned off and pressure had dropped. Could fell that after the pressure had drained off the tank was empty. Let the bladder tank fill up, noted pressure, shut off valve coming from the tank and pump to the rest of the house. After 3 hours had not lost any pressure. So in my uninformed opinion that pretty much ruled out a problem with the bladder tank or the well itself. When pump did run pressure would be down. Went to the guest bathroom and shut off the line to the toilet tank fill. Left the master bathroom valve on. Opened the house valve and turned the power back n to the pump. That seems to have stopped the loss of pressure causing the pump to cycle on every hour and a half or so. Going to pick up a flapper valve for both toilets this week and replace at least the one in the guest bathroom, I think it's about 30 years old.

Any thing special I should do when I replace the flapper? I'm going to drain the tank naturally and get rid of the small mout of sand in the bottom of the toiet tank. This is a very sandy area and I'm told this sand is a common problem around here. Disturb the sand and it never seems to tottaly repack tightly. I live in Mid Mivhigna north of Bay City.

Thanks for all of your help,
Bill

If you got 30 years out of a flapper, you are doing all the good!

One other thing to check is the fill valve. After replacing the flapper, let the tank fill and note the level. Come back a few hours later and see if the level has gone up, or is overflowing the tube. If so, the fill valve is leaking.

Sometimes even a new flapper will leak. If you trust the supply valve to turn off completely, let the tank fill, then turn off the supply. See if the level drops. If it does, the flapper is still leaking. Sometimes they ned a day or two to conform to the seat.

A wet vac will make quick work of the sand in the tank.

I've gotten into the habit of replacing the whole float/shutoff valve assembly and the whole flush valve assembly when there is a problem with a toilet. I replaced a flapper a couple of times and it still leaked as the problem was with the new flush flapper on an old seat; now I change the whole assembly so it will work like it is supposed to.

Bill, there are clear whole house filters that have a blow down port on the bottom. I got one for my cousin and another buddy because of sand in their wells. I think Milan supply in Bay City can get them. They have a fine screen inside that looking through the clear housing you can see if sand has built up, and if so, you can blow it down into a bucket below the filter. Milan supply is also on M20 just east of Mt. Pleasant.

You need to install a filter, but not a clear one! If there is any bacteria in the filter the light will cause it to grow, not something you want in your water. You can't tell if a filter is plugging by looking at them anyhow, they are plugging when the flowrate slows down.

You can go with just a flapper or flapper AND the seat, and lastly, get a fluid master. After you get done and filler up, let everything settle down. After a couple of minutes drop a couple of drops of food dye in the tank. You will see if anything is leaking.