well pressure tank

You would need to give us some run times between when the pump starts and shuts off then starts the pump again to how much water is discharged at the faucet.

Depending on your pressure tank size will determine how long the pump stays off between cycles or called draw down capicity.

Typical draw down capicitys are 6gal, 11gal, 22gal but is dependent on pressure tank size and control set pressure.

Most house faucet seals don't like pressures above 55psi or they will leak and will not last very long. A 30/50psi setting is a good setting, pump on at 30spi and shuts off at 50psi. As stated 20/40psi is another popular pressure control setting.

Excessive pump pressure, such as your 75psi, will cause early pump failure. Make sure your gauge is accurate as there known to be off and your system may well be orperating with the correct pressure settings.

T_Bone

A well pressure tank acts with water the same way a capacitor acts with electricity. The air in the tank compresses as water is pumped in. This damps the pressure rise when the pump comes on, and ensures that the pump runs for at least one minute each time it starts.

Let us suppose you have a typical blue stamped steel pressure tank with bladder and approximately 40 gallons nominal capacity. The tank should be precharged with air to 38 PSI. The pressure valve should turn the pump on at 40 PSI and off at 60 PSI (more-or-less). Let us further suppose your pump is good for 10GPM.

Supposed we start with 40 PSI in the tank. The 40 gallon tank contains 5 gallons of water and 35 gallons of air. Someone draws a glass of water, dropping the pressure just below 40 PSI. The pump turns on and starts to move 10 gallons per minute. After 1 minute of operation, the pump has moved 10 gallons of water into the tank, reducing the volume of air from 35 gallons to 25 gallons. According to the ideal gas law, pV = nRT. We reduced the volume by 25/35, so the pressure should rise by 35*40/25 or to 56 PSI. A few more seconds and the pressure rises to 60 and the pump switch cuts the pump off.

That's how it is supposed to work.

If the bladder ruptures, the air in the tank gets dissolved into the water, and the tank eventually fills completely with water. Consider the same starting situation as before. Tank at 40 PSI, poor thirsty soul draws a little bit of water. Pump turns on, pressure instantly zooms way above cut-off pressure due to lack of any air to compress. The pump shuts off again, pressure drops like a rock. The pump starts again, and the cycle repeats. If you operate it this way for too long, the pump will be damaged from too many start cycles. (The windings overheat from the high starting current, and the thrust bearing wears excessively as well).

There is an older style of pressure tank that did not have a bladder. The ratio of water to air is much higher because such a tank cannot be precharged (the air just dissovles into the water if you try). So the tank has to be physically larger to offer the same damping capacity. There is a special arrangement called a "snifter valve" to reintroduce air into the system that would otherwise cause the tank to eventually waterlog.

Both kinds of tanks can be temporarily fixed by draining the tank and pre-charging with compressed air. If it is a bladder tank, some of the water that is on the "wrong" side of the bladder can be forced out again, and at least some air can get in for a pre-charge. But the bladder (or the whole tank) will be have to be replaced as a long-term fix -- leaking bladders don't fix themselves.

The snifter valve tank can be "fixed" just by shutting off the pump and draining it. Maybe once a month would do it. But the tank really should be self-maintaining, which is why you want the snifter valve to be installed and work correctly.

Used to run between 35 and 60 lbs of pressure, until I finally sweated in all new 1" and 3/4" copper throughout up to the fixtures. Then set the pressure switch at the Flint Walling to 40 lbs min, and pressurized to 70 lbs. Was afraid to go higher on the max pressure, buy only because didn't want pressure to force the water level below the tank outlet and blow air out the fixtures, scare the devil out of everyone, then have to re-pressurize. New plumbing sure helped out.

One thing's for sure, I hate Menards with a passion, but will give credit for one thing - that liquid solder flux that they have in like an 8oz squeaze bottle. Is great stuff - sure sucks/draws solder up into the fittings like no flux I've ever seen. That's great stuff!!!, but can keep Menards after that.

One question I have for you John, what's your experience with well points? The house I just sold went through 3 in about 25 years. Original was 1" at about 15'. I drove a new 1.5" down to 20', got about 20 years. About two years ago, began drawing dirt and stuff, so pulled the rotted point, hand drove a new 2" down to about 25' hoping for a softer water vein. Hand slipped off the 100lb weight and got broke, but the new plumbing made a ton of difference afterwards. What are you seeing out of well points? 20 years seemed kind've short to me. New home is a shallow 4" at 50', but I didn't put it in, and will be darned if I want to go after that every 20 years.