Life of a Park Owner

I have a ongoing low water pressure problem with my system. Pressure is good at pump house, no visible problems I am aware of. At high demand times pump comes on at 30 lbs but pressure continues to drop before the pump catches up. This results in abnormally low pressure.
It is either a major leak in the line or the well pump is not functioning properly, possibly a leak in the line near the pump.
Since I find nothing wrong in the pump house, and do not want to pull the pump yet I will need to be in the pump house around 1 or 2 am to listen and see if the pressure drops in the line when everyone is sleeping. Hopefully it will, indicating a leak in the field, as opposed to next having to pull the pump.
Fingers crossed.

The pump normally has a check valve exposed in the well house that keeps the water from returning back to the well and when start up occurs water is at that point. If the check valve is not working correctly some water will possible return to the well when the pump is in the off cycle; water can leak back during run time also making the pressure pump work overtime.

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Greg,

Leak checking in the middle of the night is always fun. I feel your pain. You really only have four options: leak pipe down the well, leak in distribution piping, over use or tired well or booster pump. Im sure you knew these already as you appear to be a very compitent and experienced owner.

Can you give me a little more info on your system?
Well pump size, age and type
Pressure/ reservoir tank size and type
Booster or just well pump?

Regarding well check valve locations: Many submersible pumps (under 5hp in size) have check valve on top of the pump, then industry standard is 1 check valve per 100 or 200 feet of pipe, some install one at top of well but it is really overkill if you have 1 or 2 down the well.

Best of luck hunting the problem down

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On site 12:30 am. Saturday night.
Step one is to test if foot valves are leaking. Since pump is down 400ft a leaking valve could drain back a portion of the line in the well causing a delay in filling the tanks when the pump comes on. This could cause the pressure to continue to drop during high demand. I isolate pump from the system, pressure switch on pump side. Wait 15 minutes, pump does not come on therefore no drain back occurring in well line.
Step two is to drain down both pressure tanks and time how long it takes to fill the tanks to shut off pressure (50psi). I know the time it takes from when pump was first installed and test this regularly to insure pump is working efficiently. 1min 45 sec, OK pump working fine, no leaks in line down well.
Step three is testing distribution for leaks.
My community is divided into two separate distribution lines leaving the pump house. At about 1am I started testing the system. Easiest problem to solve is a leak in one of the two distribution lines.
My pump house system has numerous shut off valves for each line and numerous pressure gages so I can isolate and observe each section separately. Pressure tanks, filters, UV, each distribution line.
I isolate one distribution line from the pressure tanks and observe the pressure reading on the isolated line. First one to do is the line the tenant has reported the low pressure problem on. This tenant has a on demand hot water heater that is very sensitive to low water pressure. When the pressure is too low the heater will not turn on.
Shut off the valve isolating the line watch pressure gage. Gage does not move.
Isolated line to other side. Gage quickly drops like a stone. Repeat several times over about 45 minutes to make sure it is not tenant use causing the drop.
All other tests indicate no issues therefor I conclude major leak in distribution. This must be a wide open blown line hopefully under a home and not 6 ft. underground.

On my way out now to find and hopefully repair leak.

Checked under every home, no leak found. Could not hear any water running in home drains.
Walked the entire line between homes, no greener grass, no wet spots.
Defiantly still believe there is a leak. All tenants still have workable water pressure so all I can do now is check each time I am there otherwise wait for further development. The down side is the leak will cost me more money to run well pump and when the leak finally blows the system completely it will be a panic to repair, probably in the middle of the winter with 3 ft. of snow on the ground.
Emergencies never happen when it is covenant.