Slow filling pressure tank

[mrau]

Two weeks ago, I had a leak in my utility room. After climbing around in my crawl space, and replacing a leaky elbow from the well pipe into my house, I also replaced the leaking hot water tank. I have a 20 year old 250' well with a submersible 1/3HP franklin pump, which was replaced 5 years ago. The pressure tank seemed to fill much quicker after replacing the rotten elbow, but now the pump runs for a few minutes to pressurize the tank back to 50psi. I have always had a fair amount of sediment in my well, and use a 20 micron cannister filter after the pressure tank and before my water softener. Is it possible that the extra flow caused by replacing the elbow has stirred up more sediment and clogged something? Am I more likely to find such a problem in the check valve, which is located just prior to the pressure tank, or in the pump itself? I have already considered replacing the pressure tank, check valve, pressure switch and gauge, but now I am wondering if I need to replace the pump as well.

For clarification, the water travels 250' up the well, then under the house in to a crawl space, through a 90 degree elbow into the house. Once in the house, it goes through a check valve, which has a pressure switch and regulator mounted on it, then to the pressure tank through a T. Then the water passes through a shutoff valve and proceeds on to a filter cannister and then in to a water softener before heading off to the water heater and rest of the house.

Thanks for any help!

[nomind]

Hi mrau,
- if indeed it is a 1/3 (I didn't think Franklin still made them, even 5 yrs ago) -that is quite a lift for a 1/3 pump. I'm not surprised it takes a while to fill the tank. You may have sediment in the tank, or clogging the pump itself. :cool:

Do it Right - Do it once.

[mrau]

Hi nomind. I had previously drained the pressure tank and found some sediment. After pulling the system apart, I found some clogging in the check valve, but most importantly, I found that one of the fittings I recently replaced had cracked and I was drawing air and pumping water in to my crawl space. Thanks for the help.