I need help with well questions

[hrdwoodpro]

I have just decided to sell my home and move into a mobile home that is on my wifes mothers property to save money and prepare for the future innevitable children situation. The mobile home was the first on the property. The second mobile home was added and tied into the first homes well. The well is 68' deep, I havent measured the pipe yet but i believe it is a four inch steel pipe. The pump is a 1 1/2 hp submersible pump with a galvanized tank. I am told that water pressure in both homes has always been poor and since i am remodeling the first trailer completely this is a concern i am addressing. I have no clue where to start but let me give what i know. the first mobile home had 3 faucets 2 showers and a washing machine. the second trailer has 3 faucets a two showers a dishwasher and a washing machine. there are three spickets outside on the property not including the well spicket. How do i determine how many gpm i need out of my pump and how many gpm I am getting. What is the best way to troubleshoot the sytem in its current state to determine if I need to upgrade the pump. The second mobile home was added after the pump which leads me to believe that it may not be able to handle both homes. but I know that nobody has serviced any of the systems components in years where do i start? thanks for any help in advance. Need Hardwood flooring advice? I'd be happy to trade. ;) As read on I see that a lot of information is needed to get me the help I need I would be more than happy to retrieve any and all info in an accurate manner if someone would be willing to help me out.

[mdtaylor]

Well, you have things just a little mixed up, and not yet enough information to properly analyze your situation. You really need a well log. That will show you the static depth of the water, the bottom of the well, the draw down, and the recovery of the well. Only with that can we give you a complete answer.

First of all, the pressure is in no way predicated on your pump. As long as your pump is capable of pumping the water from the level in the well to the surface at the maximum pressure it matters not if it is a 5gpm or a 25 gpm. And, it has little to do with it if you have a large enough tank. So, lets start with the following:

At what pressure does the pump start? (the lowest pressure.)
Ar what pressure does the pump stop? (the highest pressure.)
Can you estimate the size of tank or is it marked?
What size is the pipe coming coming out of the well going into the tank?
What size is the pipe that goes to the homes?
How long does the pump run once it starts?
You have a galvanized tank. Right after the pump stops running feel the tank for temperature changes. Can you tell where the water line is?

Get back to us with this info and we will see what we can do to give you the best supply for your situation.