# New home owner here - irrigation woes



## alexr54 (9 mo ago)

This is my first house. The irrigation system was working fine for a couple years. All the sudden I'm having issues.
I've tried numerous things.
I live in NE Florida. Have a shallow well for irrigation use only. 
A sta-rite DS3HE-01 pump. RainMachine12 controller.
3 zones. 1/3 acre yard.

So just recently when running the irrigation system water pressure has been very weak on 2 of the 3 zones. Sometimes not even enough pressure to raise the sprinklers. 
I made sure there are no vacuum leaks. It's holding vacuum. I checked all pipes I could and there are no leaks or cracks. 
Water comes out of the spigot at bursts. Like a never ending supply of air like it needs to be bled but can't.
I don't know how to explain it…

I installed a see through check valve next to the well pipe, I do see water coming up. 
Sometimes pressure is better then other times. I can't explain why. I can try an hour apart and it seems to always be different pressure.

It's so strange because it was all working well (no pun intended) just a few days ago. Now it won't work.

I tried filling the well with city water, it never seems to fill. I can't ever get the water to come to the top of the pipe when manually trying to fill it. I left water running for a few hours - wide open. 
Not sure if this means my well went dry or if something else is wrong. Or if this is expected behavior.

I have not checked the zone valves yet. I suppose this is the next thing I should do? 
Im honestly at a loss. I would like to self diagnose if it's at all possible.

Really really really would appreciate any advice on what I should look into doing next.


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## Grizzly Adam (May 5, 2017)

I am worried that you well is going dry. The fact that you can't fill it suggest a depleted aquafer, and the varied pressure at different times suggest it may be more rapidly moving than most-- possibly moving away from you. How is your water table down there?


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## Lawn Noob (Jul 26, 2020)

Got any tree roots that may be pinching your lines?


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## thebmrust (Jun 29, 2020)

Are you using a deep well pump or a surface pump? How old is it? Are you using a pressure tank? How old is the tank?

We thought our pump was bad & replaced it. It ended up being our pressure tank. Replaced that and our pressure stabilized.


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