scale in well water
- Thread starter JimPS
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The kid
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That is a classic case of hard water. Limestone probably. Are you using a chlorinator? Does the water have any sulpher smell? Is there any rust deposits on your sink or fixtures? Why do you mentions salts? Are you running a water filter?
texasjohn
Super Member
That is "hard water".....has dissolved minerals in it, most likely from limestone. As far as I know, a water softener, which uses salt, is the only reasonable way to remove it...and they are a pain to keep charged and working. I've lived with hard water all my life.
JDgreen227
Super Member
Yup...we just call the stuff "lime" and here in this area it's a problem everyplace. I just replaced my furnace humidifier filter foir the same reason. If you do install a softener it makes sense to install it so that the outdoor faucets for car washing, etc. use unsoftened water. I knew a guy who was always griping about how much salt his softener used and part of the reason was because he was sprinkling his huge yard with softened water.
joemd11
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Sounds like "hard" water to me. We have a softener and has worked very well for years. It is just a basic softener without the electronic controls and we are very satisfied with it. Just add salt.
phiferpharm
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+1 on using a water softener. My well water is not very pleasant without one. Costs me $17.00 a month to have a service come out fill/check unit each month.
crash325
Elite Member
I went to paper type pads this year. Still get lots of build up but they work a lot better & flow more air. use the hose & spray off the lime 2 or 3 times a summer. Also wash out the bottom of the cooler at least once each summer.
Water tastes real good, Actually better than some of the bottled water.
Water tastes real good, Actually better than some of the bottled water.
I'm not treating the water in any way. It doesn't smell like sulfur or anything that I can detect. No rust, but we do get the same white stuff on the end of the faucets which we have to scrub off. We also have large white patches on the ground in the pasture where the ground water is only 2 feet below the surface. I went to Lowes and Home Depot for replacement cooler pads so it would be all ready to go next summer, but they're both already selling Christmas stuff.
I better start researching water softeners. Thanks a lot for all the replies.
I better start researching water softeners. Thanks a lot for all the replies.
SPIKER
Elite Member
Jim:
dip your pads in some CLR or Lime-away the other choice is some white vinegar that will dissolve the lime quick and easy. Will work one or two times easy and should not damage the filters. The Lime (often is calcium carbonate) is often a good flavor to have as well as OK for your human system not as good on pipes or fixtures but better for U than the added salt a softener puts in to you...
Mark
dip your pads in some CLR or Lime-away the other choice is some white vinegar that will dissolve the lime quick and easy. Will work one or two times easy and should not damage the filters. The Lime (often is calcium carbonate) is often a good flavor to have as well as OK for your human system not as good on pipes or fixtures but better for U than the added salt a softener puts in to you...
Mark
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Another way to deal with water minerals is dilution. As the water is evaporated, the minerals are concentrated. By continously draining off water from the cooler, the mineral concentration is diluted with fresh water. Obviously, this means the cooler uses more water. Perhaps the water bleed could be used for something else. Irrigate some landscape plants...?
I finally found a Home Depot that had some pads, and since they were only $3.50 each I didn't mind tossing the old ones. Next summer I'll watch for buildup and try some vinegar though.
Interesting comments about the lime and evaporation. It seems like everybody but me has an intuitive understanding of this stuff. I should have taken Chemistry.
Interesting comments about the lime and evaporation. It seems like everybody but me has an intuitive understanding of this stuff. I should have taken Chemistry.
It's not so much intuitive understanding, but a lot's of years of doing cooler maintenance.
The water at the end of summer in the pan is almost a syrup if it hasn't been changed or diluted.
You should be able to rig up a bleed off pipe from your cooler pan drain, where you can stand on the ground and open a small valve and drain off a few gallons every week, it helps.
A old piece of speedometer cable works well for cleaning your spider.
When you do your cooler maintenance it's best to replace the float every year.
When you fill your cooler with water remove the float and after the pan is full shut off water and install and adjust float, this way you clean out all the loose scale in your water line , and your float won't get plugged up after you are back on the ground and ladder is put away.
Always turn the pump impeller by hand before you flip the switch. Lots of times they seize up over winter and when you flip the switch it lets all the smoke out and we all know that's a bad thing.
Stay cool ---J
The water at the end of summer in the pan is almost a syrup if it hasn't been changed or diluted.
You should be able to rig up a bleed off pipe from your cooler pan drain, where you can stand on the ground and open a small valve and drain off a few gallons every week, it helps.
A old piece of speedometer cable works well for cleaning your spider.
When you do your cooler maintenance it's best to replace the float every year.
When you fill your cooler with water remove the float and after the pan is full shut off water and install and adjust float, this way you clean out all the loose scale in your water line , and your float won't get plugged up after you are back on the ground and ladder is put away.
Always turn the pump impeller by hand before you flip the switch. Lots of times they seize up over winter and when you flip the switch it lets all the smoke out and we all know that's a bad thing.
Stay cool ---J
