OP
sam5570
Veteran Member
oh and no haven't figured out the air yet why it's there and where it's getting in. i elimanated the house and still had problem so got to be either pump or switch im thinking.
well problem i think help
- Thread starter sam5570
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heviduty
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If you checked and found no leak between pump and tank, the spurt of air makes me wonder if the tank bladder is leaking and you added too much compressed air.
OP
sam5570
Veteran Member
that was my first thought but checked out good it has 2lbs less than max allowed
texasjohn
Super Member
yep, air coming from somewhere...worth figuring out...if when all is running OK the gallons per minute is good, then problem is not pump itself but air getting into the system. Can you run pump wide open say 15 minutes without air problem occurring...am wondering if well gets pulled down and air entering at bottom of hole???
OP
sam5570
Veteran Member
i think your on something there i am leaning toward the pump. if it get's worse i'm going to pull pump. it might be that i need to raise it a little. and to i'm thinking it is cloged up it's been in there 29 year's.
Egon
Epic Contributor
Check that air ???
There is a very good chance you will find it's gasses from the aquifer water coming out of solution.:thumbsup:
Try the match on the tap thing.
It's a pretty common occurrence in some areas.
Natural gas from water wells can be dangerous by Ken Williamson, Agriculture Water Specialist, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Red Deer
A recent call about a natural gas explosion and fire in a pump house was a timely reminder of what can happen when gassy wells aren't vented properly.
Fortunately no one was injured in this case, but this is dangerous situation that can cause considerable damage. Natural gas in farm water wells is a common problem in Alberta. Usually there isn't enough gas to be usable, just enough to be a nuisance, and sometimes it's enough to be an explosion hazard.
Methane gas is colorless and odorless. At high enough levels, the gas can be seen or heard bubbling in the well. Often the gas is dissolved in the water due to high pressure and low temperature in the well.
When the well is pumped hard and the water level is drawn down, the gas will come out of solution--due to the reduced pressure--and form gas bubbles. If this gas is trapped somewhere, such as in a well pit or pump house, it can build up to an explosive level. The spark from a pump motor or pressure switch will then set off an explosion.
There are several ways to prevent a dangerous situation from occurring. First, make sure that your well casing is vented to the outside. Fortunately, most new wells are located away from buildings and use a pitless adapter and vented cap.
However, some older wells are located in pits, pump houses and house basements. These are the ones with the highest risk, particularly in the winter when these structures are sealed to protect them from freezing. In these situations the top of the well casing must be vented to the outside.
Gas can also accumulate in pressure tanks and hot water heaters. When this happens, the gas builds up until it spurts out of the household taps. The burst of gas can knock a drinking glass out of someone's hand, or catch fire if there is an ignition source. Gas release vents can be installed on some pressure tanks and on hot water heaters. These won't totally solve all gas problems, but can make them tolerable.
The only way to completely remove dissolved gas from water is to spray it into a ventilated tank and then repressurize the water with another pump.
If you would like more information, the Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development publication Dissolved Gases in Well Water (Agdex 716D18) discusses these gas problems in more detail.
Contact the author at 301 Provincial Building, 4920 51 St, Red Deer AB T4N 6K8.
There is a very good chance you will find it's gasses from the aquifer water coming out of solution.:thumbsup:
Try the match on the tap thing.
It's a pretty common occurrence in some areas.
Natural gas from water wells can be dangerous by Ken Williamson, Agriculture Water Specialist, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Red Deer
A recent call about a natural gas explosion and fire in a pump house was a timely reminder of what can happen when gassy wells aren't vented properly.
Fortunately no one was injured in this case, but this is dangerous situation that can cause considerable damage. Natural gas in farm water wells is a common problem in Alberta. Usually there isn't enough gas to be usable, just enough to be a nuisance, and sometimes it's enough to be an explosion hazard.
Methane gas is colorless and odorless. At high enough levels, the gas can be seen or heard bubbling in the well. Often the gas is dissolved in the water due to high pressure and low temperature in the well.
When the well is pumped hard and the water level is drawn down, the gas will come out of solution--due to the reduced pressure--and form gas bubbles. If this gas is trapped somewhere, such as in a well pit or pump house, it can build up to an explosive level. The spark from a pump motor or pressure switch will then set off an explosion.
There are several ways to prevent a dangerous situation from occurring. First, make sure that your well casing is vented to the outside. Fortunately, most new wells are located away from buildings and use a pitless adapter and vented cap.
However, some older wells are located in pits, pump houses and house basements. These are the ones with the highest risk, particularly in the winter when these structures are sealed to protect them from freezing. In these situations the top of the well casing must be vented to the outside.
Gas can also accumulate in pressure tanks and hot water heaters. When this happens, the gas builds up until it spurts out of the household taps. The burst of gas can knock a drinking glass out of someone's hand, or catch fire if there is an ignition source. Gas release vents can be installed on some pressure tanks and on hot water heaters. These won't totally solve all gas problems, but can make them tolerable.
The only way to completely remove dissolved gas from water is to spray it into a ventilated tank and then repressurize the water with another pump.
If you would like more information, the Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development publication Dissolved Gases in Well Water (Agdex 716D18) discusses these gas problems in more detail.
Contact the author at 301 Provincial Building, 4920 51 St, Red Deer AB T4N 6K8.
Last edited:
2LaneCruzer
Super Member
I had a similar problem with my well; turns out the plastic line from the pump to the house had developed cracks, so it leaked down. When I opened the tap, got lots of air, no water for a few seconds until the water was pumped back up the line. Pulled the pump, installed new line and all is well. The line was about 40 years old, so it was time.
Ed of all trades
Elite Member
My FIL had a problem like that. had a small hole in the pipe above water level in the well. It would drain back and get air, I hope it is not that, pulling a pump from a 200 ft well is not fun.
OP
sam5570
Veteran Member
well i think i found my problem today. i started all over and at my preasure tank i watched the preasure on the guage and it was holding at 60lbs so i checked the air preasure in my tank and it showed 60 lbs. so correct me if i'm wrong but if the blatter in my tank is not busted it will never show over the amount of air i put in it, witch was 28 lbs. i checked it before and it showed fine but i didn't compare it with what was on the guage. the crazy thing is my preasure don't drop below 45 lbs till it kicks on.
SPIKER
Elite Member
It sounds like your system is working normally. With the 60 PSI on the water gauge and 60 PSI on the bladder is correct, the AIR is compressed as the water fills up the tank, then the AIR pushes the water back out until the water in the tank is gone, at that point all you have is residual air pressure of 28PSI.
now if you turn on the pump & let the tank pressure build all up fully. You should have 60 PSI give or take (switch setting) then shut off the pump. the pressure should stay the same for very long time, days or weeks. IF it drops off then you have a leak somewhere in the system.
With well tank fully pressurized (60PSI) of water and it leaks down to 28 PSI in 10 hours then you have a small crack hole or leak in lines thru the system at a small rate. if it leaks down in 10 minutes then you have a rather major leak somewhere.
Open up the Well Pipe and listen for sounds of leaking or running water have someone turn on the well to build from 0 PSI back up and listen for the sound of leaking or spraying water (should hear the pump running and MAYBE water running back into the well thru normal rock strata depending on how far down the well's draw down/(GPM) of the aquifer.
If it takes a while to leak down and there are no wet spots in the yard between well & home then most likely the well foot/pump check valve has sand or grit or seal issue and is leaking back past. A top side check valve can stop this and will be between the well tank & the well pitiless adapter. If it is in the LINE between the tank & well pump above water line then it will not help you as the line will leak back and air will enter system at volume to match the line & leak-down rate.
If this is the case then you will need to pull the pump and SHOULD replace the pump & clean the well. I thought the pump was rather old. most times 15~20 year life is usual and if run dry it can be less.
Mark