Well problem with a simple and happy ending

[MillWeld]

When first turning on the fawcet the water would come out with great pressure and after prolonged use the pressure would drop very low with the flow almost stopping. I took the pressure switch off and noticed the standpipe (the short brass 1/4 inch pipe connecting the pressure switch to the tank fitting) was nearly completely clogged. It became clear that the clog caused pressure changes to be sensed very slowly allowing pressure to build up very high and fall very low. I reamed out the black crystalline crud in the pipe 'til it was clean, reassembled everything and normal operation resumed. If this had gone unremedied the pump could have soon run indefinately and caused more (expensive) problems. I've lived on well water for 40+ years and this is the fisrt observation of this problem. Anybody else seen this?
Bob

 

[tmajor]

Yes, I'd say it's pretty common in areas with water, containing certain elements. Don't know what they are ... iron, etc.. ??

 

[Carl_NH]

Happens all the time - every year I drain the tanks and remove the boiler drain valve and run a wire up the 1/4" pipe leading to the pressure switch.

At the same time I change the filters, and check the tank precharge pressure to 38PSI (2 PSI below the 40 PSI cut in pressure).

So its a "standard" maintenance aspect to having a well with high iron or metals content (iron in our case).

Carl

 

[Soundguy]

When first turning on the fawcet the water would come out with great pressure and after prolonged use the pressure would drop very low with the flow almost stopping. I took the pressure switch off and noticed the standpipe (the short brass 1/4 inch pipe connecting the pressure switch to the tank fitting) was nearly completely clogged. It became clear that the clog caused pressure changes to be sensed very slowly allowing pressure to build up very high and fall very low. I reamed out the black crystalline crud in the pipe 'til it was clean, reassembled everything and normal operation resumed. If this had gone unremedied the pump could have soon run indefinately and caused more (expensive) problems. I've lived on well water for 40+ years and this is the fisrt observation of this problem. Anybody else seen this?
Bob

yep.. in florida mineral water I usually plan on replacing the pressure switch about every 4-5 years at least, and the stand pipe at least with every other switch. have seen some eat up from the inside so thin that removing the pressure switch broke the stand pipe at the threads, making me use a large flat blade screwdriver to extraxt the remnant of the thread..

soundguy