Well problems

[paulharvey]

When was the last time you replaced your tank? I have on my third tank in 19 years. I just replaced the tank this spring. I know when it is bad when a shower has noticeable surging. When a tank is working properly it may take a few minutes before the pump turns on and I do not notice it in the shower. We have low flow shower heads based on 1997 regulations. I can also hear the tank short cycling when the tank is bad. I have a shallow bored well 30-60 feet deep.

Turn off the pump. Get out the garden hose and remove all pressure from the system. If you have a 30/50 pressure switch, pump up the pressure tank to 30 psi. If you cannot achieve 30 psi and maintain it with the garden hose valve open and the well turned off, then the pressure tank is leaking. I ordered a new tank from these guys who had a pretty good price and the same brand my installer used. I chose a different model. Amtrol Well-X-Trol Pressure Tanks My tank was a bit water logged. Better to drain the tank in the yard than in the house or back into the well. That water was black and pretty foul looking. Not unlike the water in the fire sprinkler system that used steel pipes.

My bladder tank maintains air pressure fine, but I'm beginning to think it's "water logged". Is there a way to fix that? I drained tank with pump off, set air to 26 psi (pressure switch comes on at 28/off at 46). Still probably drain 3 or 4 gallons max out of it with out well pump kicking on. I guess I'm confused about a 'water logged tank' really means. I always assumed that if the tank held air, it was good.

I found Home Depot has 20-80 gallons bladder tanks from about $160-400. There is a kinda local plumbing supply house that has a sign "used tanks, $10 and up", but at $10, I'm guessing they are no good, and being sold for grills.

If I can find a used old style galvanized tank, any major down side to old type vs bladder tank?

 

[TheGoose]

Stay away from big box store tanks. Look for Well X troll.

 

[dmccarty]

My bladder tank maintains air pressure fine, but I'm beginning to think it's "water logged". Is there a way to fix that? I drained tank with pump off, set air to 26 psi (pressure switch comes on at 28/off at 46). Still probably drain 3 or 4 gallons max out of it with out well pump kicking on. I guess I'm confused about a 'water logged tank' really means. I always assumed that if the tank held air, it was good.

I found Home Depot has 20-80 gallons bladder tanks from about $160-400. There is a kinda local plumbing supply house that has a sign "used tanks, $10 and up", but at $10, I'm guessing they are no good, and being sold for grills.

If I can find a used old style galvanized tank, any major down side to old type vs bladder tank?

Our bladder died after five years or so in the tank installed by the well driller. The bladder was supposed to be replaceable and it is but I would have to buy from a company in China that I did not know and the cost was way to high. We called the plumber who help build the house...

Stay away from big box store tanks. Look for Well X troll.

We replaced the tank which was not that much more expensive than buying the new bladder. Pretty sure it is a Well X Troll.

Later,
Dan

 

[MarkF48]

Stay away from big box store tanks. Look for Well X troll.

Knock on wood, still on a Well-X-Trol installed in 1986

 

[chopped]

Knock on wood, still on a Well-X-Trol installed in 1986

1979 for mine and the box store here sells the we;; x troll also..

reciently added a second one in l1ne. this keeps the pump from on and off so many times.so simple to add one anywhere in the system...(one connection)

 

[Arky217]

While were on the subject of pumps, wondering if anyone else has their pump electrical feed from an outlet? I did this back when I put the pump in as a means to totally disconnect/isolate the control box and pump from the the rest of the house wiring when I know a thunderstorm is coming. Figured if it's not connected it's less likely to get taken out if a lightening hit causes a surge in the house wiring. The outlet is keyed to only take a special type of plug.

View attachment 429690

:thumbsup: Excellent idea; I did this as well. We have some intense thunderstorms here in western Arkansas.
I unplug the pump as well as everything electronic when a storm comes up.
Just flipping off the breaker does not completely isolate the device.

Arky

 

[Arky217]

Ok, so water is on. Started pulling at 9 am, finished at 4 pm. 1.5 hours going to Lowe's for pump. 30 min to Ace for rope; 30 min too Ace for 1-1/4" to 1" reducer bushing; 30 min back to Ace for some 1" coupling; some 90's.

Few observations: I sure hope those water proof butt splices are really water proof...

I pulled all 100 ft of 1" PVC riser as a single piece (it's thread sch-80 white pvc). Wasn't too bad to pull; but needed wife to walk the end back when I got around half out.

Old pump (.7 hp, 15 gpm) has smaller outside diameter then new one (3/4 hp, 10 gpm) and for some reason didn't sit as low in the casing as the old one. Kinda wonder is the old smaller diameter was in silt and sand, and new one set on top of that? It was most definitely sitting onb bottom... hope this doesn't come back to bite me in the butt, or at least doesn't for a long time. I've always had issues with sand and sediment in the well.

As a general question; what does the bottom of the casing look like. Obviously the casing is a 4" pvc pipe, probably basic DWV sch-40; but does the bottom just sit on the native sand, or is there a 4" well point on the bottom; or a piece with slits like a french drain?

Edit: actual pulling was about 15 minutes, and changing pump was maybe 30; had to do a lot of calling around, 2 TSC's, 2 Aces Hardware, Home Depot, and 2 Lowes'.

Re-edit: $369 plus tax for pump, $5.99 for water proof splices (baught two packs, just in case), 1-1/4" to 1" galvanized reducer bushing (could get one out of old pump) $5; pipe dope $5; 100 ft 1/4" nylon rope $9.99; 2 ea 1" 90' and 2 1" couplings at like $0.69 each.

Prices I got on phone; "$1,000 best case" and $950 plus $1/lf.

Your submersible pump should hang as least 10' above the bottom of the well; even more if the bottom is sandy.

 

[paulharvey]

Your submersible pump should hang as least 10' above the bottom of the well; even more if the bottom is sandy.

Is that normal, the pump hanging by the pipe? I know the one I pulled was setting on the bottom.

 

[MacLawn]

paul, it's normal for pump to be suspended from pipe. Mine's been that way since '75. And, right about the Well X Trol tank. Get the best.

 

[TheGoose]

Those big box store pumps usually last around 3-5 years. I hope you get longer than that out of it.

Ok, so water is on. Started pulling at 9 am, finished at 4 pm. 1.5 hours going to Lowe's for pump. 30 min to Ace for rope; 30 min too Ace for 1-1/4" to 1" reducer bushing; 30 min back to Ace for some 1" coupling; some 90's.

Few observations: I sure hope those water proof butt splices are really water proof...

I pulled all 100 ft of 1" PVC riser as a single piece (it's thread sch-80 white pvc). Wasn't too bad to pull; but needed wife to walk the end back when I got around half out.

Old pump (.7 hp, 15 gpm) has smaller outside diameter then new one (3/4 hp, 10 gpm) and for some reason didn't sit as low in the casing as the old one. Kinda wonder is the old smaller diameter was in silt and sand, and new one set on top of that? It was most definitely sitting onb bottom... hope this doesn't come back to bite me in the butt, or at least doesn't for a long time. I've always had issues with sand and sediment in the well.

As a general question; what does the bottom of the casing look like. Obviously the casing is a 4" pvc pipe, probably basic DWV sch-40; but does the bottom just sit on the native sand, or is there a 4" well point on the bottom; or a piece with slits like a french drain?

Edit: actual pulling was about 15 minutes, and changing pump was maybe 30; had to do a lot of calling around, 2 TSC's, 2 Aces Hardware, Home Depot, and 2 Lowes'.

Re-edit: $369 plus tax for pump, $5.99 for water proof splices (baught two packs, just in case), 1-1/4" to 1" galvanized reducer bushing (could get one out of old pump) $5; pipe dope $5; 100 ft 1/4" nylon rope $9.99; 2 ea 1" 90' and 2 1" couplings at like $0.69 each.

Prices I got on phone; "$1,000 best case" and $950 plus $1/lf.