Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help losing pressure in well

You may have had a good tickle off of this experience, which is good enough for anyone not wanting to do a repeat.

220 is enough to take you out pretty quick. Just be careful with this stuff.

JKB, the tubing only supplies water pressure to the pressure switch.

Any way for that to drain back to the water supply?

It's always a good bet to go by the book and follow code. In one aspect you're safe, as supposedly someone in the know has already done the thinking for you, and put it down in black and white for you to follow.

Easy.

Unfortunately, the world doesn't operate only in black and white. I believe that there are many instances, a great many actually, whereby one is afforded some leeway and may exercise a certain amount of creativity and intuitive reasoning. This is obviously not appropriate in every case, and learning to distinguish which ones are candidates for this approach is a skill that appears to me to be dwindling with each succeeding generation.

If I were forced to remove that well adapter to replace that line, would I go back with the same stuff? No, I would try and find something more suitable to the task at hand, first. But if I could save myself what surely promises to be an epically horrendous venture, by just splicing into that hose with the very same type of material, would I do it? You better believe it.

I wouldn't bat an eye at using a new, polyurethane air hose to carry water to that pressure switch.

I'm pretty sure he said the whole hose is toast.

There are compatible air hoses made today, but use something intended for water.

That sure is not going to be a fun one to fix tho.

You should see some of the cobble jobs we have to fix. We have a moral and ethical responsibility to make it right. Have to keep people alive, but there is often resistance by the people whose wallet is getting hit for the proper fix. Most are willing to make it right and we are flexible with them and their situation, but some insist on the band-aid approach, and we can't do band-aids. You should see the new factory I had to redo that was engineered in another country. It was fun tho, but we got a few surprises toward the end, like with the electrodes. Didn't know how they were doing that until they were installed. The engineer from the country asked me what would happen if he touched the EXPOSED lug (connection) to the electrode, I simply said, you will be killed. The human body can't handle a 25Kva kicker, especially if your feet are wet due to cooling water on the floor. It passed a rigorous inspection last week, and now I can sleep good. Till the next one

Very true, when I am doing work for someone else I always do my very best to make sure the job gets done correctly. When you're getting paid to produce results, I think you owe it to the customer as well as your reputation, to make sure everything is according to spec.

But when I'm working for myself, well, I've been at this long enough to realize that there's more than one way to skin a cat.

That's what's called...

Intuitive reasoning. My parents simply referred to it as common sense.

I guess I don't care anymore, so whatever makes you happy is fine with me.

I think it comes down to a difference in philosophies, JKB. Some choose to see things in black or white.......a thing is either right, or it's wrong, with nothing ever in between. And in your line of work, that philosophy will probably suit you well. Truth be told, I practice the very same thing here in my shop. I want my customers to be satisfied with my work, and doing it "by the book" is the safe bet for everyone involved. If there's a question, I can open "the book" and show the customer that "it says so right here".

But.....I also have come to realize that there exists a great many stopping-off points between right and wrong, or black and white, where my own needs are concerned. And though some may equate it with heresy, I daresay that the book fails to take these into account. And I totally understand why, as there are an ever increasing number of individuals who are devoid of the intuitive reasoning that I spoke of earlier. I'm sure you encounter them from time to time the same as I do. It's much simpler to declare the book as being the final word, and apply it's doctrine across the board for every application. Safer for everybody, too.

At any rate, this thread has drifted from it's intended path, it's a beautiful day outside, and I have wood to haul. Not to mention treating the HBG pond for algae, mowing the lawn, and if there's still time, taking an hour or two to go mushroom hunting.

Time to go.

Well, for those of you who have tugged on a few stubborn T-posts, you know how my back feels right now

But I wanted to take a break from the heating pad and reply that the job is done! And I wish I would taken more photos, but then again I doubt anyone will run into this same type of system, which come to find out does in fact have a buried bladder/pressure tank, which apparently was common back in the day (late 50's farmstead). It was also estimated by the farmer that the well is around 160' deep.

Helping today was the landlord/trustee, the farmer that has farmed the land for many years (and was there when this well was dug), and me. The landlord is an extremely impatient man (who's also the one who put 30 Amp fuses in all but 2 in the fuse box because the others kept blowing ) and the farmer who's a busy guy with other places I think he'd have rather been. So as you can guess, it was a let's-get-it-done-and-move-on operation. And with me not owning the place, I had to be the one to keep suggesting that if we're going to do this, let's at least do it "right".

Was it done "right"? That would depend on the 3 different perspectives in attendance today. From "that's good enough", to "that should work", to "why cut corners if we're going this far?". Personally I would have replaced the wiring, determined the depth of the pump and well, and at least replaced the O-rings on the adapter. Oh well

I made a T-bar out of 1 1/4" pipe which screwed into the top of the adapter. And after trying many different (and somewhat comical) ways of getting it to break lose, we rounded up a Handyman Jack to break it free. It then pulled up fairly easy (but very heavy) to just above the well casing to be able to replace the hose. We then added an 18" piece of pipe with coupler to the pitless adapter for ease of removal next time (which I'm sure there will be), then just dropped it back down and fired it up. It dropped 2" shy of where it was before, but after hitting the power and it worked, it was deemed "good enough" .

In total, the job took 2 1/2 hours including the trip to Menards for the pipe, and across town for the hose.
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Here's a picture of the spool-type adapter after attaching the new hose before we cleaned it up and greased the O-rings. The air line attaches to a fitting at the top of the spool adapter and also attaches to the pressure switch.


Thank you all for your input and insight, even though it got a little off-topic, but fully appreciated none the less.

I can now add to my knowledge of wells as something I would like to leave "well" enough alone

Water's on, nobody got hurt, and I'm assuming all parties involved in the project are still speaking to one other....mission accomplished.

All is great, Sprk thanks!

We also bleached the well so as I'm now smelling the chlorine in the water I'm wondering if I'll be full-blonde after my morning shower

My moving in here had created some animosity with some folks (such as Matt the farmer) who had free reign of the place during the 4 years it was vacant, and I've had to be the one to police that (which includes putting up a gate) with the trustee living out of town (he and I get along great).

So yesterday was a great bonding experience for Matt and I. He was pretty cold for the first hour, but we ended up having a lot of laughs and he even complimented me on how much I've done out here and how great the place looks. As I extended my hand and offered thanks, he parted with "I really enjoyed working with you today, Keith". That may not seem like much, but for what I've dealt with over the past 2 years, and just signing on for another 3, it was huge!

No amount of money could have made yesterday more successful!

Mission accomplished is an understatement.

So, the next question is do you know where the bladder tank is, and what's its condition like? Is the correct amount of air in the tank?

Congrats on a job well done!

Thank you, Esshup!

Being overly inquisitive I asked the same questions (except for the amount of air in the tank?) and it was just a guess as to it's exact location but Matt knew it's (or should be) within 5' of the well.

Jim's (trustee) comment: "if it's working, leave it alone!"

He also thinks everything I do out there is overkill, such as replacing the 12/2 romex tapped into the overhead triplex at the pond AND at the shop with 4g wiring (230v going to each), and also correcting the over-fused fuse box in the house, etc..

I'm thankful he lives out of town .

Now see, that wasn't so difficult now, was it?

150 minutes elapsed time from start to water flow, and a good fix!!!

You could have cobbled it and wasted much more time on it only for a temporary fix, then you would need another band-aid soon and waste more time.

Thank the Lord you did not take a torch to the casing They obviously got it in their without torching the pipe, so it must come out without torching the pipe.

I'm glad for you that you figured this out. Well done!

Now, if I could only get maintenance people in factories...

If the bladder tank doesn't have the air in it that it needs, then you'll be eating up more electricity with the well turning on and off more frequently.

If you can, put a pressure gauge on the water system somewhere. Take a reading when the pump stops and again when it starts. Measure the volume of water between off and on. That should tell you something about the condition of the bladder tank.

There's a difference between fixing something that is broke and scheduled maintenance.

And maybe add to that; correcting the incorrect (I'm sure there's more interesting terminology for that)
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Thanks, Esshup!

I would imagine I could put the pressure gauge at the hydrant (or in-line via the garden hose) since it runs from the same well, with water on and off as you suggest, and be able to be near the well so I know when it kicks on. I'll report back on that one!

I think I've seen bladder tanks with what looks like a valve stem on it I assume for adding/maintaining pressure but having the tank in-ground, you think they'd leave a way to service/maintain it?

The well at the pond (simple on-off switch) has a valve stem on it, but I'm guessing that's to blow out the lines to winterize? But that is purely a WAG!

Try tell that to some of these factories...

That's what it's for, so good guess!

Usually on stuff up here that is seasonal and can freeze, like outdoor hydrants and such. Just pump some compresses air in them to blow water out of the lines. Saves having to replace piping and such that can't expand when water freezes.