Well water brown color/airy
DavisUnit
This morning about 1/2 gallon of brownish colored water came out of the
tap before clearing.
Air also sputtered from different household taps and toilets.
The air tank (bladder type) was replaced about a year ago, and seems to
have proper pressure and no leaks (no water coming from schrader valve
when quickly pressed).
The system seems to be operating normally except for the air spitting
out intermittently.
What could be causing this, and what can I do about it?
Terry
Justin Uddergye
that did the same thing last week (my water is brown all the time
from tannin)--they lowered it 10' and it's doing fine now.
On Mon, 28 Jan 2002 17:37:27 GMT, DavisUnit <dav...@nbnet.nb.ca>
wrote:
DavisUnit
flow was not a problem..... wouldn't I notice a reduced water flow soon after
doing this if the well was running low? The brownish color didn't last long
and has not returned all day. I guess the extra air in the system can create
dirt on pipe lining to come loose. The air is more noticeable when the
pressure is near the low end when the pump kicks in.
Terry
Gary Slusser
"DavisUnit" <dav...@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote
Either you have a leak in the pump's plumbing which allows it to suck
air and muddy/dirty water or you have a 'dry' well condition. That means
you pumped the water level in the well down to the inlet of the 'foot'
valve and that causes the sucking of air instead of water. In many cases
the water is dirty due to the casing or rock being exposed to air that
is usually under water.
You need to institute water conservation and get someone to check the
well plumbing and water level.
Gary
Quality Water Associates
Gary Slusser
"DavisUnit" <dav...@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote
> It is possible I suppose, but hard to tell. I opened all faucets and
water
> flow was not a problem..... wouldn't I notice a reduced water flow
soon after
> doing this if the well was running low? The brownish color didn't
last long
> and has not returned all day. I guess the extra air in the system can
create
> dirt on pipe lining to come loose. The air is more noticeable when
the
> pressure is near the low end when the pump kicks in.
>
> Terry
You may have had some sort of water use, toilet flapper valve leaking
etc. during the night and pumped the water level down. Then this morning
you start to use water and get air then you stop using water and the
well recovers and no problem as long as you don't use too much water. If
you are in a drought the static water level in the well may be quite a
bit lower than normal too. Water conservation and someone to check the
well and pump's 'foot' valve. It could have stuck open and started a
loss of prime in the pump.
Gary
Quality Water Associates
DavisUnit
If so, how?
Terry
Gary Slusser
"DavisUnit" <dav...@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote
> Thanks for suggestions. Can "I" check the water level properly on my
own?
> If so, how?
>
> Terry
Get a piece of string etc. a bit longer than you think the well is deep
and tie something very small to it like a fishing sinker (but not lead)
and lower it down until you hit water. Then pull it up and measure how
deep the water is. But since you don't know how deep it (the static
water level; water level below the ground surface) was prior to the
problem you won't know if it's more or less than 'normal'. So, you need
to measure the depth of the well and see how much water is in it (static
level to well bottom) and then you have to pull the well plumbing (which
you might want to do first) to be able to determine where in the water
column the foot valve is. Then you calculate how many feet of water is
above that level. There are formulas for various sizes of wells. I.E. a
6" rock well has 1.47 gpf. 100' of water *1.47= 147 gals. and if the
'foot' valve inlet is set at say 60' it's 60*1.47 = 88.20 usable gals.
until you suck air. Now as you usepump water the recovery rate of the
well is added to the 88 gals. so your pumping rate in gpm becomes
critical. If you can pump more than the recovery rate after pumping the
stored water volume, you go to a 'dry' well condition. The length of
time of water use is is critical too. If you use a lot of water and pump
down the stored water (normal static water level) and then stop for a
short time and then start using water again you don't give the well
enough time to recover and repeated use is not allowing the well to
fully recover you. Then have the same problem. That's the importance of
water conservation and a more or less flat daily use of water rather
than doing all the 4-5 loads of laundry at one time on the same day plus
washing the car etc..
You don't want to get your sinker type weight or string caught on
anything and the string should be cord and fairly strong so it doesn't
break and fall in the well. The diameter and type of well is important
as to pulling the j-body/foot valve plumbing and anyone with a
submersible pump shouldn't try this without pulling the pump first. And
your actual pumping rate in gpm should be measured before any of this is
done. You do that with a bucket a watch that can measure seconds or a
minute. You draw water until the pump turns on, stop, when the pump
shuts off you draw water for one minute then stop and measure the water
in the bucket. If you go for more than the bucket will hold in a minute
do it for 30 seconds and calculate what you get in the bucket(s) into
gallons per minute.
You check for a leak in the plumbing by watching the pressure gauge. If
there's a loss of pressure when no water is being used you have a leak
somewhere. Check toilet flapper valves first. Food coloring in the tank
for 30 minutes with it showing up in the bowl and the flapper is
leaking. Fix it before doing anything else.
Gary
Quality Water Associates
DavisUnit
problem turned out to be the expansion tank after all - took a couple days
for the bladder leak to be noticeable since water is now coming out of the
schrader valve (tank mounted horizontally) and pump is cycling way too
much. Strange, this tank only lasted about a year....time to look for that
warranty.
Terry
Gary Slusser
"DavisUnit" <dav...@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote
> Thanks for all the replies (and I'll remember this one Gary), but the
> problem turned out to be the expansion tank after all - took a couple
days
> for the bladder leak to be noticeable since water is now coming out of
the
> schrader valve (tank mounted horizontally) and pump is cycling way too
> much. Strange, this tank only lasted about a year....time to look for
that
> warranty.
>
> Terry
Well, ya coulda told us the tank was laid on its side, that explains why
the durty water *and* air. The new tank... stand it up like they're
supposed to be (if it's a regular model) and the bladder will last
longer. Or buy the horizontal style that is made to lay down.
Gary
Quality Water Associates
> Gary Slusser wrote:
>
> > "DavisUnit" <dav...@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote
DavisUnit
> "DavisUnit" <dav...@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote
> > Thanks for all the replies (and I'll remember this one Gary), but the
> > problem turned out to be the expansion tank after all - took a couple
> days
> > for the bladder leak to be noticeable since water is now coming out of
> the
> > schrader valve (tank mounted horizontally) and pump is cycling way too
> > much. Strange, this tank only lasted about a year....time to look for
> that
> > warranty.
> >
> > Terry
>
> Well, ya coulda told us the tank was laid on its side, that explains why
> the durty water *and* air. The new tank... stand it up like they're
> supposed to be (if it's a regular model) and the bladder will last
> longer. Or buy the horizontal style that is made to lay down.
>
> Gary
> Quality Water Associates
Yes, I could've told you it was on its side, but didn't think that was
abnormal since the instructions show horizontal mounting for this model
(8.6gal Amtrol)..... and the fact that I'm just a regular homeowner, not a
professional. What do you consider a "regular model" ?
Would a faulty bladder in a vertical mounted tank show similar signs of air
in the system?
Terry
Gary Slusser
"DavisUnit" <dav...@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote
That's a smaller than the 'regular' tank around here which is usually 20
gal. (nominal). When a bladder in them breaks you usually have no way to
know it other than 'short cycling' of the pump.
Now I hope you aren't calling that tank an 8.6 gal. by it's draw down.
Draw down is dependent on the pressure settings used. The 20 is about
30" tall and 18" dia..
Gary
Quality Water Associates