Well problem

Shygal · #1 06/09/11, 08:44 AM

Im having some trouble with the well/water supply here. The well was run dry some days ago due to someone

leaving the hose on all night. Since then I only get enough water to fill the blue tank in the basement and its dry again. it takes hours for that tank to get refilled and then its dry again. I can't do the dishes or get water for the goats until it (hopefully) builds back up again.

Is the well pump bad? Something wrong with the tank, lost prime, pump up here in the basement? Is the well running dry? What do I say to someone if I have them come here to check it?

Last year when I bought the place, they let it run 30 minutes and it never ran out, all faucets going at once. It did run dry once last summer, due to the SAME thing that happened a few days ago.

I can't imagine it is running dry with all that rain we had and the flooding still here. But that is my worst case scenario

sisterpine · #2 06/09/11, 09:03 AM

I have no idea what the problem is with your well though we have done the "leaving the hose on all night" thing here as well. I feel for ya. Sisterpine

farminghandyman · #3 06/09/11, 09:25 AM

pump type? depth? water color, dirty clean,

any other info you can think of that could be of relevance?

Shygal · #4 06/09/11, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farminghandyman

pump type? depth? water color, dirty clean,

any other info you can think of that could be of relevance?

water is clean, depth I was told was 500 feet but I tend to doubt that. I dont know what type of pump =/ the holding tank looks small and theres some sort of box with electrical wires going into it , in front of the holding tank
the pipes coming into the tank are sweating

i do remember over th e winter, hearing the holding tank cycling a lot

kandmcockrell · #5 06/09/11, 10:09 AM

could be that your pump is going, or there is an issue with the foot valve at the bottom. Might not be closing tight and letting water seep back out. We had a crack in the pipe from the well to the tank from a tree falling. One of the clues was the pump cycling a lot. Your tank in the basement is more than likely a pressure tank. We have on in our well house. I would just let anyone that came out to look at it know what you told us. I know when out pump lost the prime, we had to reprime it by pouring water in the pump attached to the preassure tank.

I would call someone if it were me. With all the rain you have had, and the depth of your well, i would think it was an issue with the pressure tank or something like that, rather than the well going dry.

Helena · #6 06/09/11, 10:19 AM

I'd get a plumber out to check things out for you. We have one of the older type pumps with a foot valve but you can hear the pump running when left on. I would not have it any other way..the new ones you don't hear running..this has saved us a lot of times. If we leave the water running in the barn as soon as we get into the house we hear it running. a few years ago we went away for a week and had our neighbor take care of our animals..came home in the afternoon and the neighbor had left the barn water running for 22 hours straight..Our little pump in the house was red hot..left the water off the rest of the day but fortunately we didn't run dry. If I was you..and I have done this at times myself...Get a timer that you use in the barn for the water and set it say for 1/2 then it will shut off for you. that would be the safest w ay...Good Luck.. (our well is 250'for sure.)

agmantoo · #7 06/09/11, 10:34 AM

Do you know what a pressure switch is? If so carefully remove the top cover of the switch. In the top portion of the switch is a set of points/contacts. While keeping your hands and fingers out of the wired area, visually look to see if the contacts are closed. They will be IMO. On the house side of the plumbing of the blue tank look for a cutoff valve. If you find it turn the valve off. This is the valve that would shut all water off to the house itself. Having accomplished this wait and see if the pressure switch contacts/points open after say 10 minutes or so. I think you have water going elsewhere from another faucet on or a broken pipe, etc. The reason I say this is due to the sweating of the plumbing lines near the blue tank. Does the pressure gauge work? If so, what is the high and low pressures that are being indicated? I also want you to look for a cutoff valve on the pump side of the blue tank. Answer these questions and we can go from there. PS...is the pump where you can see it or is the pump down in the well?

Fowler · #8 06/09/11, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shygal

Im having some trouble with the well/water supply here. The well was run dry some days ago due to someone

leaving the hose on all night. Since then I only get enough water to fill the blue tank in the basement and its dry again. it takes hours for that tank to get refilled and then its dry again. I can't do the dishes or get water for the goats until it (hopefully) builds back up again.

Is the well pump bad? Something wrong with the tank, lost prime, pump up here in the basement? Is the well running dry? What do I say to someone if I have them come here to check it?

Last year when I bought the place, they let it run 30 minutes and it never ran out, all faucets going at once. It did run dry once last summer, due to the SAME thing that happened a few days ago.

I can't imagine it is running dry with all that rain we had and the flooding still here. But that is my worst case scenario

This has happened to me....IMO...your well is not dry....you have lost air in your tank....so there is not enough force to pump water...ther should be a valve on your tank and you could use an air compressor to fill it back up...How do I know?...It cost me 100 bucks for the well man to tell me what happened and how to fix it....

fordy · #9 06/09/11, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shygal

Im having some trouble with the well/water supply here. The well was run dry some days ago due to someone

leaving the hose on all night. Since then I only get enough water to fill the blue tank in the basement and its dry again. it takes hours for that tank to get refilled and then its dry again. I can't do the dishes or get water for the goats until it (hopefully) builds back up again.

Is the well pump bad? Something wrong with the tank, lost prime, pump up here in the basement? Is the well running dry? What do I say to someone if I have them come here to check it?

Last year when I bought the place, they let it run 30 minutes and it never ran out, all faucets going at once. It did run dry once last summer, due to the SAME thing that happened a few days ago.

I can't imagine it is running dry with all that rain we had and the flooding still here. But that is my worst case scenario

..................Post some pics of the pressure tank , pressure switch , etc . that'll help greatly ! , fordy

farminghandyman · #10 06/09/11, 10:55 AM

if cycling a lot usually indicated a water logged or a captive air tank that has lost it air, and or ruptured, (you could try to recharge the pressure tank), but the cycling will burn up a pump in a hurry,

if you are 500 feet they a submersible is the only likely pump, the pump sets in water and does not need to be primed, I would call a well man and have it checked out, if the pump needs replaced it will not be cheap, (and sounds like the pressure tank may need replaced as well), (there could be a simple fix, but from the info you have given it does not sound good)

but pictures would be help full,

Shygal · #11 06/09/11, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agmantoo

Do you know what a pressure switch is? If so carefully remove the top cover of the switch. In the top portion of the switch is a set of points/contacts. While keeping your hands and fingers out of the wired area, visually look to see if the contacts are closed. They will be IMO. On the house side of the plumbing of the blue tank look for a cutoff valve. If you find it turn the valve off. This is the valve that would shut all water off to the house itself. Having accomplished this wait and see if the pressure switch contacts/points open after say 10 minutes or so. I think you have water going elsewhere from another faucet on or a broken pipe, etc. The reason I say this is due to the sweating of the plumbing lines near the blue tank. Does the pressure gauge work? If so, what is the high and low pressures that are being indicated? I also want you to look for a cutoff valve on the pump side of the blue tank. Answer these questions and we can go from there. PS...is the pump where you can see it or is the pump down in the well?

the pressure gauge says 25
the pump is in the well , I guess, I dont see anything there, Im not sure what a pressure switch looks like?
I do see the cutoff valve

Shygal · #12 06/09/11, 11:32 AM

There has been a lot of air in the outside faucet, if that means anything

rambler · #13 06/09/11, 12:03 PM

I think with your experience level (based on your messages) and your need for good water for the livestock & yourself, this is a good time to call a pro out and explain things as you told us.

He will go through your system and bring it up to snuff.

I believe you have neglected your well over time (I turn on the faucet and water comes out, so all is well.....) and a private well actually takes some effort and maintinence.

I think you have several issues going on at the same time, and for you to fix them yourself with no experience will be difficult. Can be done, but would take time.....

If you call a pro, be there, be with him, have him explain what he is doing, what he is looking for.

A deep well like yours does not go 'dry' like a shallow well could. Your deep well perhaps is a low flow one, and you did dry it up, it will take time to refill the casing, so - just don't use water for a few days, and it will come back. A pro can figure that out from your location, well depth, and perhaps county records that he will know to look up.

Frequent cycling means something is wrong, and if you ignore that, you will damage something and that will cost you _much_ more. Your tank might be low on air or have a ruptured bladder, there could b a pinhole in a pipe, a foot valve could be sticking open.... Many things, easy for a pro to figure out, hard for us to explain quickly from far away. Sort of like fixing an engine, easy to do with experience & the problem in front of you; hard to do from far away.

Anyhow, be sure to be there, and go with the pro, and pick his brain so you can learn what to look for, and what to do to keep your well working well year in and year out. You might not learn it all from one bvisit, but if you learn 10%, you will be gaining on things.

There are some good folks here with good advice if you want to go it alone, but I truely believe you have several things going on all at once, so don't just ignore the well again once you get some water - I think long term you will be damaging your well pump and system if you don't go through all the steps or else get a pro to troubleshoot the whole system. My opinion.

--->Paul

davel745 · #14 06/09/11, 12:11 PM

Hi Shygal

I agree with the folks who have responded to your posts but I don’t think you should open up the pressure switch. I suggest calling a plumber and seeing what a service call costs. If he is a good guy then he won’t charge you too much to pressurize the tank it sounds like it is water logged.
If the pressure switch is bad then you can get one at Ace hardware

Here is a video of what it looks like:

Shygal · #15 06/09/11, 12:13 PM

I have called someone if they ever call back anyway , I just bought the house last winter so I havent REALLY ignored it lol
ill try to get some pictures of those things

Bearfootfarm · #16 06/09/11, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Im not sure what a pressure switch looks like?

Loosen the nut on top and the cover will lift off

Well problem - Homesteading Questions

Gianni · #17 06/09/11, 12:23 PM

Many deep water wells operate on the weather 6 months ago. We tend to have plenty of water in Aug due to Feb storms. Feb & Mar is when things go dry to to lack of water in the well.

rambler · #18 06/09/11, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shygal

I have called someone if they ever call back anyway , I just bought the house last winter so I havent REALLY ignored it lol
ill try to get some pictures of those things

I didn't really mean it all that badly.

I'm supposed to know what I'm talking about here, & I let my deep well be water logged for a whole summer because I just didn't get around to it... So probably more talking about myself than anyone else here.

I've found older established well diggers know a lot more, get things fixed quicker and even tho have higher rates they cost less time & money, than a 'town plumber' in a situation like this. That is not a universal truth, but it would follow the law of averages.....

--->Paul

agmantoo · #19 06/09/11, 09:20 PM

Shygal,

Well repair is not as simple as some folks think. rambler gave you some good advice. Do not call a plumber any more than you would call a well repair person to work on you toilet. In time we could repair your well but there would be at least two frustrated persons before you got water. You need the basics and some tools which you probably do not have. Lefty loosely and righty tighty isn't enough background to get water. You watch the well repair person and learn the basics. Next time we may go for the water without the repair person. Meanwhile, turn the power to the well off until the repairman gets there.