house well water question

[RichP]

Got a well, pump is at 500+ feet, got a blue tank about 3 ft high under the stairs. That feeds a large whole house water filter. What is that tank and what does it do, it's started making noises saturday nite and every so often that make it sound like a vacum cleaner when I do laundry or take showers.

[RlCHARD CRANlUM]

The blue tank is the pressure tank for the system. I can't help you with the noises because mine is out in a separate building. I have heard it make some noise when the pump is running though. Not sure if you are saying the tank or the faucet are making noises. I just had to replace a water heater element a few weeks ago. For some reason it was creating air in the system, but that was between the water heater and the faucets.

[RichP]

The blue tank is the pressure tank for the system. I can't help you with the noises because mine is out in a separate building. I have heard it make some noise when the pump is running though. Not sure if you are saying the tank or the faucet are making noises. I just had to replace a water heater element a few weeks ago. For some reason it was creating air in the system, but that was between the water heater and the faucets.

It's making some kind of loud annoying noise, pressure is OK, just every once in a while it complains, never made a peep in 22 years. The whole house filter is about 3 feet from it and I'll change that filter first see if thats causing a problem. Curious though if there is anything in that tank that can go.

[90Blue_XJ]

The tank just has a diaphram inside it IIRC and that should be silent. You may have a leak across the diaphram's surface causing it to lose pressure and that might be what you are hearing. If so then a new tank is the only solution.

[RichP]

The tank just has a diaphram inside it IIRC and that should be silent. You may have a leak across the diaphram's surface causing it to lose pressure and that might be what you are hearing. If so then a new tank is the only solution.

Is that just unbolt, rebolt or is there more involved, expensive ?

[bcmaxx]

just don't lose your prime, pump on top or in the well?

[Andy in Pa.]

What kind of sound is it making? Water running? Banging? Rumbling? With these tanks, just because they are making noise doesn't mean they need to be replaced.

Sounds like the diaphram inside is leaking, but there is a simple way to check this.

First, make sure what pressures the pump turns on and off at. There should be a gauge (or a schrader valve) near the pump pressure switch. This is usually on at 30psi and off at 60psi, but it can vary depending on house size.

Turn off the breaker for the well pump and remove as much pressure from the water lines that feed the expansion tank as possible. One way to do this is if you have isolation valves on either side of your whole-house filter. Close the isolation valve on the "out" of the filter. This would be a good time to change this filter too. It doesn't sound like you have enough water line between the filter and the expansion tank to worry about head pressure, but make sure there is no pressure in that line either.

Once the pressure is removed, look at the blue tank. There should be a schrader valve located on it somewhere, usually on the side towards the top, or on top of the tank. It may have a wide cap on it, so it might not look like a schrader valve until you remove the cap. Put a gauge on that schrader valve and see what pressure it reads. It should read close to the "On" pressure of the pump switch. If it doesn't, add pressure to it and see if it goes away. If the pressure stays, the tank is fine, if the pressure escapes, the tank needs to be replaced.

Hope this helps, I went through this a few years ago, I noticed the water pressure was varying quite a bit, and found that the expansion tank was not pressurized. I pressurized the tank to match the well pump "On" pressure, and no problems since. I have a good friend who is a plumber, and he explained this process.


A.

[Sponge Bob]

My bladder was replaceble Thru the top of the tank. Find the mfg and check it out online if one is availible. Check for pressure as was said above first.

[RichP]

Been quiet thru 6 super loads in the washing machine, we'll see what happens tomorrow when the house is empty and I shut the water down to change the house filter. This is more of a PIA than scheduling a router or server reboot.... gotta wait till everyones outta here.

[Stumpalump]

My well is 110' and I can hear it at the tank when the pump runs. I have a new pump and it's louder than the old pump that shorted. Yours is deeper and it may not make as much noise but you should be able to tell when the pump kicks on. If you lost the air presure in the tank your pump will cycle on and off a lot faster. You can flush a tolit and turn on a sink and you will hear the pump kick on and off every few seconds. Pump up the tank acording to what the tank label says. Look up online how to do it but I think you close the inlet valve and open a faucet to relive presure in the lines and then pump it up. The other thing could be your pump is sucking air. A well company can add depth to your pump but if you go thru all that expense then replace your pump while their at it. I paid about 1350 for them to pull my pump and replace it but yours being so deep will be more labor and a bigger pump. I hope it's just your tank or filter.

[Wayne Sihler]

$1350- WOW

Replaced mine last month 136' but did not have to replace wire or pipe only pump assmble and a few fittings for $ 600..Labor was $250 rest was parts and "service charge". At one time I had 5 guys from the plumbing company standing around,two actually did the work, must have been a slow day.

Wayne

[Stumpalump]

$1350- WOW

Replaced mine last month 136' but did not have to replace wire or pipe only pump assmble and a few fittings for $ 600..Labor was $250 rest was parts and "service charge". At one time I had 5 guys from the plumbing company standing around,two actually did the work, must have been a slow day.

Wayne Colorado is expensive as hell. I knew the pump had a dead short and was old so I shoped around to get that price. Colorado is expensive especially when it comes to labor and outside work. They have to make their money just to live in this expensive place. My neibor had a small weld done. Handed the guy the part and he welded a quick 2" then charged 50 bucks. Were looking forward to moving as soon as jobs or retirment allow. It's very nice to live here but you pay. I just read a guy paid $145 to have four 39" tires mounted at a Denver 4x4 shop. Not even on bead locks.

[RichP]

I did the pump about 7 years ago and it was a mother, 550 ft of that pipe full of water, is freaking heavy. He had a 3 wheel gadget with and electric motor that clamped round it the pipe after we lifted it out of the T fitting on the wellhead. This was in the middle of winter in a snow storm with 2ft of snow already down, that 3 wheel gadget weighed 300lbs and had small wheels so we had to carry it. That cost me $2500, 2000 for the pump, 500 labor, most of the labor was MINE, sheesh.
I bought the best pump I could, 15 year warranty.