Air in well water - gurgling in pressure tank

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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 11:39 am

My wife and I have lived in our current house for about 10 years, and there has always been some air/dissolved gasses in the well water. The first use of hot water in the morning would usually result in brief burst of air from the tap, but I attributed this to our sulfur treatment system (which uses air to oxidize the sulfur). Lately this has become more noticeable, and I have heard air in the line between the well and the pressure tank, along with gurgling sounds at the pressure tank. Our pressure tank is a diaphragm style, and I have verified that the diaphragm is not ruptured, and that the air pressure is correct. I am not aware of any leaks in the system, and have not noticed any other problems.

The well pump is a submersible pump, about 225’ down into a 250’ well. There are no check valves between the pressure tank and the pump. I have not checked the water level in the well, but we have not had any problems running out of water, or the pump not building pressure as expected. I am considering calling a well guy to check things out, and will also see if I can get the cap off the well to see what the water level is.

If you guys have any other suggestions, I would love to hear them.


 
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Post by coalnewbie » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 2:00 pm

Sounds to me that acheck of your static head may be in order.water tables change and it may be that the pump is above the water line.many other possibilitiesare are there but check the obvious first. New pumps are expensive

 
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Post by CapeCoaler » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 2:21 pm

Not enough water as the well draws...
Do you now have renters in the cottage...
more water use might have lowered the water level...
Have you guys been in a drought...
New well for the orchards...
How old is the well...
Screen might be getting plugged...

 
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Post by Rob R. » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 3:14 pm

Well was drilled in 2006. No guests in the cottage, but the lake level is very low due to minimal rain over the last few months. We have been through much worse droughts before, but to your point something else may have changed.

I have reached out to get the detailed specs on the well and will look at the water level.

 
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Post by warminmn » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 4:20 pm

If it is your water level, do something to reduce the water flow so that your well level can keep up. Sooner or later it will rain and all will be fine. it is better to have a small trickle of water for a while than replacing a pump or digging a new well.

 
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Post by CapeCoaler » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 4:36 pm

Only place air can get sucked up is before the pump...
The filtering media with air pump might still be the problem...
You may be pulling the well level down enough to get some air entrained...
Do you have a spigot prior to the air pump...
That will allow you to see if any air is in the pipe prior to the air pump...
If ya have bubbles there, its the submersible...
better if you have a way to valve off after the spigot to force air out that first spigot...

 
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Post by Rob R. » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 5:09 pm

I have a hose bib right at the pressure tank outlet. When I drained the tank to check the air pressure, I got a lot of air out of it.


 
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Post by freetown fred » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 7:07 pm

Hopefully, that'll be the fix. Sometimes things aren't as complicated as we try to make them. ;)

 
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Post by CapeCoaler » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 7:19 pm

If the bladder is not leaking/waterlogged...
The water pressure is stable...
Air from the water treatment will not go back to the well pressure tank...
Check the well depth and how much water is in the well...
Sinker with a bobber...
Marked line...
Well drillers card will show supposed depth of well, depth of pump and water height...
Drop line with sinker down to get depth confirmed...
add bobber to very end to confirm water depth...

 
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Post by freetown fred » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 7:28 pm

Orrrr, get a big compressor (I'm sure Steven has one) Pull the pump & flush the casing. :)

 
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Post by LeoinRI » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 7:29 pm

Another possibility: the check valve at the pump has failed and air is slowly leaking in at the pitless adaptor.
Leo

 
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Post by Keepaeyeonit » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 7:30 pm

Rob, The pump has a check valve in it but I always add a inline one right at the pump outlet.
Do you have a check valve at the tank ? If you do it Could be the water is draining back through the pump or a leaky o-ring on the pitless adaptor? Or like the others have said you are running the well low.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 7:38 pm

No check valve anywhere in the basement. There used to be one, but I removed it a while back. I have seen leaky pitless adapters before on the farm, but that didn't result in air in the water.

 
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Post by Keepaeyeonit » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 8:03 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 7:38 pm
No check valve anywhere in the basement. There used to be one, but I removed it a while back. I have seen leaky pitless adapters before on the farm, but that didn't result in air in the water.
You won't have air in the water if you don't have a check valve at the tank so I'm thinking you can rule that out( leaky pitless adapter). does the water line hold pressure?

 
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Post by McGiever » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 8:57 pm

You haven't burned up the pump motor yet. Pumping dry would take out pump in short order.
What you're experiencing now may lead up to worse developments.

There are ways to check pump's motor performance or condition.
There are charts for all the various HP of motors with listed ohms readings of the start and run windings for comparison to yours.
Amps reading can be a clue also if that chart can be found for your motor size also. Lower amp reading says less water is lifted.

My money is on there being a pin hole leak in the pipe or fitting up higher above pump somewhere along with a leaking check valve in the pump head. During extended off periods (over night) when the weight of the water column pulls or sucks air into the pin hole while check valve allows a little water to pass in reverse. Then in the morning at first pump cycle that air gets forced in to bladder tank ahead of the water. Any successive cycles have less time , so less air. And the pinhole is a fine spray at 50 psi.

Have you noticed any cycles of pump when there is no water been used, like through the over night?


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