Trigger Mike Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 Living in the country is wonderful, but one draw back is the well may not work one day. Today is that day. I check it periodically to make sure air pressure stays where it should and run a dehumidifier in the pump house to keep humidity down so the points don't rust. I checked it just yesterday and emptied the dehumidifier. Tonight , about the time everyone got their shower but me, when they went to brush their teeth, there was no water. The part that controls the air pressure is depressed all the way to the bottom and the pressure is zero. It will not move. It has a 350 gallon tank. I called the well people and they plan to get here first thing in the morning. I checked every outdoor faucet and did not find leaks so I wonder if it is the pump that went back or if the air pressure part went bad, did it over heat the pump. we shall see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 Obviously we don’t know what your fresh water system looks like. Maybe your well’s down-hole pump failed. Check all your electric switch settings. Let us know how it turned out. Cat Brules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 Barring a simple tripped breaker, In my experience the most common "almost affordable" cause has been a bad start capacitor. That's happened to me twice. I've had the pump motor fail a couple of times (380' hole). Once had the power cable wear through the insulation and short against the pipe. These things required pulling the pipe... kinda pricey. I've had the bladder fail in a "bladder-type" tank - new tank. Had an "air-over-water" tank become waterlogged - added air. The weirdest by far was when dead ants kept the points from contacting. Seems a few crawled in and got fried; when the rest of the ants on the trail smelled the fresh "pot roast" aroma they swarmed it and were likewise fried, until the points were so clogged with dead ants they wouldn't work at all. Simple fix - just cleaned out the points while humming the Pink Panther theme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 4 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said: Barring a simple tripped breaker, In my experience the most common "almost affordable" cause has been a bad start capacitor. That's happened to me twice. I've had the pump motor fail a couple of times (380' hole). Once had the power cable wear through the insulation and short against the pipe. These things required pulling the pipe... kinda pricey. I've had the bladder fail in a "bladder-type" tank - new tank. Had an "air-over-water" tank become waterlogged - added air. The weirdest by far was when dead ants kept the points from contacting. Seems a few crawled in and got fried; when the rest of the ants on the trail smelled the fresh "pot roast" aroma they swarmed it and were likewise fried, until the points were so clogged with dead ants they wouldn't work at all. Simple fix - just cleaned out the points while humming the Pink Panther theme. Believe it it not we had the weirdest anomalous electrical / electronic problems at work. It turns out we had cockroaches getting mashed between relay contacts...on passenger light rail trains. Ewwwww Bugs do get into “the system”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 YES! Ants (mostly) and other insects, getting squashed between the relay points is VERY common. Ants and other insects are attracted to the points box by the “scent” of the electricity. So much so, that’s the first thing I check. If that does (or even doesn’t) appear to be it, shut off the power and clean up the points anyway with rubbing alcohol and a swab. Then slip a piece of paper in between the points and slide it back and forth to “file the points“. Don’t use a file. Try not to file the points. Turn off the power, and clean the squashed bugs out from between and around the points. Then clean the points up with alcohol on a cotton swab. Then, “file” between the points with a piece of paper. If the points are eroded or corroded, replace them; don’t try to file them down to clean them up. It’s really not worth the effort. Button the box back up, then spray everything around the “points box” with bug killer spray, including the exterior of the box itself. Don’t use bug-spray on the interior of the box. That should hold them for a while. oh, don’t forget to turn the power back on. Cat Brules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 7 hours ago, Trigger Mike said: Living in the country is wonderful, but one draw back is the well may not work one day. Today is that day. I check it periodically to make sure air pressure stays where it should and run a dehumidifier in the pump house to keep humidity down so the points don't rust. I checked it just yesterday and emptied the dehumidifier. Tonight , about the time everyone got their shower but me, when they went to brush their teeth, there was no water. The part that controls the air pressure is depressed all the way to the bottom and the pressure is zero. It will not move. It has a 350 gallon tank. I called the well people and they plan to get here first thing in the morning. I checked every outdoor faucet and did not find leaks so I wonder if it is the pump that went back or if the air pressure part went bad, did it over heat the pump. we shall see. It's easy to determine. What's the most expensive part. Preferably the one that has to be ordered from Lapland from a plant that does social distancing, N25 masking and are now working 2 days a week. Add 10 bonus points if the installation requires pulling complete system. There it is!! Easy peasy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Graybeard Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 A couple of times at our place...the culprit was a mouse that got in the points box... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus Cassidy #45437 Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 Haha, yep. We had a nearby lightning strike and it fried my air conditioner as well as the well pump. I'm still fighting with the insurance company! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 Missing my shower..not good, cant flush..very,very bad. My tank lost air on a regular basis. Then I lost the tank, well and property, she won. Imis on city water now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smuteye John SASS#24774 Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 Come on, Mike, that's not that big of a problem. You should be able to wring at least a quart of water out of every lungful of air this time of year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Mike Posted July 28, 2020 Author Share Posted July 28, 2020 He got here at 8am. They have good service. The part he replaced was the pressure switch. The part I keep a heavy eye on. No dirt or bugs in it, just had corroded at the points. I had replaced it twice before and always caught it while it was working. This is the first time I didn't catch it in time as it was working good the day before. I didn't know what it does when it goes out completely. It is on a cement slab inside an insulated metal building. It gets real humid, as in 90% during a rain storm, which is why I run a dehumidifier in there. I need to find a better solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badlands Bob #61228 Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 The pressure switch is an easy diagnosis with a voltmeter. It would probably be wise to keep an extra pressure switch on hand. At least he didn't have to pull the pipe out of the well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Mike Posted July 28, 2020 Author Share Posted July 28, 2020 I'm thinking the same thing badlands . I could take a picture of the wires before taking it apart and then replace it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson County Mike Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 Hi, lost water twice; once in the shower . First time when the power from the pole was only giving me 110 volts instead of 220. The second was the 20 year old pump. The power company kept saying it was my box. It was in fact the wire from the pole that was corroded because years ago they were saving money and put in a cheaper wire. No power no water, so I keep water on hand in Jerry cans, https://www.buylci.com/water-can-5-gallon.html . These are very sturdy and in my garage over the winter they never lost a drop, regards, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 4 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: Believe it it not we had the weirdest anomalous electrical / electronic problems at work. It turns out we had cockroaches getting mashed between relay contacts...on passenger light rail trains. Ewwwww Bugs do get into “the system”. Yup. Seen that especially in Florida. Luckily , we are in a cockroach free zone here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Gator SASS #29736 Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 We've had the ants between the contacts 6 or 8 times. First time I called the well service when we woke up with no water. He came out and showed me what to do in the future. I have a flashlight, can of air and very fine emory board cut to fit between the contacts. I spray the outside and cable with insecticide occasionally or when I'm gone at a match for a few days. We also have a deep hand pump installed on the well head so always have drinking water if the power goes out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Mike Posted July 28, 2020 Author Share Posted July 28, 2020 I asked a while back for a hand pump as a backup but they won't do that. I took the opportunity to teach my children how to brush their teeth with very little water. I haven't had that much fun since I left the army. They didn't seem to appreciate it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raylan Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 Have a hundred year old dug well at my place, still going strong. I do need to get a new hand pump as a shtf backup, though I could always just use a bucket on a rope. Also have a pond so there's always that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duffield, SASS #23454 Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 4 hours ago, Smokin Gator SASS #29736 said: We've had the ants between the contacts 6 or 8 times. First time I called the well service when we woke up with no water. He came out and showed me what to do in the future. I have a flashlight, can of air and very fine emory board cut to fit between the contacts. I spray the outside and cable with insecticide occasionally or when I'm gone at a match for a few days. We also have a deep hand pump installed on the well head so always have drinking water if the power goes out. A Bounce dryer sheet will Keep bugs away. Replace it with a fresh one every three months or as required in your climate. Duffield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Mike Posted July 29, 2020 Author Share Posted July 29, 2020 One other thing: keep lots of water. 10 years ago I had bought 5 gallons of water in gallon jugs and kept them in the refrigerator for toilet use since they were so old. It works. My little voice (think Thomas magnum ) told me to buy a slat of water bottles last week. They helped us brush our teeth and helped me take a shower since everyone took theirs before telling me there was no water pressure and then no water. Cold water from a bottle makes you shiver when used to rinse off shampoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Mike Posted July 29, 2020 Author Share Posted July 29, 2020 With all that, it still was better than the time in Germany in the field and my canteens froze solid so no sanitation or drinking for a while Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Keep yer canteens with ya in yer sleeping bag,, troop! Cat Brules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 We have two wells. The original and a new, deeper one that we had put in. As with you, Mike, we had problems. Hubby was taking a shower two nights ago when the new, deeper one gave out. He thinks a pipe is broken. More later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Gator SASS #29736 Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 23 hours ago, Duffield, SASS #23454 said: A Bounce dryer sheet will Keep bugs away. Replace it with a fresh one every three months or as required in your climate. Duffield I'll have to give this a shot. My wife is up early to get ready for work and has had to wake me up because no water. 4:30 I'm out there getting it going. She knows how to do it now too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.