Another Low yield well solution needed

[Code Blue]

Well, I'll try and summarize this the best I can. Bought the house Oct. 2014. House was built in the 60's, but had some known issues, and some unknown issues. whole area is shale and has very high amounts of H2S in water, which we knew.When we did the home inspection the well was tested at spigot and was 2.5gpm. water system was also set to 40psi, which drove me nuts Maintenance basically stopped on house about 15 years ago, but that's old news.

We replaced the broken hot water heater (only one element, about 10gallons of hot water) with a newer, more efficient 80 gallon electric hot water heater. Also set house pressure to 60psi at that time. We wound up getting an air injection water filter (after my sticker shock) and everything was fine for about a month. Then the smell started back up. We discovered that we needed to replace the galvanized well tank as the filtration system wasn't getting enough water for it's backflush (approx 65gallons from company) which happens every 3 days. Also worth mentioning that pump will kick on even when flushing a 1.2gpf toilet

I recently sat through a backflush cycle and the pump will turn on almost instantly, and sometimes it starts to sound like it's cavitating, so I know there isn't the volume I need. I've consulted 5-6 different companies in 3 trades and like most people have found, have tried to either take advantage of my situation by selling me expensive things or try and baffle me with BS.

So here's my solution, I picked up a flex lite FLU-120 storage tank ( I know it's not ideal, I bought under assumption it was a bladder tank, which it isn't), and a utilitech 36 gallon pressure tank for the system. my goal is to set the well pump to fill the 120 gallon storage tank, and then install a new pump inline with the pressure tank house-side. my question is what controllers/pumps/etc do I need to complete my system. I was trying to find a float switch but I doubt any will fit inside the top fitting of my flex lite tank (1 1/4 opening on top)

Thanks in advance, I hope I didn't confuse anyone. If I need to clarify things more, let me know or if I'm thinking about this the wrong way

 

[Craigpump]

Jet pump?

Where in NY?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Smooky]

There are lots of ways to handle a H2S problem but with a low yield well you need a large holding tank/ cistern. If you are already thinking about a two pump system I think that might work for what you need. I think it would be fairly simple and low maintenance. With those parameters I would use an open vented tank so the H2S could gas off and try to kill two birds with one stone. There are better ways to do it than those big pressure tanks you are talking about and besides they don’t really hold much water. Maybe valveman can explain that to you later.
http://www.plastic-mart.com/category/9/plastic-water-tanks
http://www.advanced-water-systems.com/technical/guides/Tech_Odors_Well.pdf
Simple Float Valve
http://www.thevalveshop.com/menu/manual/kerick/kerick.pdf

 

[Valveman]

Yeah you need a plastic storage (cistern) tank like Smooky says. You can use jets to jet the water into the storage tank to aerate the H2S. But the tank needs to be vented and have a large enough access to put in a float switch. Then your extra pump and pressure tank can have all the H2S free water it needs to back flush and provide you with water.

 

[Code Blue]

Jet pump?

Where in NY?

Yes it is a Jet pump, and I'm about 25 miles west of Albany, NY

There are lots of ways to handle a H2S problem but with a low yield well you need a large holding tank/ cistern. If you are already thinking about a two pump system I think that might work for what you need. I think it would be fairly simple and low maintenance. With those parameters I would use an open vented tank so the H2S could gas off and try to kill two birds with one stone. There are better ways to do it than those big pressure tanks you are talking about and besides they don’t really hold much water. Maybe valveman can explain that to you later.
http://www.plastic-mart.com/category/9/plastic-water-tanks
http://www.advanced-water-systems.com/technical/guides/Tech_Odors_Well.pdf

I take it that my 120 gallon tank isn't a viable option due to the small fitting size on top of the tank? The large tank I have isn't a pressure tank, Its merely a 120 gallon upright poly tank, with a 1.25 inch fitting on top and two fittings on the bottom. I was trying to get enough water stored up in the big tank, to ensure my water filter has enough supply to backflush the filter every 3 days like it's supposed to 0

I understand that on the bladder tanks and other pressure tank systems, My original intention was trying to insert a small auxiliary water storage tank after the jet pump (which resides inside basement, I have absolutely NO IDEA where my well is, but thats an adventure for another day,and before the water filter. right now it goes

jet pump-----> very old compromised galvanized tank -----> water filter -----> house

and I was hoping for

jet pump ----> flu120 poly tank -----> "booster" (?) pump -------> new bladder tank -----> water filter -----> house

I'm just unsure what shut off's and or well controls I'd need to ensure it functions. By what I'm learning from you guys, I should ditch the poly FLU120 tank and get a tank with a larger opening for float valves. correct?

assuming thats the only thing I'm not going to be using from my plans, am I on the right track ?

 

[Boycedrilling]

The Flexcon flu utility tanks are a composite tank with out side fittings for the traditional air volume control. They are rated for 100 psi. The fls series has the side mounted fittings.

Flexcon does have a top mount air volume control that will insert in the top opening. It is part number ACVSP. This turns the tank into a conventional hydro-pneumatic tank, that doesn't rust.

I have one in my shop. My supplier sent me a FLU 120 by mistake instead of a BAF 120 for use as a chlorine retention tank.

 

[Valveman]

Your booster pump needs to draw from a storage tank, then pump into the small pressure tank and on to the filters and house. A 120 gallon pressure tank would only hold about 30 gallons of water, and you need 65 to flush. And a pressure tank only has 30 gallons of water when the pressure switch shuts the pump off at 60 PSI. If the tank had drawn down to 41 PSI before the flush, that 120 gallon tank would not have 5 gallons in it. And you have no way of making sure the tank is at 60 PSI when you need to flush. It is just a crap shoot, and will most likely be empty when you need to flush.

I would use the well pump to fill the storage tank using aerators to remove the H2S.

 

[Boycedrilling]

Valveman, I agree that the flu wasn't the tank for Code Blue to purchase. But he has it now. I'm just brainstorming. Maybe the stand pipe of the AVSP could be shortened so that only the top foot or so of the 120 gallon tank was holding air, and he could get 80 gallons of actual water storage.

I agree that the best system for him would have been a non-pressurized poly tank reservoir and then re pump water out of it.

If he's trying to use the tank he has already purchased I was trying to think of options. With the fls series tank you have a fixed location for the AVC. With the flu series tank the AVC inserts thru the bung at the top of the tank. The standpipe for the AVC can be adjusted for length and thus the amount of air in the tank.

I'd also thought of BW controls in the top bung.

Maybe an air/vacuum vent in the top bung.

 

[Boycedrilling]

With the BAF series tank, I plumb it so the water comes in the bottom of the tank and out the bung on the top of the tank. No air is stored in the tank, it is completely full of water. It is being used just for chlorine contact time. The other outlet on the bottom of the tank is used to flush any sediment out of the tank periodically.

 

[Reach4]

This is top mounted; I don't know if the actuator cable is adjustable length. Maybe there are variants with different lengths

https://www.zoro.com/campbell-air-volume-control-lavc/i/G0606051

 

[Valveman]

Valveman, I agree that the flu wasn't the tank for Code Blue to purchase. But he has it now. I'm just brainstorming. Maybe the stand pipe of the AVSP could be shortened so that only the top foot or so of the 120 gallon tank was holding air, and he could get 80 gallons of actual water storage.

I agree that the best system for him would have been a non-pressurized poly tank reservoir and then re pump water out of it.

If he's trying to use the tank he has already purchased I was trying to think of options. With the fls series tank you have a fixed location for the AVC. With the flu series tank the AVC inserts thru the bung at the top of the tank. The standpipe for the AVC can be adjusted for length and thus the amount of air in the tank.

I'd also thought of BW controls in the top bung.

Maybe an air/vacuum vent in the top bung.

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. Maybe a BW or Warrick level control probe set up screwed into the top of a tee that is screwed into the upper bung. That way the side of the tee can vent. You might be able to get that tank to work with a 80 t0 100 gallon volume for the booster pump to draw from. But the BW or Warrick will probably cost as much as a new poly storage tank.

If you screw a short stroke AVC in the top of that tank, you might get it to hold 80 gallons as a pressure tank, but I doubt there will be enough air charge to eject 65 gallons with any pressure to speak of. Maybe with an additional air compressor attached using a separate pressure switch to control the compressor. But it would need to be a fairly large compressor to produce the volume of air needed to eject 65 gallons with good pressure. Again the cost of this would probably be more than a regular storage tank and float switch.