I recently moved to a mobile home in eastern Washington. The prior owners did not set up the system as I would have, and as it is winter now, I have not had a chance to correct the following problems yet. The well head is wrapped in fiberglass insulation in a plywood shack about 20 feet from the mobile.
The first evidence of the water system, from the shack to the mobile is an access panel to the water heater on the exterior of the mobile, just below the panel there is a 1 inch galvanized pipe coming up from the earth about 8 inches and turning 90 degrees into the skirting of the mobile, it too is simply wrapped in fiberglass insulation. I believe this 1 inch pipe runs straight across to the opposite side of the mobile to the pressure tank, pressure sensor, guage and drain valve, also exposed to the elements except for being wrapped in fiberglass insulation.
The temperature here has recently dropped down to zero and below. The water flow has stopped and I was able to get it going again by taking the hair dryer to the pressure sensor/valve. This continued to happen so this afternoon I put heat tape on the pipe feeding the tank, including the sensor. The tape did not immediately thaw the frozen system, and I had to go to work.
When I returned home, I still had no water. I opened the cover to the pressure sensor and the contacts were closed and the guage showed pressure (it showed zero before when I had no water). I opened the drain valve and had water there.
I went to the "well shack" and could hear a motor running and feel the well head humming. There was still no water to the house. When the system was working, and you turned on a faucet you could hear and feel a pump come on under the mobile near where the plumbing is for the pressure tank. This is no longer coming on, you cannot hear or feel the pump under the floor, although the well head hums. Could it be that I have two pumps? One under the mobile and one in the well? could this pump under the mobile have a trip that needs reset?
I ran a heater and a hair dryer under the pressure tank wrapped in insulation for 30 minutes in an attempt to thaw any obstruction, no affect. I also ran a heater and blow dryer on the 90 degree exposed pipe at the water heater access panel, no affect.
I have 240 v at the breaker, the breaker is not tripped. I did turn it off before I sat down to write this as not to burn up what ever may be running in vain.
I do plan to consolidate the well head and pressure tank in an insulated, heated well house in the spring. but in the mean time please help me get the water back on.
Andy
The first evidence of the water system, from the shack to the mobile is an access panel to the water heater on the exterior of the mobile, just below the panel there is a 1 inch galvanized pipe coming up from the earth about 8 inches and turning 90 degrees into the skirting of the mobile, it too is simply wrapped in fiberglass insulation. I believe this 1 inch pipe runs straight across to the opposite side of the mobile to the pressure tank, pressure sensor, guage and drain valve, also exposed to the elements except for being wrapped in fiberglass insulation.
The temperature here has recently dropped down to zero and below. The water flow has stopped and I was able to get it going again by taking the hair dryer to the pressure sensor/valve. This continued to happen so this afternoon I put heat tape on the pipe feeding the tank, including the sensor. The tape did not immediately thaw the frozen system, and I had to go to work.
When I returned home, I still had no water. I opened the cover to the pressure sensor and the contacts were closed and the guage showed pressure (it showed zero before when I had no water). I opened the drain valve and had water there.
I went to the "well shack" and could hear a motor running and feel the well head humming. There was still no water to the house. When the system was working, and you turned on a faucet you could hear and feel a pump come on under the mobile near where the plumbing is for the pressure tank. This is no longer coming on, you cannot hear or feel the pump under the floor, although the well head hums. Could it be that I have two pumps? One under the mobile and one in the well? could this pump under the mobile have a trip that needs reset?
I ran a heater and a hair dryer under the pressure tank wrapped in insulation for 30 minutes in an attempt to thaw any obstruction, no affect. I also ran a heater and blow dryer on the 90 degree exposed pipe at the water heater access panel, no affect.
I have 240 v at the breaker, the breaker is not tripped. I did turn it off before I sat down to write this as not to burn up what ever may be running in vain.
I do plan to consolidate the well head and pressure tank in an insulated, heated well house in the spring. but in the mean time please help me get the water back on.
Andy
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