Well done, sediment issue

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WellHead

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Hi All,

The well-guys have just left and I have water aplenty.
However the pressure tank has a bucket load of sediment that must be hard caked inside the tank.

The old pump was rated at 19-gpm but this 10-gpm is hitting the 50-psi mark in about 1/10th the time so it is stirring up the sediment in the pressure tank.

I put a hose on the drain bib of the pressure tank and run the pump until it cuts out. I then turn the power off to the pump and open the hose bib and watch the red stuff flow until the pressure tank is empty. I wait 10 minutes, turn the pump back on and do it all again.

I have done that 11 times now and still I get sediment. I know the well is producing clear water as I can run the pump and open the hose bib and after a few seconds water runs clear as part of the incoming flow is going to the hose and part is going into the tank.

Any suggestions other than keep on trying to purge the tank?

Thanks

Harry
 

Ballvalve

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If it is a bladder tank with the correct pre charge, it will hold NO sediment as all the contents are purged on each pump cycle.

Is this a new tank, or are you sure if original, its working correctly?
 

WellHead

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Thanks Porky,

That's what I have dropped back to doing. I am changing the 5-micron filter every two days until it clears. The sediment must be very fine as it is passing straight through the 20-micron filter.

This new pump is filling about 10-times faster so I think the sediment slowly built up with the more gentle filling cycles of the dying pump. Now that it is rushing into the tank, it is stirring it up. When I was purging Friday afternoon, the first 10 seconds of flow-out were really red and gritty then it settles down to a more translucent red, but slowly clearing.

@ ballvalve
Not quite so as the bladder is at about 2-psi below the pump cut in at 30-psi so it never really empties.

Thanks again for all the help over the past week. A great forum.

Harry
 

Ballvalve

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What settles in the tank is usually the first thing out on outflow. Very litle of anything remains on a full drawdown. I always set my tank pressures at about cut in pressure when new, as they are going to lose 2 to 3 psi each year anyway.

Now you have a second reason besides hammer to reduce the pump flow: Your FAST drawdown is pulling grit out of the well walls and pushing it into your house. Sounds like your well might want a dole valve or a CSV at the least. Slower pull down might be the ticket.

Hey- you can also drill a hole in the drop pipe!
 

WellHead

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Your FAST drawdown is pulling grit out of the well walls and pushing it into your house.

Nope, not so. As I stated in the original posting, if I leave the pump running, it quickly runs clear when the incoming well water is being split between the tank and the drain hose. I know it is not the well.

Having proceeded as suggested by Porky, it is now only about 30% colored so it is slowly flushing out the tank.

Harry
 
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