Mark Weiss
New Member
I'm having the same problem that another member posted about here: https://terrylove.com/forums/index....-cycling-on-without-water-use-in-house.46866/
However, the last time we had the black pipe split, about 2 years ago, we had a gyser of water in our driveway whenever the pump kicked on. I spliced in a new section after digging a huge hole to access it, and it was fine after that.
I noticed about a month ago that our pump would cycle once in a few hours, even with no water use.
I put in a new pump and a new brass nipple between pump and drop pipe in 2008. It's a submersible about 220' down. That's about 60' from the house where the 1" black pipe enters.
The pump cycling has gotten more frequent, now about ever 15 minutes. So I shut off the main valve to the rest of the house, and it still loses pressure. There is a leak somewhere between the tank and the pump.
There IS a check valve at the feed to the tank, but who knows how well it seals.
In 2008, the original 1" iron nipple developed a hole and we noticed that we'd run out of pressure if the washing machine an shower were both in use. When I pulled the pump, I found the bad nipple and replaced it with brass, hoping that would last longer, as some brass fittings elsewhere in the house seemed to outlast the iron and copper pipes used.
In the past, I've had cracks in the black pipe underground and when the pump was off, it would suck in sediment, so when the pump started, we'd get brownish water at the taps. This is not happening this time.
Now that I've described the system, here's my question: If I have a leak at the bottom of the drop pipe, I should be able to feel a negative pressure or suction if I pull the Pitless adapter and put my hand over it after cycling the pump on and then off, right? If I don't feel suction there, then that suggests the leak is in the pipe from the Pitless to the house or somewhere along that length and just isn't bad enough yet to cause wet ground.
I think if the leak is down the well, either drop pipe or nipple, I'd feel suction when I put my hand over the Pitless adapter. Is that a valid test for this kind of leak? If I have a leak down the well, I'm going to need to hire a couple of guys to help me pull it all out of the well so I can repair it. I used to have friends that could help, but they are no longer in the area (everyone moved to Florida), leaving me with no helpers. I need to diagnose this with a high degree of certainty before I hire help to pull the pump.
However, the last time we had the black pipe split, about 2 years ago, we had a gyser of water in our driveway whenever the pump kicked on. I spliced in a new section after digging a huge hole to access it, and it was fine after that.
I noticed about a month ago that our pump would cycle once in a few hours, even with no water use.
I put in a new pump and a new brass nipple between pump and drop pipe in 2008. It's a submersible about 220' down. That's about 60' from the house where the 1" black pipe enters.
The pump cycling has gotten more frequent, now about ever 15 minutes. So I shut off the main valve to the rest of the house, and it still loses pressure. There is a leak somewhere between the tank and the pump.
There IS a check valve at the feed to the tank, but who knows how well it seals.
In 2008, the original 1" iron nipple developed a hole and we noticed that we'd run out of pressure if the washing machine an shower were both in use. When I pulled the pump, I found the bad nipple and replaced it with brass, hoping that would last longer, as some brass fittings elsewhere in the house seemed to outlast the iron and copper pipes used.
In the past, I've had cracks in the black pipe underground and when the pump was off, it would suck in sediment, so when the pump started, we'd get brownish water at the taps. This is not happening this time.
Now that I've described the system, here's my question: If I have a leak at the bottom of the drop pipe, I should be able to feel a negative pressure or suction if I pull the Pitless adapter and put my hand over it after cycling the pump on and then off, right? If I don't feel suction there, then that suggests the leak is in the pipe from the Pitless to the house or somewhere along that length and just isn't bad enough yet to cause wet ground.
I think if the leak is down the well, either drop pipe or nipple, I'd feel suction when I put my hand over the Pitless adapter. Is that a valid test for this kind of leak? If I have a leak down the well, I'm going to need to hire a couple of guys to help me pull it all out of the well so I can repair it. I used to have friends that could help, but they are no longer in the area (everyone moved to Florida), leaving me with no helpers. I need to diagnose this with a high degree of certainty before I hire help to pull the pump.