Outside Well Aerator Overflowing

[OliOliUmphry]

Hello.
I am having a problem with my outside aerator tank overflowing. Everything works fine mechanically, but when the well pump shuts off, the sprayers keep dripping to the point where it overflows the tank. It's a large tank. 100 gallons roughly. I live in Central Florida, and we have had a ton of rain lately. Could it be that it's siphoning due to the water level? I've never had this problem in the 6 years I've lived at this house and because it's not aerating properly, my water smells like rotten eggs.
Thought I'd try here before calling a specialist. Any opinions are welcome.
Thanks.

 

[Smooky]

Maybe the float switch is not turning the pump off soon enough. It could be failing or hung up, or has come loose etc. It could also be a solenoid valve that is leaking etc.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[OliOliUmphry]

Maybe the float switch is not turning the pump off soon enough. It could be failing or hung up, or has come loose etc. It could also be a solenoid valve that is leaking etc.

Thanks for the reply.
It's not the float. That is working properly. I even lowered it to keep the level lower. The pump shuts off. It appears to be siphoning after the pump shuts off. It's a mild drip, but over the course of a day, it will eventually overflow. Is there a mechanism to keep the feed from siphoning after the pump shuts off? I'm not sure about that.

 

[LLigetfa]

Do you have an artesian well? Siphoning can only happen if the outflow is lower than the water table. Is your float a valve or a switch? If it is a valve then it is defective.

 

[OliOliUmphry]

The float is a switch. We had that installed less than a year ago when we updated the system. It replaced a valve float.
It is not an artesian well, though it seems to be acting like one. A couple month ago we had water coming out of the electric box on the well cap. All they did was epoxy where the wires came through, yet charged me for a new cap installation. Obviously that is above ground and it would leak without the well pump on too. All I know is it's driving me crazy. I've been trying to figure this out for a week. I agree that physics says it can not siphon up hill, but....here I am.

 

[Valveman]

A siphon won't do that. But it sounds like your well is pressurized, which would do that. When you had the electric box sealed water just found the next path of least resistance, which is straight through the aerator nozzles. You might have to put the well pump on a pressure tank/pressure switch, and use the float switch to open/close a solenoid valve to the aerator. That way the solenoid would close and not let any pressure push through.

 

[OliOliUmphry]

Why would it be pressurized all the sudden?
Putting the well pump on a switch may be an alternative.
What I have decided to do is...I purchased a $14.00 spring/flapper PVC check valve. I'm going to install that on Wednesday. It takes 2 PSI to open. Hopefully that will fix the issue. If not, perhaps putting the pump on a switch is the way to go.
Thank you all for your input. I will post the results.

 

[LLigetfa]

Why would it be pressurized all the sudden?

A rise in the water table.

 

[Reach4]

What I have decided to do is...I purchased a $14.00 spring/flapper PVC check valve. I'm going to install that on Wednesday. It takes 2 PSI to open. Hopefully that will fix the issue. If not, perhaps putting the pump on a switch is the way to go.

I think you are describing a system where you have a tank open to the atmosphere. The submersible pump is controlled by a float switch inside of the that tank. The sprayer drips after the pump shuts off. -- this dripping... is it as much or more 40 minutes after pump shut-off than it is 10 minutes after pump shutoff? That is what I would expect if this is an artesian well.

You want to put in a spring-loaded check valve, to serve as a 2 PSI pressure drop, before the sprayer that puts the water into that tank. Does that match what you are describing? This doesn't sound quite right to me. Maybe an overflow that directs the excess water to a a suitable area would be good.

Yet you are considering a switch to shut off one of your pumps under certain conditions. Which pump, and how do you picture that switch could maybe help?

 

[Valveman]

The 2 pound spring on the check valve idea will work as long as there is less the 2 PSI coming from the well. You could also pipe the vent hole in the well seal where it could dump the excess water from the well, and there would be no pressure left to overflow the aerator tank.

 

[OliOliUmphry]

Reach4.....No sir. The 2 PSI valve is an anti siphoning valve. It takes a minimum of 2 PSI before water will be allowed to pass. The pump would open it but not the pressure from the well. At least that's the plan.


valveman....Yes. They have different rated springs. I'm guessing at the 2 lb.

I could divert the overflow. I'm really trying to avoid that method. Seems like a lot of wasted water.

 

[Reach4]

The 2 PSI valve is an anti siphoning valve.

Do you have a link for such a valve? I think of an anti-siphoning valve as a vacuum breaker, which admits air.

 

[Valveman]

I could divert the overflow. I'm really trying to avoid that method. Seems like a lot of wasted water.

I agree. Much better to control it than dump it. But you may need a stronger spring.

A check valve, which is designed to prevent water from flowing backwards, will also prevent water from flowing forward until the inlet pressure exceeds the strength of the spring. I use this a lot to keep sprinklers from draining an entire block system when the sprinklers are at the low point. A check valve before each sprinkler will keep the mainline full of water, which is much preferable when starting an irrigation zone.

 

[OliOliUmphry]

Do you have a link for such a valve? I think of an anti-siphoning valve as a vacuum breaker, which admits air.

https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-200...06373315&sr=8-1&keywords=Valterra+200-C10+PVC

I agree. Much better to control it than dump it. But you may need a stronger spring.

I agree too. That's why I'm guessing at the 2 lb. Only way to know is to try, in this case.

 

[OliOliUmphry]

Do you have a link for such a valve? I think of an anti-siphoning valve as a vacuum breaker, which admits air.

I just want to add this to prevent confusion...This valve is designed to stop "backflow". I am using it a bit backwards, to stop a low pressure "forward" leak, if you will.

 

[Reach4]

I just want to add this to prevent confusion...This valve is designed to stop "backflow". I am using it a bit backwards, to stop a low pressure "forward" leak, if you will.

I understood that point. I did/do not know why you would call it an anti-siphoning valve. Your description points to you having a artesian well.

Reach4.....No sir. The 2 PSI valve is an anti siphoning valve.

Were you only objecting to my calling the valve a "spring-loaded check valve, to serve as a 2 PSI pressure drop", and what I wrote in #9 was otherwise OK?

 

[OliOliUmphry]

I understood that point. I did/do not know why you would call it an anti-siphoning valve. Your description points to you having a artesian well.

Were you only objecting to my calling the valve a "spring-loaded check valve, to serve as a 2 PSI pressure drop", and what I wrote in #9 was otherwise OK?

Yes sir, sorry. I'm not very knowledgeable on the terminology of such valves, or even plumbing. I misled by calling it an anti-siphon valve because that it what I will be using it for. It is a Swing/Spring Combination Check Valve.

This is the first time in 6 years I've had this problem. If it were an artesian well, wouldn't it have always dripped? Or at least done it before?

I do appreciate your inputs as I have no idea what's causing it.

 

[OliOliUmphry]

Let me ask.....how would I know if it is/is not an artesian well?

 

[OliOliUmphry]

Disregard that last question.
After some research, I found my answer. To sum it up....it's possible that I have a gravity/artesian well, and due to the heavy rain and water level, it's pressurizing. Apparently there are artesian wells, and "free flowing" artesian wells. And depending on certain conditions, that changes. I could post the article, but it's a long read. If anyone is interested, it's a great source of info from the Univeristy of Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wi002
While that possibly answers the question of why, I still need a remedy.
I will post my results after installing the check valve. Unless someone else has a better idea.

 

[Reach4]

Can you post a photo of the sprayers and the piping to the sprayers?

I don't know how much pressure you have, but if you could mount the sprayers higher, that might do it. An alternative would be to run the pipe up, and then down to the sprayers. At the peak of the piping you would have a vacuum breaker to indeed stop siphoning.