Feeling discouraged. Someone please walk me through wtf I need to make this water pump work...

[ColdMainer]

I have a radon system in my basement. It had a Grundfos pump hooked up to the radon tank outlet that pulled off from a pressure tank that has a pressure switch.

The Grundfos seems faulty so out of desperation I replaced it with a Countyline 1hp water pump, which has its own pressure switch. I hooked it up and had it set at 230 v. When I started it after priming, it really didn't do much. I could hear it barely making a sound. So I switched it to 115 v with the button inside. When I started it, it began bouncing rapidly between the cut in and cut out on the pressure switch. The lights were dimming while it did this as well.

I'm wondering what I need to do to make this work. Here is a picture of my set up with the old pump. Only difference now is that I've got a new Countyline 1 hp shallow well pump on there.

I've got kids and a wife, barely making it financially and their depending on me to figure this out. With all this anxiety I feel like disappearing.

 

[Reach4]

I don't know what relationship a water pump would have with a radon collection system.

But for the 120/240 thing, is the breaker that supplies that a 2-pole or 1-pole breaker? If 2-pole, you have 240 volts.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[ColdMainer]

I don't know what relationship a water pump would have with a radon collection system.

But for the 120/240 thing, is the breaker that supplies that a 2-pole or 1-pole breaker? If 2-pole, you have 240 volts.

Yeah I hear ya. I can bypass the radon side by cutting off the 2 ball valves on the side and turning on the ball valve coming up directly from the pressure tank. But it's still just a trickle. As far as my breaker switches, they seem to be mostly single pole but there are some, like the radon system that use double pole.

 

[wwhitney]

"Radon system" often means a system to safely vent atmospheric radon from under a basement out to above the roof, without letting it pass through the living space.

But I wouldn't think that such a system would have a water pump. So is this a system to remove radon from well water? That involves an atmospheric dwell tank where the radon can bubble out?

Just trying to clarify for other readers, as I don't know much about either type of system.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Reach4]

So why would a radon system have a water pump? Here is one idea that may or may not be what is going on here: I suspect the black tank is an atmospheric tank, and the failed pump was a pressure tank to supply water to some applications in the house. The tank would be filled via a float valve.

 

[ColdMainer]

"Radon system" often means a system to safely vent atmospheric radon from under a basement out to above the roof, without letting it pass through the living space.

But I wouldn't think that such a system would have a water pump. So is this a system to remove radon from well water? That involves an atmospheric dwell tank where the radon can bubble out?

Just trying to clarify for other readers, as I don't know much about either type of system.

Cheers, Wayne

Hey, yes.. You're spot on. There's a well pump that runs water up from the well to the pressure tank, this tank has a pressure switch that controls the well pump. From there, the lines run off from that main line to this radon water "reservoir" barrel, or "dwell tank" as you referred to. The water pump comes after the outlet of that tank, pulling it back to the house water line.

 

[ColdMainer]

So why would a radon system have a water pump? Here is one idea that may or may not be what is going on here: I suspect the black tank is an atmospheric tank, and the failed pump was a pressure tank to supply water to some applications in the house. The tank would be filled via a float valve.

Hey yes there's floats inside, almost like a toilet tank has a float. Yes that pump on the floor would run to 60 psi. As water is used, the psi would slowly drop to 40 and then come on.

 

[Reach4]

That Grundfos had a tiny pressure tank, and maybe some electronics.

To use https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/countyline-shallow-well-cast-iron-jet-pump-1-hp you would need to add a separate pressure tank. You could use a CSV with a smaller pressure tank.

 

[ColdMainer]

That Grundfos had a tiny pressure tank, and maybe some electronics.

To use https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/countyline-shallow-well-cast-iron-jet-pump-1-hp you would need to add a separate pressure tank. You could use a CSV with a smaller pressure tank.

You know your stuff. Yes, that grundfos had a small pressure tank built into the back. When I started to take it apart I noticed the pressure tank was full of water. Trying to find another one was really tough, do to it being phased out. I'll look into this separate pressure tank.

Would that CSV and pressure tank have to go on somewhere after that radon tank / before the pump

 

[Reach4]

CSV would go after the pump and before the pressure tank and the pressure switch (or the sense line for the pressure switch). That little pipe from the current pressure switch to the pump casting is the sense line. If you pulled that from the casting, plugged the hole, and extended the little pipe to the area around the pressure tank, that would let you use the existing pressure switch with a CSV. Otherwise, jumper a new pressure switch to be in series with the existing switch.

 

[ColdMainer]

CSV would go after the pump and before the pressure tank and the pressure switch (or the sense line for the pressure switch). That little pipe from the current pressure switch to the pump casting is the sense line. If you pulled that from the casting, plugged the hole, and extended the little pipe to the area around the pressure tank, that would let you use the existing pressure switch with a CSV. Otherwise, jumper a new pressure switch to be in series with the existing switch.

So essentially, if I set it up with this build it should work? Leave the pressure switch set at 30/50? This new set up would mimic what the grundfos did with its own built in pressure tank?

 

[Valveman]

So essentially, if I set it up with this build it should work? Leave the pressure switch set at 30/50? This new set up would mimic what the grundfos did with its own built in pressure tank?View attachment 86159

Yes it would actually work better than the MQ. But you will need to use a pressure switch in a different location as shown in the picture. You can use the switch on the CL pump if you extend the little sensing line to the CSV or pressure tank.