Leak Detection and Water Shut off on Well

[Beets]

I was curious how common it is to install leak detection with automatic shut off switch in combination with water treatment equipment? I was reading an old thread where someone said never to install a big blue filter without leak detection. I feel like there must be some stories.

Is leak detection with an alarm (and relatively slow response) OK, or should I be looking for leak detection with automatic shut off? If it is automatic, where do you install the valve? Downstream of pressure tank? If it should go upstream of the pressure tank, is there a way to trip the pump too?

Thank you in advance

 

[Reach4]

I would think Pentek Big Blue would not be likely to make a big leak. Clear housings are more likely to fail.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/leak-defender.54319/
A CSV with a smaller tank would mean you don't as many gallons after pulling the power.

A cheaper thing would be some battery powered water alarms such as the one from Basement Watchdog. That would require you to be home for it to do any good.

I don't know about the leak detection system. It would have to have a special detection to not interpret your softener backwashing not being a leak.

You don't want to have a valve shut off the path from pump to pressure tank and pressure switch, unless it kills the power to the pump also. If you must have such a valve, make sure you have a pressure relief. And in cold areas, the pipe moving the water outside has a potential problem of freezing closed. If it starts flowing all at once, that won't be a problem. But if it leaks slowly, that could freeze up your protection path. Still, a frozen path is still only as bad as not having a relief valve. I don't have a relief valve, so I take the risk.

With a well pump system with no check valve isolating the WH from the pressure switch, pressures will not rise as high as for people with city water and a city-supplied check valve. For them, the thermal expansion can cause high pressures.

More likely than a genuine Pentek Big Blue housing letting go would be a washing machine hose, or a supply line to a toilet. That is where the leak detector has the advantage... it does not just shut things down if the leak is where you put a sensor.

On washing machines, some use valves that make it easy to shut off the water, or even have a timer to shut off the water after an elapsed time.

 

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[MaxBlack]

beets your question inspired me to look more closely at our own (water well) setup and I'm somewhat dismayed to see we have no relief valve at the pressure tank. And we do have a sediment filter immediately downstream.

So if the sediment filter completely clogged, and then the pressure switch were to fail closed, the well pump would deadhead into the clogged filter. A recipe for a problem if not a complete disaster.

This house has been this way for 20 years (we are new owners) so while I am a natural worrier, I am not going to get worked-up about this. If the sediment filter were to clog while we were here, we would know immediately when we tried to run some water. When we're away temporarily, there is nothing that would flow water by itself to clog the filter and etc. When we're gone on vacation, we always turn-off the well pump...

Reach4 has given his usual thoughful response. I can only say to leak detection and auto-shutoff "it depends on how paranoid you are" and how much you trust homeowner insurance in case of a disaster.

 

[Reach4]

For most people, PRV stands for pressure reducing valve. So it is better to spell out "pressure relief valve".

If the pressure switch were to failed closed, and there is no clogged filter, you get the 150 psi T&P relief valve potentially releasing water. However more likely it is the pump motor that burns out because the pump deadheads continuously, unless the motor has a built-in thermal shutoff.

 

[MaxBlack]

What he said, i.e. Reach4 you are right.

 

[Beets]

Thanks Guys.....dumb question, how close can you operate to the PSV set point? For instance, if I have a 75 psi PSV, is that acceptable for operating at 60 psi? Is operating at 70 psi too close? I see a person can buy a 100 psi PSV. Is that acceptable for a submersible pump or is that too high?

 

[Reach4]

There are relief valves that are adjustable, and some of those that don't say they are adjustable are adjustable.

But in response to your question, I would a 40/60 switch with a 75 psi relieve valve would be a good match. I don't know how close the calibration is.

 

[MaxBlack]

In reading about the 75psi that is from Home Depot today, I see the mfr says it is adjustable 10psi up or down, but I don't know why you'd want it any higher than that.