Problems with solenoid valve on Cascadian Ultra Filter

[SuperGreg]

Hello all, I've been lurking for a bit as I've been planning big changes to my well filters. Finally got around to redoing the system this last weekend and the job was 3x bigger than I thought, so I just finished yesterday. Unfortunately all is not well and I'm running into several issues keeping me from getting water back on in the house.

Some small background first:

I guess the main issue is my well is a piece of crap - it is *very* silty, and if the pump is run continuously for say 10 minutes the water coming out looks like chocolate milk. The old system had a Harmsco unit with 7 canister filters inside, then a big blue, then an ultrafilter. Changing the filters constantly was a big hassle, plus water flow was bad as everything got clogged up.

The plan was to gut everything and replace it with back flushing filters that wouldn't require as much maintenance, as well as correct for several issues: Acidity (6.5 pH), iron, and iron bacteria.

The new system is: Chlorine injection -> Pressure tank -> Contact tank -> Spin down filter -> pH Neutralizer -> Iron filter -> Carbon filter -> Ultra filter -> Secondary pressure tank -> service to house.

The last component is a Cascadian UltraFilter UF, put in place by the previous owner about 3 years ago. I tried to put everything in place as it was before - it has a solenoid valve on the input that shuts off water while it's back flushing, as it requires the second pressure tank for clean water back flush.

It seems like this valve is just not letting much water past it. It is listed as NO/normally open. I opened the valve and there is a diaphragm and o-ring that looks like it presses down into the valve body to shut off the water. After putting it back together now I get loud vibrations in the system when trying to flow water through it.

I was just wondering if anybody had any suggestions. I'm also contacting the company hoping they will be of help but thought I'd try here too just in case.

Any other thoughts/suggestions on dealing with a very dirty well are appreciated as well. I got all my new equipment from Clean Water Systems, and they seemed to think the three filters before the UF would clean the water enough for the UF to do its job. I'm just not sure right now. I did run a lot of water yesterday doing the initial back flush of all the filters and really put the well through its paces so I brought up a lot of silt.

I'm just a bit frazzled right now as I've worked on redoing all the plumbing for about 14 hrs/day for the last three days and still have no water .

 

[Valveman]

It sounds like you might be better off drilling a new well that doesn't have all those problems. A properly drilled well could save you a lot of time and money on filtering equipment, plus the pump would not have to deal with that stuff, which would also make the pump last longer.

I am moving this thread to the water softener forum, as they will probably be able to help you more.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

This does not address your question, but remember to add opening the blow down port on the pressure tank to your filter back-flushing procedure.

Also open the pressure tank drain as needed to flush out what settles there.

 

[SuperGreg]

Yes, I think drilling a new well would solve a lot of problems. I'm definitely thinking about it, with a few factors: 1) Cost, 2) The new well might be just as silty, due to the geology, 3) The neighbor just had a well drilled and didn't hit water. Ugh!

 

[SuperGreg]

This does not address your question, but remember to add opening the blow down port on the pressure tank to your filter back-flushing procedure.

Also open the pressure tank drain as needed to flush out what settles there.

Thanks for the reply, could you tell me what you mean exactly by blow down port and tank drain? I have a hose bib on the pipe at the tank, is that what you're referring to or is there something else?

And by back flushing procedure, are you referring to doing this in conjunction with the automatic filter back flushing or just another task to do periodically?

 

[Reach4]

I was thinking you had some non-automated filter flushing that you do. Are your filters all automated now, with no need to turn a knob or lever?

A blowdown port would be a third connection for the contact tank. This shows one version of a blowdown port:

 

[SuperGreg]

Previously I had to manually replace some canister filters but all of the new filters are automatic back flush.

OK I see for the contact tank, yes I will have it hooked up like the picture. I was planning on flushing it out periodically. Of course that's yet another in the list of things gone wrong, as I accidentally cracked a fitting on the top of the tank while assembling the pipes (screwed in threads too far apparently, oops). So for the time being there is just a pipe in its place. Waiting on new parts...

 

[Reach4]

Since you have not placed the contact tank permanently yet, I was thinking you might want to set that on a concrete or resin pad. This could be a big paver, or it could be something else. Some pavers are 24 in. x 24 in. My thinking is that if you could drain down into a container rather than just using a hose running to a drain. This would let you inspect the sediment. On the other hand, I guess you could drain the hose into a bucket.

I am considering doing this if I need to replace my pressure tank.

 

[SuperGreg]

Oh pavers, good idea. I actually built a small platform for each of the pressure tanks out of pressure treated wood to raise the hose bibs up a bit.

 

[SuperGreg]

The more I think about it, it might not be the solenoid, but something in the bypass assembly. I assumed the solenoid because with the unit on bypass, the solenoid is the only component in between water flowing and water not flowing. But, the bypass assembly on the filter does some horrible vibrating if the water flow gets turned up. At first I thought it was the solenoid vibrating but now I'm thinking not. I'll keep looking into it!

 

[ditttohead]

Vibrating solenoids and check valves are very common. Solenoids are cheap to replace. Considering the water I would recommend buying a new solenoid and get a rebuild kit when you. Store the rebuild kit and rebuild the valve in three years. Cheap and simple. Trying to buy the rebuild kit three ears later is always difficult since the valve design changes, manufacturers tolerances etc...

Spin down filter, basically worthless unless you get a Lakos

or Atlas Filtri Hydra.

Contact tanks are good but volume is very important. I prefer the baffled designs, they work far better than non baffled

For the UF, the backwashing design eliminates the need for the solenoid and secondary pressure tank https://view.publitas.com/impact-water-products/2018-catalog-final/page/162-163

 

[SuperGreg]

Wow those spin down filters look really nice! I only got this one because it was cheap if I added it to the parts I was buying so I decided to try it out. We'll see how it does, I'll check one of those out if it clogs too much. I also like the idea of a back flushing ultra filter that doesn't require a second pressure tank. Since this ultra filter was purchased by the previous homeowner and works fine, given the cost of a new one this one will do for now (it's a Cascadian SuperTRAP UF).

So anyway, about the main issue... it looks like this was much ado about nothing. I had been testing my pipe connections after I got each component connected up, ran back flush/etc and then flushed water through with the hose bib. When I got to the ultra filter (the last filter in the system), it would not flow to the hose bib without flow issues and the vibration. This was after three full days working from 9am to 11pm so I was tired and felt like the light at the end of the tunnel was actually a train. It sure seemed like the solenoid was the issue but then it seemed like the vibration came from the bypass assembly.

Anyway, today I hooked up the secondary pressure tank (the very last component of the system), and I opened the ball valve after the ultra filter just a crack, and it flowed water without vibration or other issues. After some time, I was able to open the valve all the way for full flow with no issues. I don't know whether air in the system caused the problem or what, but it is now working as expected! My wife just took her first shower since Friday so she's happy too.

I'm still not sure if the solenoid is actually performing correctly though, as when I was trying to diagnose the system I triggered many back flushes and couldn't feel/hear the solenoid operating. I'll do some tests later to see if it's actually shutting off flow when it's supposed to.

Thanks for your input everybody.