Pros/cons of depowering well when not used.

Users who are viewing this thread

mnclimber

New Member
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Minneapolis, Minnesota
I have a well at my house that is strictly used for irrigation, so it's not used during the winter. Although I'm in MN, everything well-related is either in the house or below the frost line, so I'm not worried about freezing. I've always left the well powered through the winter, but I'm wondering what the pros/cons of turning the power off during the winter would be and if there is anything special I need to do for shutdown or startup.

Thanks for any insight you can provide.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
Turning off the power would make no difference unless there was a failure of some sort. I would turn it off, but I would turn it back on early enough that a failure of a pipe or pressure tank would be detected with enough time to make the repair not very urgent.

I am not a pro.
 

mnclimber

New Member
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Thanks for the reply. Any thoughts on whether it's better to drain the pressure tank or leave it pressurized? Anything else I should be considering on shutdown?
 

ACWxRADR

Member
Messages
145
Reaction score
6
Points
18
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
mnclimber,

If you absolutely have no fears about freezing then...

If your pressure tank has a bladder, I would recommend releasing just enough water from the system so that the bladder can relax. You wouldn't desire to drain it completely, but just to a point slightly above the kick on pressure. At this pressure, the bladder would not be expanded nor compressed. The pressure on each side of the bladder would be nearly equal.

If you fear freezing, then I would do the same, but feed the intake of the pump (if not a submersible) with RV antifreeze and allow it to be distributed throughout the entire system. If you have a submersible, then I would disconnect the line coming from the submersible and force RV antifreeze into the above ground plumbing with a portable pump.

RADAR
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks