Well, Leak at Pitless Adapter

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RayB5957

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I had a pin hole leak in the threads of the adapter that screws into the pitless adapter and connects to the water line to the house. I was concerned if I tried to remove this segment it would simply break off. Therefore, I used waterweld epoxy on the hole. Fixed the leak, however a few minutes later water started shooting out from behind the rubber gasket of the pitless adapter. Is it possible to stop the leak temporarily by using waterweld or a silicon sealant? Or, are there any other suggestions short of pulling the pitless adapter?
 

Reach4

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I am pretty sure that you are not going to be able to successfully hold back the pressure with sealant applied to the outside. So is your pitless like this one?

Is the water squirting between the gasket and the well casing?

Install2.jpg
 

RayB5957

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Yes...Leak is now between the gasket and well casing..... Damn, was hoping for a temp fix because any money I put into is a complete loss, because the State is taking my property through eminent domain early next year. Otherwise I would be getting it done right.
 

RayB5957

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Well, if I have to replace the pitless adapter, do I have to completely pull the pump out or is it possible to lift it out to the adapter and replace it at that point and lower back, place in hole and secure/tighten?
 

Reach4

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It seems to me that the actual leak would be from the thing screwed onto the pitless. I expect that the waterweld epoxy is re-routing the water to where you see it. I think if you used two wrenches, one CW on the pitless locknut, and one CCW on the fitting screwed to the pitless, you could separate them. Then replace the adapter, and use both teflon tape and pipe compound such as Rectorseal T plus 2 or #5. http://www.rectorseal.com/pipe-thread-sealants/ If the adapter is brass, you might even be able to reuse it. I would use Oatey pink tape or yellow or megatape. The cheapest PTFE tapes use low density teflon.

How bad is the water leak? The good thing is that the leak is pressurized water. So contaminants cannot pass into the pipe because of the pressure while the pressure is there.

I am not a pro. My theory of what is happening may be wrong.

If you were to replace the pitless, you would need to lift the assembly enough to clear the casing and then hold up the pipe under the pitless while you change the pitless. I don't think the problem is probably the pitless, but I have never done any work on a pitless.
 
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RayB5957

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Reach 4, thank you very much for your helpl and input... here's a better explanation... Looking at picture above... Original leak was pin hole size, that of a toothpick, on the only exposed thread of the adapter that screws into the pitless adapter, I smothered water weld epoxy completely around this thread up to the pitless adapter flange, not the pitless adapter lock nut, there is not any epoxy on the Pitless Adapter, it is spread to the mating point. Therefore, water could not flow down the outside of the pitless adapter and come out behind the gasket against the well casing. Either my well casing is cracked or age deterioration of the gasket has resulted in the new leak behind the gasket against the well casing. Either case is not good... I'm only trying to survive here for 6 more months.. It's just hard for me to justify paying thousand plus dollars unless it's the only option... I'm just searching for a temp solution... if there is none... that's the way it is and I'll deal with it. Believe me, any suggestion is greatly appreciated.
 

Reach4

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Failure of the threaded part of the pitless sounds unusual.

It would not be thousands unless you got sold a pump as part of the process. I am going to guess $600 including parts for a new pitless installed in Indiana where you dug the hole already.... That is an uneducated guess.

How much does it leak? 10 gallons per day? I think I would live with it for 6 months. If the water overflows your hole to a bad place, you could stick a utility pump down your hole during times of not freezing. Cover your hole for safety.
 

RayB5957

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Leak.. believe it or not is pretty bad... flowing out at approximately a gallon every two minutes give or take a few seconds... actually not as bad as the original... which was a nice fountain coming out of my wire conduit.
 

RayB5957

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Where it flows is no big deal... goes right into my pond... the reason I mention a $1000 plus is because my neighbor has the same problem, which we discovered when I talked to him about my issue... at any rate, he has a plumbing company fixing his today and that was the quote unless nothing else goes wrong.
 

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Where it flows is no big deal... goes right into my pond... the reason I mention a $1000 plus is because my neighbor has the same problem, which we discovered when I talked to him about my issue... at any rate, he has a plumbing company fixing his today and that was the quote unless nothing else goes wrong.
Same problem? Now that is WEIRD. I am sure you will try to get information about what is found to be the actual cause. Ask that the neighbor ask for any replaced/failed parts. We will want pictures! Click Inbox above.
 

RayB5957

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Actually, as I look at the picture and think about this... it wouldn't be possible for water to come out between the gasket and well casing unless the pitless adapter is cracked or has corroded through... and that would be far worse...
 

Valveman

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Actually, as I look at the picture and think about this... it wouldn't be possible for water to come out between the gasket and well casing unless the pitless adapter is cracked or has corroded through... and that would be far worse...

You could remove the well cap and look down the well. Maybe you can see where it is coming from.
 

Reach4

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You could remove the well cap and look down the well. Maybe you can see where it is coming from.
I think the leak is appearing outside of the casing, and that he has dug down around the outside of the pitless.
 
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Valveman

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I think the leak is appearing outside of the casing, and that he has dug down around the outside of the pitless.

Yes but it could still be the 0-ring at the pitless shoe, and the water is just spraying through the side. Probably not but I think it is worth looking at. It would be nice if it is just the o-ring as you can pull the sub up a few feet, replace the o-ring, and set it back down.
 

Craigpump

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I'm curious, did the same guy do your neighbors well?

I've seen aggressive water eat through the threads on a brass nipple or adapter in less than 20 yrs. I've also seen poorly made, low end contractor grade pitless units fail and leak like crazy, especially if it's an aluminum unit.

Another possibility is that if the pump is hung on poly pipe, the adapter on the other half of the pitless also has bad threads and is spraying on the inside of the casing.
 

Boycedrilling

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There is also the possibility that the original contractor used a pressurized "Illinois" pitiless adapter. It has a hole drilled thru the "neck" of the pitless between the two gaskets. This pressurises the gasket area. If the pitiless adapter was disturbed, it could be leaking around the gaskets.

Just a thought. I have never used the pressurized pitiless adapters. As far as I know, Illinois is the only state that requires their use.
 

Craigpump

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There is also the possibility that the original contractor used a pressurized "Illinois" pitiless adapter. It has a hole drilled thru the "neck" of the pitless between the two gaskets. This pressurises the gasket area. If the pitiless adapter was disturbed, it could be leaking around the gaskets.

Just a thought. I have never used the pressurized pitiless adapters. As far as I know, Illinois is the only state that requires their use.

I didn't know there was such a thing as a pressurized pitless. The purpose is to eliminate infiltration through the cut in the casing?
 

Valveman

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I didn't know there was such a thing as a pressurized pitless. The purpose is to eliminate infiltration through the cut in the casing?

Yeah that is a new one for me as well. Learn something new everyday. Thanks Boyce. I am with craigpump, I don't understand the reason. But sounds like a problem waiting to happen.
 
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