# dirty well water



## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

nieghbors well water is coming out dirty. really brown.
may first thought was it needed bleached. but they said that it doesn't stink. so i that can't be it.
mine is fine. Is it their points ?
anyone know what the problem might be?


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

she also says that the pump is short cycling & banging.
turns on & off about 10 times, just flushing the toilet.
i don't know crap about well pumps. 
my advise is to call in the pros.


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## micooner (Dec 20, 2003)

sounds like it is water logged meaning the pressure tank doesnt have the pocket of air, I would shut it off and drain some of the tank, the banging off n on is stirring up everything


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

Micooner hit it right on the head.


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

just that would create that much dirty water ?


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## WAUB-MUKWA (Dec 13, 2003)

Maybe her well is about to go dry? Has to be a shallow well?


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## B.Chunks (Dec 3, 2011)

Check the pressure on the bladder before you pull the tank. If the bladder deflated, it will short cycle like that.


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## POLARBEAR (May 13, 2002)

Youtube can be your friend. If you search videos for "well pressure tank" I found this. 







Simple to figure out. Tap the sides of the pressure tank. The bottom of the tank should have thud to it and the top should have more of ting to it. If the top has a thud as well you can bet the bladder is comprimised and water logged.

The amount of air a well x troll tank needs is related to the pressure switch. A 20 to 40lb switch- the tanks needs 18lbs of air. A 30 to 50lb switch and the tank needs 28lbs of air pressure. A 40 to 60lb switch needs 38lbs of air in the pressure tank. A decent air gauge applied to the schrader valve on top of the pressure tank will tell you the air pressure but the well pump must be off and the system open. Atleaset one or two lines open.


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## j-rock (Dec 17, 2008)

you plummer guys know the terminalogy theres a saddle abouit 6 ft under the surfacse it gets worn out it leaks water out may come to surface mine did lets u see the problem but u using water everytime it pulls water it pulls in dirt into your house gets ugly quick .


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

her brother took a look at it. the pressure was fine. But the pressure switch went bad.


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

Did it clear up since? While I agree that the on/off/on/off would stir things up, you would also need to have collected a bit of crap to get stirred up...so it may still be 2 different issues. I would be sure to purge all of the lines real good until it clears up and then keep an eye on it. Is this well in a full time home or more of a cottage/seasonal home?


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## micooner (Dec 20, 2003)

Trouble shooting a well and pump problem is like trying too trouble shoot a woman LOL you need all the facts


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

Pressure switch huh? That doesn't happen very often. Glad it's working fine.


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## Rudi's Dad (May 4, 2004)

The pressure switch may have went bad from (arcing-too many short cycles) The contacts get pitted and erode...
The short cycling may have been caused by the lack of air in the tank. Some of the really old tanks dont have a bladder. Just add air once a year.

Probably more than one thing that needs to be addressed for long term.


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

micooner said:


> Trouble shooting a well and pump problem is like trying too trouble shoot a woman LOL you need all the facts


 ....and a really good imagination?


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

i guess the pressure swich did go bad from all the short cycling.
but i now hear that it's still not working correctly. still somewhat dirty & air in the lines. most be another problem too


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## micooner (Dec 20, 2003)

If there is air in the lines and still dirty I would guess that the well is going dry. Or the pitless adapter is rusted out, They need to find out the stactic level of the well in the casing if it is a deep well , more than 25 ft deep and having two lines going to the jet.


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## Rudi's Dad (May 4, 2004)

If its a real old well, a pipe (rusted out) could be sucking air anywhere between the basement and the well point.


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## MiMacDaddy (Nov 20, 2007)

We just got done with the same problem. Dirt/Sand in the water, air in the lines..... I first thought it was the pitless adapter, then the check value. If it's short cycling like that it is probably a hole in the pipe that leads down into your well. The pipes rust out and create holes. When that happens it needs to be replaced. They can do only the section that needs to be replaced. For one section of pipe, the well guy coming out, and the labor...it was about $400. Was your electricty bill higher last month ? Pitless adapters usually don't need to be replaced. The gasket might need to but that is easy to check. If you can get to the well top, open it and listen for hissing....the pitless is only like 3 ft down. If the pumps going on and off......pipe leak more than likely. Good Luck !


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