Well pump with water softener question

[Sjohnson20]

Hi I recently bought a house and the well pump pressure tank and water softener are both in the garage which is detached from the house and at least a 100 feet away. I'm trying to figure out what is going on with the setup. There is only one pipe that seems to be coming into the pressure tank and also the softener. I don't see where the water is going back to the house. The softener doesn't seem to be doing anything and the water is still somewhat sandy and cloudy especially after using the shower. Also the pressure in the shower will go high and low while using it.

Does anyone know what is going on with this installation? It doesn't look anything like my old house where there was a pipe going in the tank, then softener, and then a pipe going into the house.

I also found this filter under the main house that is apparently called a spin down filter but it's far from the pressure tank and well. It looks really dirty but I'm afraid to break it if I try cleaning it.

Thank you

 

[Valveman]

The pressure going high and low is because the pump is cycling on and off. That is easily fixed by adding a Cycle Stop Valve before the pressure tank or tee to the house.

Connect a hose to the bottom of the spin down and open the red handle. It will flush fairly well like that and not have to be taken apart.

I also do not see a discharge pipe from the softener? If it is just plumed in a loop like it looks, it is doing nothing. See if you can find the pipe that feeds water into the house.

 

[wpns]

This is going to be one of those "How many things can you find wrong" posts. I wanna know what drugs the person who hooked that all up was on, "that's not even wrong".

As you suspected, and Valveman confirmed, the softener and cartridge filter are not doing anything.

I'm sure that pressure tank was easy to lift onto that shelf when it was empty, but that's nowhere near enough support when it's full.

If I had to guess, I'd say that the pipe from the pump to the pressure tank has a tee that goes to the house.

At least the spin down filter is easy, as Valveman said connect a hose to a drain and open the valve.

But you need a real plumber, that's a mess.

 

[Sjohnson20]

Okay thanks for all the info! So the tee would be underground somewhere? The neighbor did tell me that he thinks the well goes straight to the house but I was confused since there was a pressure tank and I thought that the pressure tank came before the water to the house.

 

[Twowaxhack]

This is a bad crimp. I see several others that may not be in spec also. It’s piped wrong as others have stated.

 

[wpns]

So the tee would be underground somewhere?

Well, it's gotta be somewhere, you need to look around some more. Post more pictures of the well, the initial house pipes, etc. Is the well below the garage floor?

Technically it doesn't matter where in the system the pressure tank is, as long as there are no valves between it and the well pump, and the pressure switch is nearby.

I hope you are not in a freezing climate...

 

[Valveman]

I agree the tee to the house must be before the line comes into the room with the pressure tank. Filters and softeners would need to be installed prior to that tee to work properly.

BTW, that 60 gallon size tank only hold 15 gallons of water. So, it doesn't get very heavy unless the tank bladder fails and the tank fills with 60 gallons of water.

 

[wpns]

So only 125# unless something goes wrong and it’s 500#

 

[Valveman]

So only 125# unless something goes wrong and it’s 500#

Yep! So, when it breaks the shelf you had pump problems you didn't even know about.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Yep! So, when it breaks the shelf you had pump problems you didn't even know about.

I was thinking same thing ! That should scare the crap outta you