Unfortunately it’s a little late. I came into the kitchen this morning, looked at the water pressure, and…
Empty tank. Yesterday there was nearly a thousand gallons in there.
Lying in bed last night it occurred to me that there was one possible leak I hadn’t thought of when I was looking for one yesterday morning. The water tank mysteriously emptied itself 13 years ago, and the fix turned out to be installing a check valve in the water hose between the pump and the tank. That check valve has been quietly doing its thing under a bunch of insulation in the wellhouse ever since.
Until now, I think.
It’s overcast and drippy today, so I didn’t expect the pump to be running but it was slightly. When I opened up the flexible pipe I was able to confirm that the pump is pumping. So that’s good. But…
That little valve was stuck. When I finally got it off the pipe it was stuck closed, but just a little fiddling convinced it to stick open. That would have done the job.
I’m shitting into a bucket for the umpteenth time since committing the hubristic act of arranging my own plumbing, but in a way I feel kind of better about the whole situation. When that check valve fails it can empty the water tank fast. I was pretty sure I hadn’t gone a week or more without checking the pressure – in fact I was completely sure of it, but I’ve been wrong before. But if that check valve turns out to have been the problem it was just corrosion and karma, not negligence.
Assuming that really turns out to have been the problem, of course. The valve is soaking in penetrating oil at the moment, not that I really expect that to fix a brass valve. But if I can’t find a replacement early in the week I’ll give it a try anyway and see if it works again.
A PVC check valve might be better there. In any case, that should probably be an annual maintenance/inspection item. You are lucky that it lasted as long as it did in that water.
I’ve used a 1-1/2″ PVC check valve for a fire trailer’s pond pickup. That one can be dismantled for cleaning, though it’s been years since I’ve done that (or needed the pickup). Home Desperate sells various sizes of PVC valves, including a 1/2″, though the bigger ones are likely to be more popular.
A thought on the brass valve. If you have a bunch of vinegar or delimer, try dumping the valve in that. It might loosen the crud enough to get it to run for a while, or if you’re really lucky, enough to open it for cleaning. (I use some Edfred goop I bought 20+ years ago for deliming, though the more modern CLR should work. My first pass is usually with vinegar. YMMV.)
Double on the CLR. Penetrating oil is good for rusted bolts an such, but I have my doubts about mineral deposits.
I should have thought of vinegar. I’ve got some 30% cleaning vinegar at Ian’s.
And McMaster Carr is a good source for reliable valves if you need a replacement:
https://www.mcmaster.com/products/flow-valves/check-valves~/
If they have it in stock, they deliver the next day.
I’ve learned to keep spares of critical bits o kit.
I think you have identified one.