Ok,
What a nightmare!

The pressure release valve on my well (Residential water). Just started
dripping one day.
Figured no big deal will replace it. But same thing still dripping. I
put teflon tape on so its not from the threads. It is rated for 75psi
and my gauge reads 60 any suggestions ?
Thanks in advance

trashmanvic wrote:
Ok,
What a nightmare!

The pressure release valve on my well (Residential water). Just started
dripping one day.
Figured no big deal will replace it. But same thing still dripping. I
put teflon tape on so its not from the threads. It is rated for 75psi
and my gauge reads 60 any suggestions ?
Thanks in advance


Just a hunch. Turn off the water heater. Open a faucet
a few seconds just to relieve pressure.
See if pressure builds enough to make the relief weep.

No weep? Thermal expansion is the cause.

Still weep? Move to next guess.

Jim

Ok, you don't say for sure, but I'm assuming you replaced it. If it is
like mine, it has a knurled knob on top. There is an adjustment under
that, adjust it a little higher (tighter, clockwise I think) and see if
that helps.

Eric in North TX wrote:
Ok, you don't say for sure, but I'm assuming you replaced it. If it is
like mine, it has a knurled knob on top. There is an adjustment under
that, adjust it a little higher (tighter, clockwise I think) and see if
that helps.
Hi Eric
The valve I am working with is not for a water heater as someone
mentioned above but for a well tank. The valve is quite smaller than a
hot water tank valve and very different. It basically is just a brass
fitting with spring inside(visible) and the opening is like a garden
hose fitting that is where the drip comes from. Dont think there is an
adjustment on this one. THere is s small piece size of dime that is
threaded in but doesnt look like it should be messed with. I can see
the explosion now hahaha
Should have seen me when I took it off. Turned off the 220v shut the
water off. Only thing is didnt think about the pressure tank needless
to say I took quite the shower and had quite a mess to clean

On 2 Jul 2006 11:07:04 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm,
"trashmanvic" quickly quoth:


Eric in North TX wrote:
Ok, you don't say for sure, but I'm assuming you replaced it. If it is
like mine, it has a knurled knob on top. There is an adjustment under
that, adjust it a little higher (tighter, clockwise I think) and see if
that helps.
Hi Eric
The valve I am working with is not for a water heater as someone
mentioned above but for a well tank. The valve is quite smaller than a
hot water tank valve and very different. It basically is just a brass
fitting with spring inside(visible) and the opening is like a garden
hose fitting that is where the drip comes from. Dont think there is an
adjustment on this one. THere is s small piece size of dime that is
threaded in but doesnt look like it should be messed with. I can see
the explosion now hahaha
Should have seen me when I took it off. Turned off the 220v shut the
water off. Only thing is didnt think about the pressure tank needless
to say I took quite the shower and had quite a mess to clean

Lowes, etc. have whole-house water filters for under $30. They're
quite nice and catch all that pressure tank gunk when you
depressurize. g I'm thinking of adding a second one in parallel so I
don't have to go out to the pump house but twice a year. Hmmm, would
that be considered lazy?

When I replaced my water heater last year, the old one was nearly 400
lbs empty. It had been filled with sand over the years, possibly when
a new pump was put in. I couldn't believe I only got about 20 gallons
of water out of a 30 gallon tank. The new filter precludes that from
ever happening again.

One thing I've learned about pressure valves is that I don't mess with
them. If they leak, I replace 'em and -don't- "test" the new one.


-----------------------------------------------------------
-- This post conscientiously crafted from 100% Recycled Pixels --
http://diversify.com Websites: PHP Programming, MySQL databases
================================================== ================

Hi Eric
The valve I am working with is not for a water heater as someone
mentioned above but for a well tank. The valve is quite smaller than a
hot water tank valve and very different. It basically is just a brass
fitting with spring inside(visible) and the opening is like a garden
hose fitting that is where the drip comes from. Dont think there is an
adjustment on this one. THere is s small piece size of dime that is
threaded in but doesnt look like it should be messed with. I can see
the explosion now hahaha
Should have seen me when I took it off. Turned off the 220v shut the
water off. Only thing is didnt think about the pressure tank needless
to say I took quite the shower and had quite a mess to clean

I know exactly what you have, I replaced mine earlier this year. The
cap on top is sealed off from the actual water, and there is a large
screw inside which tensions the spring. I tried screwing down my old
one but the seals were too far gone for the added tension to stop the
drip. My well guy quoted me ~ $50 for a new one, but I found one on
ebay for ~ $15. The new one held fine so I haven't adjusted it. I could
have rebuilt the old one if I really applied myself, but for that price
it wasn't really worth it.

trashmanvic wrote:
Eric in North TX wrote:
Ok, you don't say for sure, but I'm assuming you replaced it. If it is
like mine, it has a knurled knob on top. There is an adjustment under
that, adjust it a little higher (tighter, clockwise I think) and see if
that helps.
Hi Eric
The valve I am working with is not for a water heater as someone
mentioned above but for a well tank. The valve is quite smaller than a
hot water tank valve and very different. It basically is just a brass
fitting with spring inside(visible) and the opening is like a garden
hose fitting that is where the drip comes from. Dont think there is an
adjustment on this one. THere is s small piece size of dime that is
threaded in but doesnt look like it should be messed with. I can see
the explosion now hahaha
Should have seen me when I took it off. Turned off the 220v shut the
water off. Only thing is didnt think about the pressure tank needless
to say I took quite the shower and had quite a mess to clean

Could you (or someone) post a link to this thing? I have been around
well systems for most of my life and have never seen a presssure relief
valve on a well tank...well, there is the pump control switch that is
usually somewhere down on the tank in/out pipe. Even your description
doesn't ring a bell with me.

Harry K

Could you (or someone) post a link to this thing? I have been around
well systems for most of my life and have never seen a pressure relief
valve on a well tank...well, there is the pump control switch that is
usually somewhere down on the tank in/out pipe. Even your description
doesn't ring a bell with me.

Harry K

Here you go:
http://cgi.ebay.com/3-4-WATER-WELL-P...photohost ing

They are usually located on the well head just above ground, I think
the purpose is to protect the pipes between the well head and the tanks
& even the tanks & all other plumbing in case the pressure switch fails
in the on position.

Eric in North TX wrote:
Could you (or someone) post a link to this thing? I have been around
well systems for most of my life and have never seen a pressure relief
valve on a well tank...well, there is the pump control switch that is
usually somewhere down on the tank in/out pipe. Even your description
doesn't ring a bell with me.

Harry K

Here you go:
http://cgi.ebay.com/3-4-WATER-WELL-P...photohost ing

They are usually located on the well head just above ground, I think
the purpose is to protect the pipes between the well head and the tanks
& even the tanks & all other plumbing in case the pressure switch fails
in the on position.

Thanks, learn something new every day. I suppose now that I know they
exist I will soon run into one.

Harry K

On "This Old House" on pbs, they recently showed how to fix a leaking
pressure relief valve.

Basically, your problem is caused because you have a one way valve
coming into your water system and the valve drips when the pressure
exceeds the set limit. And it does this every time someone uses your
hot water heater. The heat build up the pressure and triggers the
valve relief.

The solution they used was to add a small 4 gallon bladder filled
tank to absorb the expanding water so pressure wouldn't build.

Worked like a charm.





On 3 Jul 2006 06:20:32 -0700, "trashmanvic" wrote:


Eric in North TX wrote:
Hi Eric
The valve I am working with is not for a water heater as someone
mentioned above but for a well tank. The valve is quite smaller than a
hot water tank valve and very different. It basically is just a brass
fitting with spring inside(visible) and the opening is like a garden
hose fitting that is where the drip comes from. Dont think there is an
adjustment on this one. THere is s small piece size of dime that is
threaded in but doesnt look like it should be messed with. I can see
the explosion now hahaha
Should have seen me when I took it off. Turned off the 220v shut the
water off. Only thing is didnt think about the pressure tank needless
to say I took quite the shower and had quite a mess to clean

I know exactly what you have, I replaced mine earlier this year. The
cap on top is sealed off from the actual water, and there is a large
screw inside which tensions the spring. I tried screwing down my old
one but the seals were too far gone for the added tension to stop the
drip. My well guy quoted me ~ $50 for a new one, but I found one on
ebay for ~ $15. The new one held fine so I haven't adjusted it. I could
have rebuilt the old one if I really applied myself, but for that price
it wasn't really worth it.

I Did replace mine also but still the drip. Getting the best of me lol.
Person who posted pic from ebay is what I am working with. Really not
that expensive picked one up at local hardware store for $10.
Guess I will see what i can do today with it . Afraid to overtighten
then I have more problems. Wll let u guys know how it goes.
Take care
Victor

replying to trashmanvic, Frank wrote:
I also have a McDonald 75lb pressure valve between my pressure tank and the
line into my home. It just partially failed. I tightened the top screw (tho'
the McDonald literature says not to adjust in the field, they are preset at
the factory). Now my 40/60 switch kicks off at precisely 60lbs, as it is
supposed to. But the in-line pressure gauge shows the pressure in my line
continuing to rise (AFTER the pump stops) to 70-72 lbs. Did you find a
solution? PLease share, if so. Thanks


--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/mainten...ng-124378-.htm

On Thursday, June 16, 2016 at 1:44:06 PM UTC-4, Frank wrote:
replying to trashmanvic, Frank wrote:
I also have a McDonald 75lb pressure valve between my pressure tank and the
line into my home. It just partially failed. I tightened the top screw (tho'
the McDonald literature says not to adjust in the field, they are preset at
the factory). Now my 40/60 switch kicks off at precisely 60lbs, as it is
supposed to. But the in-line pressure gauge shows the pressure in my line
continuing to rise (AFTER the pump stops) to 70-72 lbs. Did you find a
solution? PLease share, if so. Thanks


--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/mainten...ng-124378-.htm

Strange. I don't see how the pressure can continue to rise after the pump
stops. Gauge bad maybe? If the end pressure is higher than desired, just
adjust the pressure control switch. I've seen quite a few well pump systems
and never seen a pressure relief valve on one. It's an interesting question,
I wonder if the pressure switch sticks, what ultimate pressure it would reach?
My guess would be that it probably can't get to some dangerous high pressure
or all these systems would need one. I'd also be concerned about a relief
valve that partially failed, depending on where the water goes if it fails
open.

On Thu, 16 Jun 2016 17:44:02 +0000, Frank wrote:

replying to trashmanvic, Frank wrote:
I also have a McDonald 75lb pressure valve between my pressure tank and
the line into my home.

Do you think Frank has allowed his valve to drip *FOR TEN YEARS* since he
posted the question???

Why can't you HomeOwnersHub people ever /read the dates?/

--
Sam

On 6/16/2016 10:44 AM, Frank wrote:
replying to trashmanvic, Frank wrote:
I also have a McDonald 75lb pressure valve between my pressure tank and the
line into my home. It just partially failed. I tightened the top screw (tho'
the McDonald literature says not to adjust in the field, they are preset at
the factory). Now my 40/60 switch kicks off at precisely 60lbs, as it is
supposed to. But the in-line pressure gauge shows the pressure in my line
continuing to rise (AFTER the pump stops) to 70-72 lbs. Did you find a
solution? PLease share, if so. Thanks

Turn off your water heater, let things equilibrate, then repeat.

(As water in the water heater is heated, it expands into the "cold" water
supply. Without an expansion tank, water pressure can *rise* 50 pounds!)

replying to Don Y, Frank wrote:
I have no hot water heater to expand. I have a Rennai on demand system.

--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/mainten...ng-124378-.htm

On 6/18/2016 10:44 AM, Frank wrote:
replying to Don Y, Frank wrote:
I have no hot water heater to expand. I have a Rennai on demand system.

You have a closed system -- the valve at the well preventing any backflow
and the stops/faucets preventing any "forward flow".

If pressure is increasing after the pump shuts down, then either the
volume of that system is DEcreasing (pipes magically getting smaller),
the supply valve is leaking pressure into the system (pump having
pressurized the lines upstream from the inlet valve, *or* the water
is getting "bigger".

Pipes can't magically shrink.
Water will only get bigger if heated.
Pump is pushing water through inlet check valve even though the
actual mechanism is off.

Take your pick.

Is there a MANUAL shutoff to isolate the pump from your system?
If so, when pump shuts off, manually close that valve and monitor
pressure. If it doesn't change, then pump is pushing water through
the check valve.

If it *does* change, water is expanding because of the increase
in temperature (whether it is because of residual heat from
your water heater *or* the difference between water temperature
*in* the aquifer vs. "room temperature".

Use Teflon base pipe dope and Teflon tape, that should take care of it as long as the parts that you are using are in good shape/

--
For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...ng-124378-.htm

On Sat, 20 Feb 2021 21:45:02 +0000, Montgomery posted for all of us to
digest...


Use Teflon base pipe dope and Teflon tape, that should take care of it as long as the parts that you are using are in good shape/

Dean, Dean, calling Dean!! Posted 14 years ado...

--
Tekkie