Bad Water???

Dave Yates (PAH)

Here's the body text of an e-mail I received tonight:

I have a problem that I have not been able to get any help with locally.

Single family home (4,500 sq ft), New construction (2001), two 60 gallon AO Smith electric water heaters in series, water recirculation pump (on continually) , Geo thermal heating system (Water Furnace) with heat recovery circulating through hot water tank (closed loop) City water source. Whole house water filter (charcoal) and softener installed.

Problem: Contamination in water especially after being away for a week or so. Only shows up in hot water. Water analysis by Culligan shows the following:

Turbidity 41.9 NTU
Conductivity 180.0 MMHOPS/CM
Color 7.3
PH 7.3
Iron 4.13 mg/l
Copper 8.00 mg/l
Aluminum by ICP 28.24 mg/l


The hot water heater Zinc rods have been replaced with Aluminum after 1 year. The heaters have been flushed several times. Each time they contained a large quantity of brown sediment (particles that look like sand but not hard) Sediment shows up in bath tub and all hot water outlets.
Problem exists with water filter system connected or bypassed.

Plumbing contractor has been no help. He questioned electrical grounding as possible cause. (12 ft copper earth ground was installed during construction)

I need help defining the cause of the problem and determining corrective action.

Any ideas you may have would be helpful.



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jim lockard

Piping

Metal piping or plastic? Dave reason I ask is for the grounding is everything grounded and at the same potenial with a single point referance back at the panel box with a good solid netural connection from the power company.
That would tend to rule out electrolsic ever with the rod being driven in to high ohm earth. lets see what others think.

Aidan

sediment

I don't know, but "large quantity of brown sediment (particles that look like sand but not hard)"?

It wouldn't be softener resin, would it? If it looks like little brown plastic spheres, the outlet strainer is probably damaged.

hr

Could you

put a sediment filter on the outlet of the hw tank. They make high temperature types with stainless canisters.

Neither a softner or charcoal filter are for sediment, really. Softners soften by ion exchange. Charcoal is mainly a taste odor filter.

Sediment filters are for what you describe and come in various micron ratings. Don't go to fine or they will need changing every day! Maybe the gunk is is the tank and will disapper after a while of filtration.

Sure would be nice to take the deposits to another water treatment expert for an opinion. Turbity looks high. Really need to know the exact makeup of the deposits to find the proper fix. Maybe try a local ag school, they generally have a way to analyze dirt and water issues, or a university with a lab.

hot rod

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Larry Weingarten

sediment, etc.

Hello: I'd start by making sure the recirc line (if there is one) is hooked up right. Dan has an article we did on just how. Recirc systems are a really common source of sediment in the lines. Use a spring check valve rather than swing check so it won't get limed up, open.

I don't think you get zinc alloy anodes in new tanks. They are used only for odor problems. Aluminum is likely what the tanks came with. Brown sediment, particularly if it rolls between the fingers may be zeolite resin from the softener. Often, odor is a problem in heaters that have sat unused for a week or more. If there is a sulfur smell, adding hydrogen peroxide (one pint per 40 gallons of storage) to the water will help. Hope that helps!

Jeff_18

andoe rods

Dave I have had this problem. I sent you a e-mail hope it wiil help.

Jeff

Ken_8

I'd

get a "complete" water chemistry work up. Not the "basic" version that a Culligan might use.

I'd also take a look at the pipe dope used.

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Mark Wolff

Residue

The residue you describe sounds like the softener media. Check to see how much is in your media tank now. Either it was not initially charged correctly or it is backwashing incorrectly. Have culligan do an inspection of the system to verify proper installation and function.

Dan M

sediment

check the sediment with a magnet to see if it metalic