User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 8/19/2014 8:22:56 AM EDT
[#1]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Softener has been bypassed for 6-9 months (unit stopped working). Private well Sample was taken at kitchen tap with cold water after being flushed. Second sample at well head showed identical results except copper which was < .05 Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Overall the water quality doesn't look bad, but context will mean a lot. Was the faucet flushed or first draw? If first draw, what was the estimated residence time in that water line? The copper is within safe consumption limits, but it is higher than usually seen, epsecially if that water wasn't old in that line. May I assume this sample was with softening treatment? If this is after treatment it can be softening a whole lot b/c sodium levels are still rather low ( you want to stay below 140 mg/L). Whenver possible I try to get a pre & post treament sample. I don't recall, what is your source water? private well, municipal surfacewater, municipal groundwater? Softener has been bypassed for 6-9 months (unit stopped working). Private well Sample was taken at kitchen tap with cold water after being flushed. Second sample at well head showed identical results except copper which was < .05 One thing is certain, you don't need the softening treatment then. Only 35mg/l total hardness is still soft water. You will find copper is hard to track b/c it can vary so much. Much like lead it leaches and usually has expotentially more surface area to affect a water line if given time. If you have blue staining then you are definetely leaching too much copper. Not good for you and will lead to premature plumbing failure. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/19/2014 8:27:58 AM EDT
[#2]
OP - you want to look at my edited response, I really botched up intended meaning my reply to the sample data.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/19/2014 8:28:21 AM EDT
[#3]
wife is a hair dresser and says that if the green is from copper pipe corrosion, then you can try to get her molasses purifier shampoo, which will take the majority of it out. If they try to color over her hair and there is a lot of copper, the color can react with the copper and actually burn the hair.
to take out the green, get her molasses purifier shampoo and that should take the majority out, but the wife says copper coloring is really hard to get out. She also asked if you wife swims much? It could be Chlorine, but if she is not swimming a lot, then it's probably not the problem. The water softener is acting as a filter, you can either redo the water softener so it filters out the copper, or just actually filter the water with a normal filter. if the green is due to a corroded pipe, then you need to filter at the faucet, not on the incoming feed. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/19/2014 9:38:06 AM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
wife is a hair dresser and says that if the green is from copper pipe corrosion, then you can try to get her molasses purifier shampoo, which will take the majority of it out. If they try to color over her hair and there is a lot of copper, the color can react with the copper and actually burn the hair. to take out the green, get her molasses purifier shampoo and that should take the majority out, but the wife says copper coloring is really hard to get out. She also asked if you wife swims much? It could be Chlorine, but if she is not swimming a lot, then it's probably not the problem. The water softener is acting as a filter, you can either redo the water softener so it filters out the copper, or just actually filter the water with a normal filter. if the green is due to a corroded pipe, then you need to filter at the faucet, not on the incoming feed. His water is already soft, further softening will only make the copper leaching worse. The faucet sample after some usage should have read no detected copper ideally. I'd consider a calcite filter or may even put a little food grade lime in the well to reduce the corrosion. Only 35ppm total hardness is quite low for groundwater and even a lot of surface waters. I still wouldn't rule out galvanic corrosion too. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/19/2014 10:55:00 AM EDT
[#5]
Galvanic corrosion?
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/19/2014 11:56:39 AM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Galvanic corrosion? Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile AKA electrolysis......essentially 2 dissimilar metals can form a battery. Dielectric unions are needed if you have different metals incorporated into your plumbing and fittings. Video |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/19/2014 3:42:27 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Galvanic corrosion? Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Definitely possible. Have any galvanized pipe connected to the copper? |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/21/2014 4:32:11 PM EDT
[#8]
Update #2.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/21/2014 4:35:53 PM EDT
[#9]
Wow. The breaker panel is grounded to the water pipe?! Ho lee fuk.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/21/2014 4:41:40 PM EDT
[#10]
umm is the line to the well metal or plastic>? if its plastic... your house is not grounded
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/21/2014 4:53:38 PM EDT
[#11]
Not unusual in old houses and shouldn't be causing green water. That was just the way the did it back then. When my house, which was built in the 50's, had some Pex installed the previous owner had to have a new ground installed outside by the meter since there was no longer a continuous ground available, but it was done prior to that exactly like your is now.
Current code, at least where I am, though doesn't allowing grounding to copper pipes. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/21/2014 5:00:02 PM EDT
[#12]
My house has a ground running to the water pipes too
However, I think that mine also has a thick exposed copper ground wire at the panel running outside |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/21/2014 5:02:53 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Not unusual in old houses and shouldn't be causing green water. That was just the way the did it back then. When my house, which was built in the 50's, had some Pex installed the previous owner had to have a new ground installed outside by the meter since there was no longer a continuous ground available, but it was done prior to that exactly like your is now. Current code, at least where I am, though doesn't allowing grounding to copper pipes. Interesting, learn something new everyday. Could a bad wire etc cause current draw on that ground? I'm about 99% sure that the water chemistry isn't the issue. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/21/2014 5:09:36 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Interesting, learn something new everyday. Could a bad wire etc cause current draw on that ground? I'm about 99% sure that the water chemistry isn't the issue. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Not unusual in old houses and shouldn't be causing green water. That was just the way the did it back then. When my house, which was built in the 50's, had some Pex installed the previous owner had to have a new ground installed outside by the meter since there was no longer a continuous ground available, but it was done prior to that exactly like your is now. Current code, at least where I am, though doesn't allowing grounding to copper pipes. Interesting, learn something new everyday. Could a bad wire etc cause current draw on that ground? I'm about 99% sure that the water chemistry isn't the issue. I don't believe so but I despise doing electrical work cause it can kill you. Water not so much! I would think though that if you were having current finding ground through that ground wire you would be tripping a breaker on whatever circuit is finding that ground. Hopefully the Arfcom electricians will be along shortly to correct me if I am wrong. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/21/2014 5:19:00 PM EDT
[#15]
Code required my electrical box to be grounded to both a ground rod and my copper water pipes. Even without the ground, the washer, dishwasher, water softener, water heater and hot water furnace would all have connected the ground to the copper pipes. I've cut a chunk of the incoming copper line out and replaced it with pex to prevent more damage to my pipes. Copper water pipes are a better ground than a grounding rod and will cause problems as the pipes slowly get eaten.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/21/2014 5:40:39 PM EDT
[#16]
Where did you get your water test done?
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/21/2014 6:54:27 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Where did you get your water test done? County |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/22/2014 7:08:22 AM EDT
[#18]
See attached.
You pH may be slightly lower than what the county found if the water has CO2 in it. The CO2 can be stripped off during transport to their lab causing the pH to be higher than actual. May need a slight boost in pH and alkalinity to completely stop the copper corrosion.... I ran it at pH 8.0 and at 7.4.... Note the difference in copper solubility... 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/22/2014 7:16:56 AM EDT
[#19]
op do you have a ground rod in addition to the water bond?
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2014 3:05:50 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Code required my electrical box to be grounded to both a ground rod and my copper water pipes. Even without the ground, the washer, dishwasher, water softener, water heater and hot water furnace would all have connected the ground to the copper pipes. I've cut a chunk of the incoming copper line out and replaced it with pex to prevent more damage to my pipes. Copper water pipes are a better ground than a grounding rod and will cause problems as the pipes slowly get eaten. This. It's still hard to say for certain what is influencing the copper leaching. Your water quality tests were not first draw after a set amount of time so we really don't know what and how much of particular metals may show. However 2 things are clear from your updates. 1. You don't need softening, 35ppm hardness is the lowest I would want to go. 2. You could have problems with that grounding, it should be removed. Continue to look for dismilar metals too......there are several types of corrosion: chemical thru electrical(active or passive) that could be attacking your pipes. |
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
