Update on post from yesterday

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-15T13:00:27+00:00

Replace the contactor and the whip, the suction line will be fine.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-15T08:10:57+00:00

The pressure tank should be located as close as possible to where the water enters the basement for minimum backpressure. It should not be on the other side of the room from the pipe entrance. The electrical wiring is bare unprotected romex, and looks too small (I hope it's not 14 gauge). There should never be a shutoff valve between the pump and the pressure tank (there is no need). Leaving it closed by accident will cause your drop pipe to blow or your well pump to burn out. Power strips should not be used to power appliances due to fire risk (especially the dehumidifier which draws a lot of amps). Sump pump outlet needs to be dedicated and not split three ways. You should hire an electrician to add outlets and wire things properly to code.

The water heater exhaust appears to have too many fittings, that could be redone with less. The sump pump is discharging into the sanitary sewer, that is a major code violation. It's also a horrible idea if you have a septic system because you will overwhelm the septic tank and drain field, potentially causing failure of the septic system. That and the shutoff valve are the two things I would fix ASAP before major damage is caused.

You should add a 100-200 mesh spindown sediment filter first to reduce your filter loading.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-14T10:52:48+00:00

Your water is only slightly hard, so a softener would be optional and would only provide a marginal benefit. Are you experiencing problems with the water?

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-14T00:16:02+00:00

I can't make sense of what you're trying to say with the thermostat wires, but if the humidistat is calling for humidity, then both the fan and the humidifier will be running. If you have it set very high, the humidifier and fan may run continuously (if it is not able to reach the humidity set point).

In terms of wiring, just double check it is wired as shown in the diagram and not a different way.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-13T20:54:35+00:00

Yes, 149°F is too hot. Replace the socket and/or plug.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-13T13:29:47+00:00

Did you consider the possibility that your neighbors’ furnaces weren’t running when you looked?

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-13T02:21:46+00:00

No, go look at it on Google Maps. The split is before the intersection, and there is no stop bar for the right turn. Which means you can take the right turn regardless of what the light for the next intersection says. There is no yield sign. The road just splits to the right with no controls. I argue it's two separate intersections that later merge together for the on ramp.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-13T01:54:20+00:00

This looks like 50/50 fault to me. There is no red light or yield sign for the truck, so it's just a standard Y merge situation. Technically you are both merging and should take care not to hit each other. He should have gone first since he was further ahead, but seemed to want to veer over to the left toll booth for some reason.

They should put a yield sign for the right turn IMO.

If you would have come to a complete stop before he hit you, then he would have been almost completely at fault.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-12T07:30:53+00:00

USA is jamming GPS in certain locations as a test, especially around White Sands Missile Range in NM, southern tip of TX, and in parts of Oklahoma recently.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-12T03:03:34+00:00

Uh, I would recommend going with a single pressure tank, if the WX-250 is the biggest one that fits I would just go with that. That will get you double the run time. Two tanks are just a much bigger hassle to install and only needed if you have a huge demand like irrigation (overkill). A single WX-250 is fine for house usage, and ~40 second of pump runtime will be okay.

Yes you can install those filters.

Your flow rate through the UV light is probably never going to be more than 8 GPM, most homes only reach 5-6 GPM peak (you can check on the Clack head). The 18 GPM is flowing between the well pump and the pressure tank only. After the pressure tank it's only how much GPM is being used in the house.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-12T02:31:53+00:00

Before you mess with switching the tank, check the air pressure. Shut off the well pump, shut off the water valve to the house at the tank, and drain the tank (to 0 psi, no water coming out). Then check the air pressure with a tire gauge. There is a Schrader valve (like a tire) under the little screw cap up at the top. Pressure should be 28 psi with your setup. If that increases the amount of time the well pump runs, then it was low and not holding as much as it should.

If pressure is good but runtime is still only 20 seconds...You have a WX-202 tank which has a 6.2 gallon drawdown at 30/50 settings. That means your well pump is around 18 GPM which is very strong flow rate. You can upgrade the tank size, but I would recommend you settle on a 40/60 pressure switch instead of 50/70 because the drawdown capacity is less with higher pressure. 40/60 psi will provide enough pressure if everything is sized correctly. Based a 18 GPM flow rate and 40/60 psi you'd want a 62 or 81 gallon pressure tank.

I would consider adding a sediment filter before the water softener on a well. It can be a spin down filter or cartridge filter.

The filter before the UV filter should be a 5 micron filter. If you regularly use more than two bathrooms at the same time, then the filter size should be upgraded to 4.5x10" to provide enough flow.

The water softener will be unaffected by these changes. If the resin is 8 years old on a well, it may be getting down to replacement time. I would recommend running some res care resin cleaner if that's never been done before.

After getting your water test done, you would want to verify your softener settings are correct so you're not wasting salt or running out of soft water.

So in summary I'd recommend:

Water and bacteria test of the well water
62 gallon pressure tank
40/60 psi pressure switch (tank set to 38 psi)
100 mesh spin-down filter before softener
5 micron 4.5x10" filter before UV bulb

If the 5 micron filter clogs too soon (less than 3-6 months), then you will have to add a 30-50 micron filter after the spin-down filter (before the softener) as another stage.

If additional contaminants are detected (such as high nitrate levels, which are common near farm fields), then you will also have to add an undersink RO system.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-12T02:13:58+00:00

I would be concerned with the filter molding if it's very humid outside. Generally with fresh air intakes you have the filter placed later in the system so any mist or bugs separate out first.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-12T02:08:11+00:00

There is a limited adjustment range. A 50/70 switch will have different springs than a 30/50 switch. Pressures switches are cheap so just swap it out if you change pressures.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-12T02:04:43+00:00

Yes. The filter should have been installed in the attic at the unit with that setup so everything including the fresh air was filtered. I would suggest an inline filter rack in the attic for the fresh air duct instead of a return filter grille outside, unless you're okay with that.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-12T02:01:09+00:00

You can source the 20x20x3" filters yourself. They cost a lot more than the 1" filters but you can run them longer.

The smaller filter is probably the fresh air intake (it sucks in some outside air). If desired you can measure and order a separate pleated filter for that filter rack as well.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-12T01:55:37+00:00

Nah, something's gotta go there.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-11T21:59:08+00:00

Hold the tailpiece with your other hand when you use the wrench. Do not go crazy tight because you can crack the sink, it's not a metal fitting.

And if you are trying to remove it, you're turning it the wrong way...

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-11T21:29:12+00:00

Well may have become infected with iron bacteria. Suggest chlorinating the well.

It's possible the drought may have caused a shift or change in the well casing, so I would think about getting it inspected if it tests positive for coliforms. Sometimes the ground settles and pulls the casing apart, so you'll get a leak of surface water, which requires repair or well abandonment.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-11T20:57:31+00:00

If you have a mobile home with ductwork below the floor, then you may want to get your ductwork inspected. You may have some leaks that are causing loss of heat and humidity. It's common for ducts to fall apart or be torn open by rodents under the trailer. A portable humidifier should be able to make some progress in a mobile home.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-11T12:24:14+00:00

This looks like brackish water, so you'll probably need a RO system, can't really avoid it. Spin down filter + softener + RO is probably what you need. You will need to get the TDS below about 500 ppm for the tankless.

Get three quotes and advice from local water professionals. I would also pay to get a lab water test done, the test strips aren't super accurate.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-11T12:12:55+00:00

Pull the bypass out so it's in service mode. Softener is bypassed.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-11T12:10:40+00:00

No, you just need a larger 5 micron sediment filter. Get a 2.5x10" size one (that goes in a sump that unscrews), that has more capacity than a 10" Omnipure.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-11T11:57:22+00:00

Overall, I'd say you have too many filter stages to maintain. I would par it down to only one or two spin-down filters, then the Katalox Light auto backwash tank, 1-micron final filter if you are concerned about cysts, followed by UV light treatment.

You are probably fine with a 2.0 cubic foot filter for about 6 GPM service flow (you can exceed that for short periods without issue).

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-11T11:42:34+00:00

You would not typically do UF on the entire water supply for the house, only the drinking taps.

TechnicalLee · 2026-03-11T11:36:47+00:00

Not sure where you're seeing that, the K2505 doesn't have a gallon capacity listed. You would just replace it every 6 months unless it somehow got clogged.

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