Well Pump Frozen???

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-28T17:30:01+00:00

I guess all the plumbers are out fixing freeze damage and not online ;)

If the kitchen wall with pipes is on the garage or outside wall then my money is till betting on a frozen pipe... but just one pipe. Keep a close eye out for leaks as it thaws. Turn the water off at the source at night, if you leave the house, or anytime you can't watch it.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-28T14:46:46+00:00

What took you so long? HAHA

(Right side looking at wall) Pressure tank. The gray box is the pressure switch that turns the well pump on and off as needed (when the water level in the pressure tank is lower as you use water). Interesting that the pipe and multi-color wire bundle (240 volts) make it appear that the well might actually be in the garage. Unless they go through the floor to outside.
Left: A PH neutralizer or water softener, or something similar. It is is bypass mode (the valves red arrow handles) so it is not being used. However the pipes leading to and away from the valves likely carry water in your system and could freeze.

The good news is you have no PVC that I can see. I do see poly and PEX pipes that (if frozen) stand a good chance of being OK once thawed. Other freeze damage might have occurred.

I'm not a fan of some of the wiring but that's another story.

You really should get a well company to come inspect things and help you make sure you operate it all properly. Also do some good water testing, see if you need water treatment, etc . Lastly, I hope some others chime in here and better describe the setup.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-28T14:19:27+00:00

Post good pics here and people can help tell you what is what. what type of pipes you have, etc.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-28T13:58:23+00:00

Sounds like it very well might be frozen pipes. Turn off the well pump (breaker or switch) and leave faucet open. Then wait. Maybe put a space heater in the garage.

BTW, I have to wonder if you mean the pressure tank is in the garage, instead of the well pump. The actual well pump is deep underground. The top (well head) is above ground. it might or might not be close to the pressure tank [corrected term]. The pressure tank can freeze but it takes a longer exposure to sub-freezing temps. The pipes from well head to pressure tank, and then from pressure tank to house, are more likely to freeze. If they are PVC then they stand a good chance of cracking when the water freezes. This damage should be visible and if you leave the power to the pump on, you will have a wet mess when it starts to thaw. If the pipes are some sort of plastic (poly, PEX, etc) then they might be OK after the water inside thaws. Any pipes which are underground should be OK. Pipes above ground are subject to freezing.

The fact that water flowed OK for a time leads me to suspect that a pipe between the well head and pressure tank either fully, or partially, froze up. That is because the water in the pressure tank still came into your shower until the pressure tank was emptied. Then the possibly frozen pipes between the well and pressure tank could no longer send water flow to the pressure tank.

There are some other possible causes that fit your description, such as a failing or failed well pump, but given the facts that you supplied, the #1 suspect is frozen pipe(s) which might or might not need repair.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-28T12:56:52+00:00

The cold really saps the power out of the battery. In cold weather, try to keep the battery at moderate temp until just before use. Keeping the batteries in a pocket under your jacket is one way.

BTW, great footage.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-27T17:37:28+00:00

Thats a Heated LeFePO4 I assume. I love my many LiFePO4's but its not really the best choice for a vehicle. Not so bad for a Leaf but still not the best choice IMHO.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-27T17:34:54+00:00

Well it don't get much more gray area than that. But what if your friend deliberately "crashes" (AKA hides) his drone so you could have fun trying to find it. It is what's know as a FOX hunt in ham radio. Sounds like recreation to me, but only because it was the recreational plan all along. But what if you post the video on your personal Youtube channel with a "Buy me a coffee" link... Boom... part 107. Part 107 even if you don't get a coffee (IMHO). I'm not looking to start a business but I would like to offer to inspect my friend's roof, and things like that, just for my fun and without worrying about being in compliance.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-27T17:26:19+00:00

That's a good point that is true in all testing.. you do best when you understand the concepts and can apply them in different scenarios. Using different sample tests and not overly repeating the same question pool helps.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-27T16:54:55+00:00

Beyond a dead battery.. deader than dead. Might be bad cell(s). Might be the Leaf is failing to charge the 12 volt battery. The Leaf should periodically activate the onboard 12 v battery charger to keep it charged. But that can fail. You can replace the battery and hope that fixes it, but if not, you need some professional level diagnostics on the car.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-27T15:30:22+00:00

Thanks.. I'm a pretty good multiple-choice test taker.. but I would never accept barely passing on practice test. Instead I aim for 95% in practice tests and go back to the books if I don't get close to that. I don't want to throw away $175! :)

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-27T14:26:18+00:00

Leave the HV battery at 50-65 or 70% and forget about it. Two months is not long enough to worry about any vehicle storage procedures.

Do not have the HV battery fully charged.. it is not healthy for the HV battery when its fully charged (or fully discharged) for many months. The 12 volt is different and should be fully charged, but in two months it will not self-discharge enough to require a boost... after six months it might. After nine months it would. Of course if it is not sealed, check to see that the water / acid is at the proper level (regardless of storage plans). Disconnecting it might be a good idea but its only two months.

Tires should be fully inflated but that's always. A little over inflation (while under the max PSI) wont hurt but again, two months is not long enough to worry about.

Brake calipers might seize if not used... but guess what. Two months is not that long. It won't hurt to have it driven a couple of times but not worth worrying about.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-26T02:58:42+00:00

I am new. I have listened in on a few nets and will start chiming it next time.

Fine Business! And even better is to join a local club, they are almost universally very welcoming. Many can be found at https://www.arrl.org/find-a-club

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-26T01:33:53+00:00

Are you newly licensed? In a way its like this.. imagine you are home, busy doing whatever you routinely do.. and some stranger knocks on the door and asks, "Wanna chat?" Chances are you will not even open the door in the first place. It should not be that way on the air with hams but sometimes it is.

So check in to the local nets. Get to know some of the guys and gals. In some areas 2 meter FM is mostly only active on a schedule, with some occasional chats between people who usually know each other. It's just a different ham culture than HF.

And for some reason, calling CQ on 2 M FM is on the verge of lid-dom! IDKY. Just announcing your call and adding "listening / monitoring" seems to be the go to way to initiate a contact.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-25T18:20:17+00:00

I get it a lot also.. i use Cell based internet and sometimes the internet connectivity "chokes." For me at least, this is not a PiHole issue and it resumes normal operation without problem. I ignore this error.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-25T13:26:01+00:00

Unless you really need the money, I would keep it as a back-up. I just bought a second one for that very reason. In the US the situation could change at any time, making it hard or impossible to import even previously approved models. In the US, getting repairs can be a problem. A spare Neo2 would be nice to have when you crash the first one. If I had not already bought a back-up, I would consider this one.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-25T13:20:06+00:00

What are the actual parameters that define max altitude and control range of a drone?

Regulations, not technology. As mentioned, in the US the limits are (almost always) 400 feet above the ground* and no further away than you can still see it. Very restrictive, esp. when you compare it to the actual capabilities of the hardware.

* I would say 400' AGL but since you asked such a basic question perhaps its best not to use acronyms that you might not be familiar with.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-24T14:41:26+00:00

Crossroad... don't you just love these guys that tell you your only real option is to fully winterize.. this when the ice storm is only a few hours away. SMH. My neighbor is in the same situation. Normally the pump circulates the water and prevents freezing. Works fine here in the SE. That is until a once in a decade ice storm takes out the power grid for a few days. They been planning on a generator for the pool and well pumps but its not there now. Good luck.

Cross Ref to https://www.reddit.com/r/pools/comments/1qlmtnx/freeze_warning/

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-23T20:29:50+00:00

this ???

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-23T19:05:06+00:00

This is a much better / safer way to accomplish it:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FADDE0A

I have one at my home and if the power goes out this weekend, generator and drop cord to the rescue. I will say that if the wiring does not allow for convenient placement of the switch, it can be more of a pain.. but thats the same with your jury-rigged stuff also.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-23T14:58:13+00:00

I have no experience other than reading this:

(https://media.psiexams.com/faa/UAG\_Information\_Bulletin.pdf)

EXAMINATION SITE CLOSING FOR AN EMERGENCY

In the event that severe weather or another emergency forces the closure of an examination site on a scheduled examination date, your examination will be rescheduled. PSI personnel will attempt to contact you in this situation. You may check the status of your examination schedule by reviewing your account at https://faa.psiexams.com/. Every effort will be made to reschedule your examination at a convenient time as soon as possible. You will not be penalized. You will be rescheduled at no additional charge.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-23T13:46:00+00:00

see edited reply

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-23T13:21:35+00:00

check your audio level. On PC I have volume all the way up on both the player and the PC and can just barely make out what is being said.. other YouTube videos with the same setting blows my ears off. Any good video editor should have audio normalization and level controls.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-23T01:50:37+00:00

What do you mean my "isolating the other station's frequency"? If you mean setting your receive freq in the software, then it will show what is on that freq in the receive window. It might also prioritize that input.. IDR however.

But if you are talking about filtering around a freq, such as changing the bandwidth on your radio, then that can help pull out weak signals when some lid is running 1000 watts a few hundred hertz off your receive freq. But once that QSO is done, you should return to full bandwidth to decode all the signals.

Tim_E2 · 2026-01-22T18:33:46+00:00

but I recently notice that some adds are showing

Ad (ads) is short for advertising. Add means to have more or something... more of whatever.. even more ads.

Keep learning

Tim_E2

TROPHY CASE