Hi
I'm not sure what's going on, but I have hot water coming from my well. I can leave
It run for about 15 to 20 minutes and it will cool down a little but it would still be warm
Enough to take a bath and not be uncomfortable.
I live in Florida and thought it was that my pipes weren't deep enough because we
Don't have to have them as deep as in area's where it freezes. But, I can feel the
Pipe coming right into the holding tank and its HOT! This is so strange and very
Annoying not to mention worrisome.
My well has a submersible pump and I don't notice any other issues at all. There
Aren't any strange smells or bubbles or cloudiness, nothing but hot water! Also
There's no way it can be backwash from the hot water heater, just in case someone
Wondered about that one.
I really appreciate any ideas! Most people around here have nice cool spring water
And this is the first year this has happened. I have a metal nozzel on my hose and
It's so hot you can't handle it. Sure makes it hard to water my garden.

Can you tell me what part of Florida and the depth of your well, please.

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Originally Posted by KenSayers

Can you tell me what part of Florida and the depth of your well, please.

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I'm in North Central Florida. I don't know how deep this well is because it was here when I purchased this property. I've been here over 20 years, so this is a new occurrence.
I've been wondering if it could be that the submersible pump is heating up inside the well? And that's
What's making the water hot? I have no idea. I know the well had to meet regulations when it was drilled
That many years ago. It may exceed that or not be deep enough. I'm at a loss.
When I first turn the water on it's cool, then after running it a while it's hot, then after about 20 minutes it gets a bit cooler where I can water the garden, take a bath, etc. Thank you.

I do not know what distances are involved, but the scenario of a problem with your pump sounds realistic. The initial water is from the line and your pressure tank while the water from your aquifer could be cooling down the water while the pump heats the pipe. That problem would be self limiting in that the pump will soon fail if that is the issue. The alternative is that the water source is heating up. If that were the issue,the water would not cool down even a bit while making the supply pipe hot. You would also have similar complaints from your neighbors.

I have a 2" galvanized loop where the supply line emerges from the casing and then returns to the ground to come to the house.

It then emerges from the slab and enters the bladder tank. If I had your situation I would check the pipe as it emerged from the wellhead as the water is turned on. It simply doesn't make sense that a bearing could be so bad as to make the water so hot that you cannot hold the nozzel yet doesn't soon fail.

I had a hot hose bib because the plumber pulled what he thought was cold from a hot/cold set, except it was for the room on the other side of the wall. But I have a new house. After 20 years, this cannot be a new problem with how it was plumbed. I might be worried about faulty wiring, possibly ants? Curious.

"But, I can feel the
pipe coming right into the holding tank and its HOT! This is so strange and very
annoying not to mention worrisome."

That sounds like the water is coming from the wellhead already hot. It's hard to imagine a sub pump, which is immersed in water, getting so hot that it makes the water hot to the point of being difficult to handle, but I guess it could happen. The first several gallons the pump delivers when it cuts on should be fairly cool, but the pump could heat up as it runs and start sending warmer water later in the cycle. Sounds strange, but it would seem to be the only possible answer. How old is the pump?

Yes, coming from the holding tank. That is why I wanted to know if the heat was coming from the supply line as it emerges from the casing, first. It doesn't make sense to me either.

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Originally Posted by jlisenbe

"But, I can feel the
pipe coming right into the holding tank and its HOT! This is so strange and very
annoying not to mention worrisome."

That sounds like the water is coming from the wellhead already hot. It's hard to imagine a sub pump, which is immersed in water, getting so hot that it makes the water hot to the point of being difficult to handle, but I guess it could happen. The first several gallons the pump delivers when it cuts on should be fairly cool, but the pump could heat up as it runs and start sending warmer water later in the cycle. Sounds strange, but it would seem to be the only possible answer. How old is the pump?

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I just went out there and since it's not the heat of the day, I felt the water pipe or
What you would call the wellhead and it's not hot except a bit where the sun beats
Down on it. I do have a shelter over it, but some sun does get in. It feels a lot hotter
In the day when its swealtering out. Right now though the water coming out of the
Faucet at the well is NOT coming out hot. So, I guess it's not the pump unless it
Gets hot off and on if it were getting bad. I'm know nothing about it, but I also have
A burm filter attached to the side that comes in my home and it does get hot, why
I don't know, it's made of fiberglass. The other pipes are leading directly from the
Well to the outside garden area. Maybe I don't have those deep enough in the
Ground since Florida has a lot of sandy soil? I'll check the wellhead later on again
Throughout the day and see if it's hot or the water at the well faucet is hot too.
I'll report back here with the results. Thank you all:confused:

A far out possibility.

You could have an electrical short in the pump wiring as it goes down the well. Assuming a well put down 20 years ago would have galvanized pipe. If you have breaks in the wiring which are making contact with the pipe, electrical current could be traveling through the pipe and heating it up. Sort of like having an underground water heater.

Logically that would only occur after the pump has been running a while since your pump switch would turn off all current going down the well. Logically the short should be tripping the breaker but that doesn't appear to be happening. Perhaps the short is making contact just enough to cause the pipe to heat up but not to trip the breaker.

I know that this a lot of "ifs" in this logic but makes more sense than a pump over heating. Eventually the pump will burn up because of the reduced voltage.

I'd pull the pump now in hopes not having to buy a new pump.

You could check this logic by checking the amperage draw at the breaker if you know how much the pump is suppose to pull.

You also may be able to detect a short by disconnecting the wiring at the well head and checking for continuity between each wire (going down the well) and the well pipe.

That makes sense. I'll have to get someone to check that out for me most likely
Because I'm not that experienced, but my son in law should be able to do it because
He does pool and sauna hookups etc. I'll ask him if he'd look at it otherwise I might
Need to have to pay an electrician. But that sure is a possibility and I appreciate
Your response. I'll let you know what happens when I get it looked at. Thanks again.

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

A far out possibility.

You could have an electrical short in the pump wiring as it goes down the well. Assuming a well put down 20 years ago would have galvanized pipe. If you have breaks in the wiring which are making contact with the pipe, electrical current could be traveling thru the pipe and heating it up. Sort of like having an underground water heater.

Logically that would only occur after the pump has been running a while since your pump switch would turn off all current going down the well. Logically the short should be tripping the breaker but that doesn't appear to be happening. Perhaps the short is making contact just enough to cause the pipe to heat up but not to trip the breaker.

I know that this a lot of "ifs" in this logic but makes more sense than a pump over heating. Eventually the pump will burn up because of the reduced voltage.

I'd pull the pump now in hopes not having to buy a new pump.

You could check this logic by checking the amperage draw at the breaker if you know how much the pump is suppose to pull.

You also may be able to detect a short by disconnecting the wiring at the well head and checking for continuity between each wire (going down the well) and the well pipe.

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Simple enough to do. Just turn off power to well. Disconnect wires at well head. If you don't have multimeter, pick one up at HD. Should be about $15. Set meter to "Resistance". That's the little horse shoe symbol. A digital meter should read 1 (one) when set to resistance. That represents infinity or unlimited resistance. Touch leads together and reading will go to 0. Meaning you have a connection between the two leads and have no resistance. That's all to just check meter.

Disconnect wires at well head. Touch one lead of meter to wire and one to well pipe. If meter gives any reading other than 1 (one) that means you have a connection between the wire and the pipe, meaning you have a short somewhere. Check both wires.

What HK suggested does seem outlandish. You would think a short of that magnitude would throw the breaker in a second, but whose to say it is not the case?

I'm not sure about one thing. Is the water hot when it comes out of the ground. Feel the pipe when the pump is pumping and see. You seem to say it is hot in one place, and then it is not hot in a later post. If the pipe is hot, then I assume the pressure tank is hot also?? Is the pressure tank under cover?

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What HK suggested does seem outlandish. You would think a short of that magnitude would throw the breaker in a second, but whose to say it is not the case?

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I agree it sounds quite outlandish but the symptom of having hot water coming out of the ground is quite bizarre also. If you have cracked or broken insulation on a wire and (poor) contact with the metal pipe you may not trip breaker. Good contact would probably trip breaker. You could even have arching which would heat the pipe.

A bit far out I agree, but at this point I think I would bet a pizza its something like that. Are we on?

Thanks for the directions. I really appreciate it and I'll report the findings when I get
Them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

Simple enough to do. Just turn off power to well. Disconnect wires at well head. If you don't have multimeter, pick one up at HD. Should be about $15. Set meter to "Resistance". That's the little horse shoe symbol. A digital meter should read 1 (one) when set to resistance. That represents infinity or unlimited resistance. Touch leads together and reading will go to 0. Meaning you have a connection between the two leads and have no resistance. That's all to just check meter.

Disconnect wires at well head. Touch one lead of meter to wire and one to well pipe. If meter gives any reading other than 1 (one) that means you have a connection between the wire and the pipe, meaning you have a short somewhere. Check both wires.

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HK, I wouldn't take that bet! I'm afraid I'd be out one pizza to you. You're right in that bizarre problems can call for bizarre explanations.

You mentioned that you have a hose connection coming off the well head before it goes to your house. Is this the hose that has the hot nozzle? What I am asking is to find out if the water is hot coming out of the ground. Heat travels all directions from a problem is why I am asking. As for whether the pipes are exposed or not should not make a difference. If you have had the house for twenty years and that was not a problem, the sun did not get hotter to create this problem. Short of introduction of some new geothermal event, the problem has to be electrical. I doubt that there is a short, as I believe a short to ground would throw a breaker. A loose connection would cause a heat problem, however. As was suggested, checking the amperage draw would let you know right away.

That makes sense and I'm having someone come and check it just to make sure since
I'm not sure what I'm doing. I will get back on and let everyone know what our findings
Are.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KenSayers

You mentioned that you have a hose connection coming off the well head before it goes to your house. Is this the hose that has the hot nozzle? What I am asking is to find out if the water is hot coming out of the ground. Heat travels all directions from a problem is why I am asking. As for whether the pipes are exposed or not should not make a difference. If you have had the house for twenty years and that was not a problem, the sun did not get hotter to create this problem. Short of introduction of some new geothermal event, the problem has to be electrical. I doubt that there is a short, as I believe a short to ground would throw a breaker. A loose connection would cause a heat problem, however. As was suggested, checking the amperage draw would let you know right away.

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I just had the same situation with my well. During this past winter (New York) my well water would come out of the cold faucet pretty hot for about ten minutes. Last week the pump stopped working completely. When I pulled the pump out of the well I noticed the insulation on one of the power legs started to fail and short to ground. For some reason this well was wired where only one of the two power legs would disconnect causing a constant 120 volts to run through the pump (240 Volt circuit). The result was this turned my 240 volt pump into a 120 volt heater. I replaced the wiring from the top of the well to the pump and the problem went away.

Good luck.

Thanks Zeke, just the type of situation I was trying to conjure up.

That is really bizarre. Your reply is why I elected NOT to put a pizza on the line with HK. Sure makes your reasoning look more solid.

Once pizza was put on the line I figured this topic was getting serious and almost dangerous. I don't know why my well is wired this way. There is space on the pressure switch to disconnect both hot legs and kill all power to the pump. I figured the installer was either lazy or didn't know what they were doing. I guess rewiring this will just get added to my summer to-do list.

Zeke, are you saying that when the switch cut off, it was only cutting off one wire of the two going to the pump? I can see that would have the other line feeding power 24/7. The second line must have been wired directly to the pump, bypassing the switch.

Yes, only one of the hot legs went through the switch and the other is wired directly to the pump. When the wire shorted it completed the circuit. Not enough power to run the pump, but enough to turn it into a heater. Why this was wired this way is beyond me, but it will be corrected.

You know, the guy must have figured the pump was a 120 volt. He would have thought one wire was hot and the other ground.
Did he wire the black through the switch?

Nope the red wire. Two pole breaker. I personally have not seen a 120 volt submersible pump, but that doesn't mean they're out there.

Weird. I'd be tempted to call him and ask what his thinking was.

I have the same problem... I think. I have very hot water coming from the well but only after a few minutes, as the water in the line gets used. If the water runs for 15 to 20 minutes it then gets cool again. The pump does not build enough pressure to cut off so it runs all the time, I thought that the pump may be recirculating the same water long enough to get it hot, once you run the water that has been heated up and the pump is working in new water it pumps through the system cool. Could a weak pump cause that? Once this problem started the water pressure also dropped significantly.

I live in Sarasota and sure would like to tap into some of that hot well water. Perhaps you hit a Natural "hot springs" or geothermal spot. Just so you know you're not alone read this.
'Well from hell' spewing hot water from taps
Edythe Jensen
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 18, 2007 11:48 AM

Hot water is flowing from cold water faucets in Sun Groves, and it's not a plumbing problem.

The Chandler neighborhood southeast of Lindsay and Riggs roads is close to one of the city's newest wells - a natural underground hot spring where water temperatures can exceed 100 degrees, said Bob Mulvey, assistant municipal utilities director.

The heat became more noticeable in recent weeks because record water consumption is forcing the city to pump more from the thermal source, he said.





"It's bizarre that you can't have cold water," said Sun Groves resident Charles Bassett. "Our 3-year-old son said it's too hot to wash his hands. My wife is seven months pregnant and can't take a shower to cool down."

Bassett's family moved in last year, and he missed previous city-hosted meetings that explained the thermal well. He said he thought he had a plumbing problem until he talked to neighbors.

Mary Sluzas used to live near the well but moved recently. At the city meetings last year she said she had to put ice cubes in her washing machine to protect delicate fabrics. "We were told that the problem was going to end soon when the city mixed water from other sources," she said.

Mulvey said that's true, but the cool down won't come until April 2009 when the joint Chandler-Gilbert water treatment plant is finished and treated canal water will be mixed with the hot stuff.

The "well from hell" isn't all bad. Mulvey said it is producing 3 million gallons a day, three times the quantity of an average city well. That has saved the city more than $4 million in additional well-drilling costs.

Unlike other sources of groundwater, this one has such a low arsenic level that the city doesn't have to treat it to meet strict federal standards. The thermal spring's water also has a low mineral content; minerals cause water's "hardness," and can corrode plumbing.

"We second-guessed our decision when we brought that well on line, but now I'm glad we did," Mulvey said.

Natural "hot springs" or geothermal wells are not uncommon in Arizona but often aren't found in cities before streets and homes are built on top of them, said Tempe energy consultant Amanda Ormond. She has helped map the state's geothermal sites and has promoted them as a source of low-cost energy.
Good luck, Tom

You really, really do not want the pump running 24/7. Bad on the pump. Is your pump in the well or above ground?

I would say that this one (Mikki1s) is a defective pump. Specifically a worn, damaged or defective impeller. For what ever reason, the pump is not able to produce the pressure required to open the pressure switch. Therefore the pump keeps running even though it is not moving any water. Cooling of the pump motor would require that it keep moving water. The constantly running pump motor would heat the surrounding water. The water in the pipe between the pump and the house would be cold. When you open a faucet, the pump can then move some some water because the pressure has been reduced. The cold water in the pipe comes out first, then the heated water. Then the moving water keeps the pump motor cool until you close the faucet, after which the pump can no longer move any water, but cannot reach the require shut off pressure.

I would pull the pump as soon as possible. You should be able to replace the impeller at considerably less cost than replacing the entire unit (motor and impeller).