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Re: [Shop-talk] turn off the bubble machine

To: Al Fuller <al@bighealey.org>
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] turn off the bubble machine
From: Benjamin Zwissler <bjzwissler@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2013 12:39:53 -0400
Cc: Shop-Talk List <Shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: shop-talk@autox.team.net
References: <q6psj6dqo71ia3plvpjcg29gj4fjekia2s@4ax.com> <010901ce2255$ef074a40$cd15dec0$@org> <t8m9k8pqqv70bd7eik02do04um835fe4r1@4ax.com> <011f01ce231a$ae895240$0b9bf6c0$@org>
The only source of air I've had in my home plumbing was found to be the
water softener.  I had a Sears Kenmore and eventually determined that every
time it 'recycled' it let some air in the system.  I'd get a spitting sink
or shower the morning after.  As I investigated what to I was told that the
Kenmore (and most of the consumer brands like Morton, etc.) use the same
'inexpensive' valve/control.  I was told to buy one that uses a Fleck
controller which is the same brand that Culligan softeners use.  Many
softener supply places on the web say the same thing.

Being a cheap bastard, I rebuilt the Kenmore control valve assembly and
that improved it for a while.  Then I put up with the air until the Kenmore
quit working for the 3rd time and I internet ordered a softener with a
Fleck controller.  Its been six months with no air and no issues.  Not much
time yet, but this unit appears much better made and I know I had to fix
something every couple years with the Kenmore. I've been told to expect it
to work trouble free for 10 years or more.  We'll see.

Anyway,  I believe I saw in the earlier posts that there was also a
softener installed so thought this might be relevant.  There's not many
others ways to get air into the plumbing.

Ben......




On Sun, Mar 17, 2013 at 10:21 AM, Al Fuller <al@bighealey.org> wrote:

> Thanks Roland:
>
> Yes, gas heaters DO have sacrificial rods, but I agree with Paul that the
> rod is unlikely to make the volume of bubbles I'm seeing.
>
> I will have to go back to square one and try to diagnose it...  One thought
> is the water table may have dropped down a bit, and the pump is sucking up
> some air with the water.
>
> Al Fuller
> al at bighealey dot org
> '62 BT-7
> '65 BJ-8
> '85 Rx-7
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Roland Wilhelmy [mailto:rwil@sbcglobal.net]
> Sent: Saturday, March 16, 2013 4:50 PM
> To: Al Fuller
> Cc: Shop-talk@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] turn off the bubble machine
>
> Al (et al.)-
>
> My air in the water lines problem gradually went away.  Now I don't know if
> the problem was electrolysis and it stopped cuz there wasn't any more stuff
> to eat away or if the air came from some place beside the water supply.
> Since I have a service contract on the water heater I am just going to
> watch
> and wait.  I tried to ignite the 'air' coming out of the tap but could not.
> This suggests that whatever the source of the gas it isn't from breaking
> down water into hydrogen and oxygen.
>
> I wish I could give you more help.  Do gas water heaters have sacrificial
> rods?  If so you could pull them and see if they are being destroyed more
> rapidly than normal.  Could you remove the second water heater from the
> plumbing and see if that helps?
>
> -Roland
>
> On Sat, 16 Mar 2013 10:52:46 -0400, you wrote:
>
> ::Roland [and all]:
> ::
> ::Did you ever determine the source of the air bubbles in your water
> system?
> ::
> ::I too have a well and softened system, and have air in the lines.  It
> ::appears to be getting worse, progressing from a mere nuisance to having a
> ::functional impact on the system [eg, the volume of water getting to
> toilet
> ::tanks appears lower now, as does the ability to the 'power flush' toilets
> to ::work...]
> ::
> ::In my case the water heater is gas, not electric.  There are two heaters
> ::installed, but IIRC, only one is working.
> ::
> ::Any help will be appreciated.
> ::
> ::Al Fuller
> ::al at bighealey dot org
> ::'62 BT-7
> ::'65 BJ-8
> ::'85 Rx-7
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