large particles in filter

I had the casing extended on my well. Most of you probably familiar.
New pump, motor, pitless, tank, CSV, etc.

Well was probably drilled in the 1960's. So the well is nearly 50yrs old.

The water is used primarily for the sprinkler system. So I put a 50 mesh AFI "clear" action machine filter on it to filter debris which seemed prevalent on the old system. Which is what the guy suggested.
I'm getting the same debris on the new system. It resembles coffee grounds. Looks like rust. If you smoosh it between your fingers it smears into a powder. However, water is clear.
Anyway it clogs my filter about 20 minutes into the first station on my sprinkler system, and I have major flow loss to where my heads just dribble water. So I clean it out it and it works great for 20-30min and it happens again.

I've run the water frequently and for about an hour at a time on the garden hose to try to flush this out since the well has just been on for a week or two. I figured it was rust flaking off the casing and it would clear up after a few days. But it hasn't.

Do you think my casing is toast? If it is, I just spent $3500 for nothing!
Wouldn't they have told me before we went through all this?

If you don't think my casing is toast(based on age?) could I put a larger mesh filter on? I'm just afraid if some of the grounds were to get through they would clog my valves on my sprinker system. Is the 50 size mesh what I need or do I need to look at a different type of filter altogether? The also make a sand separator type filter. (http://www.actionfilters.com/content/?page=8)

We can't see particles less than 50-45 micron. If you go to a finer mesh, it will probably block up sooner. You could buy an automatic flush version of the mesh screen type filter but that would require power at the filter. And the stuff may be too light to settle out if the water went into a holding tank before you used it. So about the only other choice would be an automatic backwashed turbidity filter.

I assume that without any filter your sprinkler heads have blocked up before, right?

I have never tried to use the sprinkler system without the filter because I figured the valves would get plugged. The heads are rainbird minipaw rotor type. They in themselves will shoot out the particles I'm talking about. But if I take the filter off the valves will surely get plugged with that stuff(similar to fine coffee grounds).

Again, I was wondering if I could go a larger mesh so that it would catch the particles but still let water through.

Do you think my casing is o.k?

Forty five micron is a smaller particle than a 50 micron, so increasing the mesh size means the hole in the screen get larger allowing larger particles through the screen.... how does that help your concerns, that may be incorrect because you say the heads will allow the particles through but then say they'll block them up? How do you know either will happen without trying both? And since this set up isn't working, take the screen out and see what happens, can't you clean the heads if they block up?

I'm not as worried about the heads blocking up as I am the particles getting in the valves in the valve box. They can be a pain to clean out. I under stand the micron sizing stuff.
It seems that my filter is catching everything. And I don't think my valves would plug if the smaller stuff was being let through. I also don't think it's the larger rust pieces that is clogging my filter. I think it is stuff that is much smaller. Again, I think, and a big "I think", if I let those through and just caught the larger pieces it would work. However, my logic may be way off.

Also, When I take my filter out to clean it the filter isn't really full of the rust grounds, so I'm a little confused why it is plugging and isn't letting more water through. So I'm assuming it's smaller particles(probably still visible and probably rust) that are clogging it.
I am I wrong to assume that the small particles will not mess up my valves if I went to a larger mesh size(larger hole)? Like I said before I don't think the valves will like the larger particles??? Other wise like you suggested I'd get rid of the filter altogether.

Thanks for your help Gary

Maybe the larger particles are trapping the smaller stuff on them blocking the filter. If so I don't know how you'd let the smaller through and keep the larger ones. You can try to go larger mesh and see what happens. Or get an auto flushed version of the filter. Or I could build you a manual backwashed filter in like a 7" x 35" or 6" x 18" tank; or as large as needed. The larger tank has more capacity and you'd backwash it less often. I'd have to know how many gpm you flow though. If you had electricity, you could use an automatic backwashed control valve.

You can buy "dirty-water" control valves for the sprinkler system, like a Rainbird PESB, and just blow the crud out the Maxipaw heads.

Thanks!

The first thing I think I will try is running the well for 1/2 a day or so with an open hose again. A buddy of mine says running the hose 2-3 times at an hour each probably isn't enough to rid itself of the majority of the rust particles disturbed when the new extention, pump, etc were installed. If they are as bad after that I will look at both of the options you all have suggested. Thanks

1. A backwashed filter or control valve
or
2. Try the rainbird PESB valves

There ya go, and get rid of those small one faucet filters. Their "job" is to plug up.

bob...

Where would one buy an automatic backwashed control valve? Is it a type of filter?

You can buy one from Gary or me. We both sell them. The idea of a larger tank is more flow and far less plugging up.

Running your well through a hose is your main problem. If you cut the pipe at the well and run it full blast, you will probably get all that junk out once and for all and the problem will be solved. Casing does not rust that fast that the particles will just keep coming. Your well has just not been flushed properly yet.

bob...

My fear is that we will be on vacation and the thing will plug and my pump will burn up. What do one of those cost?

I don't have a way to cut the pipe anymore now that the hole is backfilled.
Hmmmmm. I could maybe flush it out of the drain valve on my tank T in the basement with a hose attached?

The hose is what is slowing the water flow. The hose bibb will also slow it down. It needs to be flushed from the top of the droppipe in order to do it right. This should have been done when the new pump was installed.

bob...