Spin-Down and/or Sediment Filter Installation Location? w pside-kick?

Valveman · Oct 18, 2011

Elton Noway said:
Just shy of one year after installation ... and Everything is still working perfectly!!! Crystal clear water! No more sediment accumulating in the toilet tanks or clogging washing machine hose filters (thanks to the Lakos Sand Master)... We're also enjoying long showers with constant water pressure - just like in the city! (thanks to the Pside-kick system with PK1W Cycle Stop Valve).

Thanks for the feedback, picture, and explanation. Like I said before, the best news is usually no news at all. When someone spends a page or two on a forum trying to get a well or pump problem fixed, then all of a sudden they disappear, they got the problem solved. People don’t want to have to think about their water systems as long as clean water comes out the faucet when the tap is opened. A good pump system is one you shouldn’t have to think about except maybe once every 15 or 20 years. There are plenty of other things in life to worry about.

Maybe the forum needs a reference button. Five years after your last post, you get an email giving the link and asking you to comment on the last five years of service from the product and information you learned about here. Just a thought. There are a lot of old threads now that I would like to know how things worked out.

Elton Noway · Oct 18, 2011

valveman said:
Thanks for the feedback, picture, and explanation. Like I said before, the best news is usually no news at all. When someone spends a page or two on a forum trying to get a well or pump problem fixed, then all of a sudden they disappear, they got the problem solved.

Hi Valveman... I 'd like to say I was simply doing a followup for my thread... but in truth, a coworker came to me this morning to tell me the output from his well dropped off dramatically this morning. On investigation he discovered the bladder in his vertical tank let go. He remembered me talking about how I eliminated the big bladder tank during my well overhaul last year and started asking questions. I went looking for this thread for him to read... (to save him from having to do all the same research). It was then I discovered I failed to do any follow up on my original thread. Ooops...

Anyway... after reading my thread (and a couple others on the CSV and Pside-kick) and once he realized the Pside-kick system was a "complete kit"... and that his well would deliver constant water pressure, he starting putting together his order! Now it looks like I'll be offering him some installation assistance once he gets everything. I told him he really didn't need my help, that the instructions with the Pside-kick are great and its actually quite easy to install. But... I'll go over to his place and watch... besides... he offered me all the free beer I can drink

Anyway, thanks again for all your advice and guidance (and the others who replied to my thread). I've been fixing and repairing wells, both mine and others in my family, for decades. I've installed more bladder tanks that I care to think about. I'm old school and semi-retired and have preached many sermons about why a well needs a big bladder tank. On stumbling across a thread talking about the Cycle Stop Valve I'll admit I was hesitant and didn't completely understand the technology of how it works. I'm glad I was flexible enough to see the light and move away from old school ideas.

Back when my old fashioned bladder failed I was able to keep my well limping along by first draining the tank and then charging it with air. I had to keep adding every every night but it worked. During that time I spent many many hours researching and reading everything I could find on the CSV. However, once I discovered that NASA uses the Cycle Stop Valve I was sold. I was affiliated with the aerospace industry I know how much money and research NASA puts into their projects... after reading the NASA article it was a no brainer. If it was good enough for NASA it was good enough for me. Both my wife and I are very pleased with the systems performance. It was money well spent... and thats saying a lot coming from me because I'm really careful when it comes to opening my wallet.

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Texas Wellman · Oct 18, 2011

Thanks for the reply. I installed the Lakos identical to the one in your picture. I assume it's working as advertised as I don't hear any complaints.

Elton Noway · Oct 19, 2011

Texas Wellman said:
Thanks for the reply. I installed the Lakos identical to the one in your picture. I assume it's working as advertised as I don't hear any complaints.

Yep... my Lakos Separator is working as advertized, definitely taking out the sand, grit and larger pieces of sediment. I just flushed it last Sunday. I wish I had known I was going to be updating this thread, I could have included an actual picture of the accumulated sediment my the sight tube as it was close to half full.

Ballvalve · Oct 19, 2011

A 199$ electric water heater with a real drain valve makes a very cheap and maximally effective sand trap. even comes insulated for condensation for free.

dont get a so called self cleaning one.

ncgeo · Oct 20, 2011

Elton Noway said:
Thanks for the feedback valveman... I went ahead and installed the Sandmaster before the CSV / pside-kick. As discussed earlier... many troubleshooting threads die off once the person resolves their intitial situation with little or no followup... so I wanted to close the loop.

My final setup as follows:

pump > Lakos SandMaster > CSV / pside-kick manifold > Big Blue 20" filter > House

Setup has been in operation now for a little over two weeks. Constant 50lbs pressure. CSV working as advertised... and no pump cycling. Its been great! Now that everything is in place I have one last question... I plumbed everything, including the two pressures gauges as suggested by Lakos.

I also installed a pressure gauge on either side of the Big Blue filter to give me a better way to monitor when the filter needs replacing. The gauge on the pside-kick manifold as well as both gauges on either side of the Big Blue filter are all reading 50 psi... but the two gauges on either side of the Sandmaster are both reading 110 psi! At first I freaked out. When I first saw 110 psi I paniced thinking the PVC feed from my well was going to burst. In an effort to troubleshoot, and eliminate the Sandmaster as a reason for the buildup, I took it completely out of the circuit. To my surprise both gauges still read 110 psi. Thankfully, a post I found in another forum helped ease some of my worry. It was stated the pressure build up is normal with the CSV. As follows:

"The pump should build about 130 PSI max on the inlet to the CSV. That high pressure is not dangerous or going to hurt anything. High pressure actually makes the work on the pump easier and the motor will pull less amps, than when running at higher flow rates."

After reading that comment and contemplating the fact I had 110 psi... my light bulb went on! All of a sudden I realised why you said "If your pump can build more than 150 PSI, then you must put the filter after the CSV" Whew.

Anyway... after two weeks, no leaks and nothing has blown up yet. Now realizing my my initial fears were unfounded.

Final installation picture below (sorry it took so long):

I assume you are OK running the 100 psi max rated filter at 110 psi? Undoubtedly there is some margin of safety in that rating.

ncgeo · Oct 20, 2011

ncgeo said:
I assume you are OK running the 100 psi max rated filter at 110 psi? Undoubtedly there is some margin of safety in that rating.

Where I said filter I meant Lakos Sandmaster

Ballvalve · Oct 22, 2011

I say reliance water heater from true value for 200 bucks.

Spin-Down and/or Sediment Filter Installation Location? w pside-kick?

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