Explosion. Please help me! My well pump filled with hot water and exploded

[Brandon Walters]

My house runs on well water and water from a cistern also. Today the cistern ran dry causing the need for me to prime the well pump after filling my cistern. I primed the pump, all seemed well, came on at 20 shut off around 45, held pressure,no leaks to be seen. Everything ran well with it all for about two hours until I noticed the laundry room where my pump and tank are located was getting warm. Then I heard that the pump wasn't shutting off even tho nobody was running water. I unplugged the pump to shut it off then, "BOOM" THE INTAKE LINE EXPLODED. Not only did it explode, but it was all scalding hot water!! I got knocked back a few feet and was burnt fairly badly.. can anyone please, please let me know what caused this so I can be sure not to repeat this or worse??

 

[Valveman]

Wow! First time I heard of it exploding and hurting someone. I doubt water from the water heater went back to the pump. The check valve should prevent that from happening. Most likely the water just got hot from spinning in the pump when it did not shut off as it should. The pump could be worn. The jet nozzle could be clogged, or you could have a suction leak. After getting that hot the pump will probably not build as much pressure as it did before, so you may have to turn the pressure switch down so it can shut off, or repair or replace the pump.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Brandon Walters]

Wow! First time I heard of it exploding and hurting someone. I doubt water from the water heater went back to the pump. The check valve should prevent that from happening. Most likely the water just got hot from spinning in the pump when it did not shut off as it should. The pump could be worn. The jet nozzle could be clogged, or you could have a suction leak. After getting that hot the pump will probably not build as much pressure as it did before, so you may have to turn the pressure switch down so it can shut off, or repair or replace the pump.

As hot as it was I'm not so sure it wasn't straight from the water heater. As soon as I cut power to it the pressure gauge bounced then the intake line from the well blew in half rite where it connects to the pump. Is there a way to tell if the check valve isn't working? And where is it located.

 

[Brandon Walters]

There was enough force that the water pressure slammed me back into the door 4 feet away and to the floor. Also got enough that I instantly got second degree burns everywhere that came in contact with the water. It blistered my stomach in seconds.

 

[LLigetfa]

I suspect a water heater malfunction and the TPR failed to release so the pressure backed up into the pump. An overheated water heater can boil the water and build up steam pressure. Google exploding water heaters to see how much force it can release. They've been known to rocket up through the roof.

 

[Valveman]

Post a picture. If there is a check valve on the pump water cannot backup to the suction pipe.

 

[Terry]

Questions

Do you have a gas water heater? Sometimes unplugging at the wall gives off a spark which can ignite gas that may have leaked into the room.

How about a picture of the water heater installation. As mentioned by LLigetfa the PRV should release pressure from a water heater that is over heated or has too much pressure.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/water-heater-explosion.4709/

 

[Reach4]

1. You should test your temperature and pressure (T+P) relief valve periodically. Lift the lever, and water should come out at a high rate. Release the lever, and the valve should close back up. It has been a while since I have done that, but your post inspires me to do it now.
2. I would replace your T+P valve even tho it seems to test good. But we would like know the result of your testing with the lever.
3. Your title is misleading. Your pump did not explode.
4. I expect that the burst pipe is on the house side of the check valve. The check valve may be down the well.

 

[Brandon Walters]

The tpr valve was bad, I just replaced everything. Multiple things were wrong I found out that caused this to happen. Old rusted tpr valve on gas water heater. When the cistern ran dry I only shut off the pump and not water heater, causing it to keep heating what water was left in the heater until hours later. There were no check valves anywhere in the system except for the ball valve that allowed it to build pressure before the pump. There was a shut off valve between pump and heater witch once opened let the hot water and steam flow backwards to the pump once opened. Then the pump running was the only thing balancing out the pressure until it was shut off releasing all the pressure into the intake line,that was not a pressure line. It had been a plastic hose someone had installed from a spa setup. Now I have a ball valve in the cistern, then a check valve before the pump, then another between pump and heater. Also I switched to all steel braided lines before and after pump. Got rid of all plastic possible.

 

[LLigetfa]

You will need an expansion tank for the water heater since you installed a check valve.

 

[Michael Young]

Send some good pictures to the group so these guys can help you put it back the right way (SAFE). What you're describing never should have happened.