Pressure Tank Over-pressurized (Pressure Switch Stuck), Now Softener & Iron Filter are Messed Up

[J.A.R.V.I.S.]

System details:
Pressure tank: fiberglass Wellmate 87gal. WM25-WB (no older than 2005)
Air (for Iron) Filter: Water-Right Impression Plus (installed late 2021)
Softener: Water-Right Impression Plus (installed late 2021)

I was away from home and my wife let me know the water in the kitchen stopped working. Then it started working again after a few minutes, but the water pressure at the faucet was very high. I got home about 40 minutes later and immediately checked the water system. I could hear the pump running, and the pressure gauge was pegged (passed 100 psi). There was also a small amount of water on the floor. I turned the pump off from the breaker and opened a bunch of faucets to relieve some pressure ASAP. Once pressure was back down to normal, I turned the breaker back on and watched the pressure gauge. When it started climbing higher than it should, I gave the pressure switch a few knocks and it shut off as it should. It went through a few drain/fill cycles and seems to be working properly now. This was a couple weeks ago and the pump/tank/switch seem to be working fine now (but I still want to replace the switch). The tank hasn't leaked since, do you think it's ok?

Ever since then, the brine tank has been full of [gross brown] water 24/7. I unplugged the softener as I was afraid a regen might overflow the tank if it's out of sync. There's also a constant drip/trickle out of the discharge pipe going into the sump pit. I put the softener and air/iron filter into bypass mode independently and the dripping from the discharge pipe is coming from the air/iron filter.

Is this a catastrophic failure or a simple fix? Any help is appreciated

 

[Reach4]

Brine tank full of brown water is weird.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bannerman]

The nipple to the pressure switch may have been partially blocked with rust or sediment, thereby resulting in a delay for the pressure switch to sense the pressure in the water system. This then would result in the pressure switch not activating the pump @ 40 psi, thereby allowing the pressure to drop to 0 psi before the pump was eventually activated. A blocked nipple would also prevent the PS from shutting off the pump @ 60? Psi, thereby causing the pressure to continue to rise to the pump's capability.

Suggest removing the pressure switch to inspect the nipple and both connections. If the nipple is galvanized steel, replace it with a brass nipple, and also suggest installing a pressure relief valve, typically preset to 70 - 75 psi.

The delayed activation of the pump, possibly numerous times, may have caused some sediment/debris to be pumped into the system, which may have accumulated on one of the filter's control valve seals and entered during a brine tank fill. The debris could be potentially flushed off the seal during the next subsequent Backwash cycle, but if the constant leak continues, the control valve may need to be rebuilt with new seals and possibly a new piston.

In addition to potentially contaminated water entering during Brine Fill, water softener salt commonly contains contaminants which will accumulate in the brine tank and can effect the color of the brine. General recommendations include allowing the salt to become depleted to a low level every few years to facilitate brine tank cleaning. Also recommended to sanitize the brine tank while cleaning, using a weak chlorine solution such as 2-3 tablespoons of unscented laundry bleach mixed in 1 gallon warm water.

 

[Reach4]

If events brought brown water in, I wonder if the overpressure could have forced open the brine valve to let water overfill the brine tank. I would have thought pressure would worked to push the seal tighter -- not push it apart. I don't know the construction of your softener.

J.A.R.V.I.S., maybe the brown had built up, and you had not noticed the color until after the event? That color still seems weird.

 

[MaxBlack]

Ever since then, the brine tank has been full of [gross brown] water 24/7.

Isolated to only the brine water?

Bought current house seven years ago from a non-handyman who obviously never touched/fixed ANYTHING, and we did some remodeling that included plumbing work. Found the pressure tank contained years' worth of disgusting gunk that got into all the pipes--should have cleared & cleaned it to a floor drain.

Having noted now that the power NEVER FAILS around here it's likely that tank was never drained or cleaned since installation.