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The Mystery of the Disappearing Water

P4dstar

Premium Member
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3,956
Location
Gloucestershire
I have an IBC in the garage which is filled by the 4040 RO. It's set up in a corner out of the way. I have a solenoid shut off valve fitted. After fitting a booster pump I realised it was stopping and then a few minutes later it would start again, run for a minute or so and then shut off. This would continue for quite a while. I assumed the booster had damaged the solenoid or was overriding it and forcing water through or something. I stopped using the booster as the TDS dropped and it wasn't really required all the time, I realised the same was happening without the booster pump. I assumed the solenoid was damaged and just fitted a timer a month or so ago.

A few days ago I could have sworn the water level in the IBC had dropped. The next morning I took a picture. It had been sat overnight and at 10pm the level was higher, this time I was sure. Checked again in the afternoon and it had dropped even further. The picture attached is a picture of the morning on the left and the afternoon on the right. Remember it was even higher the evening before, probably another 2 inches in order for the solenoid to have kicked in. There is no way the tank is leaking, certainly not that much water. It is in a corner of the garage on its own and a puddle would be noticeable. There is no where for water to escape and no wet marks around it. I assume the tank is expanding at the sides, making the water level drop and in turn the solenoid float to disengage and open the flow again. Anyone else had this?

IMG_0146.JPG

 
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That's a big drop that probably 100l the way you have described it. 

What outlets have you got on the IBC? Just the main bottom connector?

Can you get round to the exterior of the garage corner it's set in to see if there is any damp being concealed under/behind the IBC? 

 
Can you get round to the exterior of the garage corner it's set in to see if there is any damp being concealed under/behind the IBC? 
Yeah I leaned over into the corner, bone dry mate.

Is the tank sealed? Is it in sunlight? Is there a change in temperature in the room? 
It's a garage so always cold. As for sealed there are no leaks.

check your transfer system, I bet it’s siphoning out of there.
Floodpump stored in the IBC itself and that is hung above the tank. If it were leaking it would be dripping all over the tank.

Genuine mystery this one. The only other thing I can think is the frame has become weak. The IBC was a used one given to me by Green Pro about 2 years ago. He said it had been sat outside for at least 12 months at that point.

 

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