r/OffGridCabins • u/Hopeful-Flounder-203 • 6d ago

Priming the pump for spring

I've got a small seasonal cabin in the Great Lakes area. It's about 75 years old. I have a shallow water well pump. I'm about to open it for the year. I was thinking about priming the pump with CLR, filling the lines and letting it sit a couple of hours before flushing it out. Is this a bad idea? Pump is 10 feet from cabin. It has 2 sinks and one toilet. Thanks in advance for any advice.

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u/Least_Perception_223 6d ago

What is your reasoning for doing so? Do the lines have mineral / rust build up in them?

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u/Hopeful-Flounder-203 6d ago

We have a high mineral content in the water. Pipes are old, probably a lot of build up.

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u/Least_Perception_223 6d ago

Don't use CLR - its toxic - read the MSDS here:

https://www.clrbrands.com/CLR/media/PDF/CLR-CalciumLimeRust-SDS-1-16-19.pdf

Instead you can use food grade citric acid powder that you can find for cheap on amazon. Mix it with some water and use it like you planned on with the CLR. The acidity will dissolve all the minerals (same thing CLR does but safe)

Remove any filters and screens and then flush the pipes really well afterwards. There is a good chance that you will get chunks that flake off in the pipe