How do ya install a sand point well?

[RonR]

Mom in Law has a sand pointed well for irrigation that hasn't work for ten plus years. The kicker is Dad (and he was aero engineer) for whatever reason set the well UNDER the basement staircase!!!!!! He had rigged so some of the steps could be removed for better access.

After looking at this for ten minutes, I concluded that the only way I'd want to try to "fix" it, would be to take the pump/motor loose, and put down a sand pointed well in the backyard.

The pump is a centrifigal pump, and the water table is about 20 ft there, in heavy sand.

So, I know you need galvanized pipe and a sand point. I assume this includes a check valve???? Do you just pound the pipe into the ground? Or do you somehow auger first?

I need to know how much effort I'm getting into before I commit to doing a project like this. THKS.

ron

 

[beenthere]

Just pound them in, as that is how they are designed.
This site might help. http://fdungan.faithweb.com/well.htm

I would first 'shoot' the old well to see if that will get it working again. If you can get a .22 pistol or rifle barrel aimed down the pipe, then fire a shot. The muzzle velocity seems to sometimes dislodge the buildup of sand around the bleed holes and allow the pump to get water flow again. Might be worth a try.

 

[NewToy]

When the guy put mine in down in Florida they had a tanker truck and shot water under pressure through the point and just pushed it right through the sand by hand. I haven't ever seen anything like it. It just went right through that sand in like 30 seconds. Amazing.

John

 

[goaliedad]

do a search- there was a thread about drilling your own well a while ago- sand points aren't that complicated- we drilled on about 90 feet- the only caution I would give is to use "Driving couplings" instead of regular couplings- the threads are a different design, meant to hold up against the force of driving. You can make a driving weight- a piece of steel rod about 4 feet long weleded to the center a heavy steel block with an eye on top. Set up a tripod with a pulley, slip the rod inside the pipe and pull the weight up and drop in on the pipe. 30 feet in sand should be a piece of cake. To check to see if you have hit water, pour water down the pipe- once you're in water you will not be able to fill the pipe. Also, when you hit water the pipe will most likely drop faster than before.
good luck

 

[PineRidge]

My first home had a sand point well in the basement. Had to call a well guy when we started experiencing water delivery problems. Watched him use an old manual jack to remove each 7' section of pipe to pull the point which was restricted by rust. He replaced the old point with a new stainless point and drove each section back into the sand using a conventional manual rammer like they sell at TSC. Total cost $500.00