Water supply from well to the house

[Reverend Blair]

If you're not running electric service in the same trench, then lay an insulated copper wire, 6ga or so, in the trench next to the water line and leave one end of the wire exposed above ground. That way you can locate that plastic line with an electric oscillator and simple detection equipment if you ever need to fix a problem.

Now that's good advice.

 

[soal man]

Thought I would throw in a few pictures to make it official. Added one for the electrical crowd also.

 

[captaincrab55]

1" pvc is too small--1-1/4 or 1-1/2" is what you want.
Bury it at least 18" deep
If you're not running electric service in the same trench, then lay an insulated copper wire, 6ga or so, in the trench next to the water line and leave one end of the wire exposed above ground. That way you can locate that plastic line with an electric oscillator and simple detection equipment if you ever need to fix a problem.

If the well casing is steel, there should be ground wire back to the service entrance main switch or panel...

 

[gerard]

If the well casing is steel, there should be ground wire back to the service entrance main switch or panel...

I know they use the water pipes to ground the system when you have city water. If you have plastic is it necessary to run wire back to the casing or can you just use a ground stake pounded into the ground? I THINK that's what my house has but can't swear to it.

 

[RickB]

I know they use the water pipes to ground the system when you have city water. If you have plastic is it necessary to run wire back to the casing or can you just use a ground stake pounded into the ground? I THINK that's what my house has but can't swear to it.

Codes vary from place to place. It's best to get a trusted local answer to a question like that.

 

[billfires]

This is what I did 10 years ago. I ran 3 pipes in the trench from the well to the house. The first is the pipe from the well pump to the tank, the second has 2 sets of electrical wires (1 set connected and the 2nd a spare set), and the third is a spare water line. My thinking is if I have a problem with either the well line or electric I can just connect the spare without digging. The first house we built I ran a single pipe and the electric wiring inside of 4" schedule 10 pipe (the thinking being I could pull new pipe or wire if need be. Hope this helps, Bill C

 

[soal man]

The well is already fed power from an old house meter just opposite the new house. I do think I'll go ahead and lay a conduit for power if I decide to feed it off of my house when I tear down the old house. Either that or I will just have a meter at the pump house.

The new house will have automatic generator back-up so that would beat hauling the portable to the well after a hurricane and keeping gasoline in it. I would need a bigger home generator, though. Oh well, something else to think about.

Thanks again to all for sharing your perspective and knowledge.

 

[TheGoose]

1" sch 40 PVC with belled ends. Use good quality glue and primer, you'll never have another problem.

Black poly pipe is terrible, I can't believe anybody would use that stuff for their main plumbing line. Dig up enough with splits and leaks and you'll see.

1" will be fine for what you're doing.

 

[CurlyDave]

The new house will have automatic generator back-up so that would beat hauling the portable to the well after a hurricane and keeping gasoline in it. I would need a bigger home generator, though. Oh well, something else to think about.

In emergency situations you do not have to run your well pump very often. Run the generator for 20-30 minutes or less to fill the pressure tank, and it can be a few days before you need to run the generator again if you practice a bit of water conservation.

Going down to the pump house and running the generator for a short while a few times a week beats the heck out of running the generator continuously.

For me, at least, the purpose of backup power is to preserve a reasonably comfortable life for a few days until normal power is restored, not to live without any changes at all.

 

[soal man]

In emergency situations you do not have to run your well pump very often. Run the generator for 20-30 minutes or less to fill the pressure tank, and it can be a few days before you need to run the generator again if you practice a bit of water conservation.

Going down to the pump house and running the generator for a short while a few times a week beats the heck out of running the generator continuously.

For me, at least, the purpose of backup power is to preserve a reasonably comfortable life for a few days until normal power is restored, not to live without any changes at all.

I couldn't agree more if the well was only supplying the house, but this well also supplies water for livestock. After a few days without power I started thinking about the benefits of a direct-feed backup for the well. Three weeks without power and I was sold.

Totally agree with you on the purpose of backup power.