Well Priming

[Rob111]

You can do all of that, but bottom line is your foot valve isn't holding. could be dirt build up or wore out. everything you add to system is another to have issues with.
rob111

 

[Qapla]

It is highly probable that, since this well uses a jet pump, it is a 2" well.

If that is the case, it would make the change to a submersible not possible without putting in a new well. If you decide or need a new well, I would recommend a 4" over a 3" - the 3" pumps are usually quite a bit more expensive than 4"

 

[Egon]

Might be easiest to move the pump inside and out of well pit.

 

[Zerk]

Yep, it another example of not thinking about maintenance when installing a system. Everything should be easily accessible. Well pits are....well...the pits! In most cases what is installed in the pit should have, and can be installed in the house basement if there is one or a service room on the first floor.

I think they put the room next to the house so they well could be drilled. Also you would not want it in the basement if you ever had to pull up the pipe. It was a pretty smart idea, but they should have put a door on.

It may have been a matter of darn, I am tired of swinging this sledge hammer big enough for now.


Is there a hatch at the top where you can lower a ladder, if the room is big enough?

 

[Zerk]

Might be easiest to move the pump inside and out of well pit.

That is how my house was. The pump was in the basement, next to the wall, and the well under the porch stairs that lifted up. It was 1920s school house and may not have had water or the porch was an add on. The porch connected the garage, so it may have not been there originally.

He may have had fears of the basement freezing. Though most don't. Maybe if it was a huge old farmhouse, where heating was so-so. My great grandparents would put the fire out at night, after they had a chimney fire.

I would not replace a good pump, but I would have a plan or look at next time. But how many things in our life should we be preparing for, but don't get around to?

 

[Zerk]

I hve done lots of things, that the next owner may think I am crazy for. I did for some reason, out of the norm, that I though was brillant. Who knows maybe in all the junk some where there was a tube and funnel. Maybe he planned on sending the kids in. Darn freeloaders.

I have some elobrate electrical schemes that someone is going to say WTF was this guy doing.

 

[Zerk]

With all the bleeding involved with mine after I take it apart or re-prime, I have thought about piping the bleeder valve out of the pit. So I don't have to go down there naked in the middle of a showr.

 

[dickfoster]

I had a jt pump when I was younger, but didn't know much about wells then.

It is creating suction like a 2 pipe system, but can over come 26'?

I think the limit is one atmosphere or one bar and is why they had to pump mines in lifts of 30' or so.

 

[Zerk]

I think the limit is one atmosphere or one bar and is why they had to pump mines in lifts of 30' or so.

I realize that, it is around 26 feet. You can double that with a 2nd pipe. two pipes go down to a Y and create a venture. This is how shallow wells are done with pump near ground level. Mine is dug down 4 feet, to stay warmer. I also only have one pipe system, and I am limited to 26 feet.

With the jet pump it sounds like you may be able to over come 26x2 limit. even though I had one 15 years ago, I am not overly familiar with it. It was newer and it worked.

 

[dickfoster]

I realize that, it is around 26 feet. You can double that with a 2nd pipe. two pipes go down to a Y and create a venture. This is how shallow wells are done with pump near ground level. Mine is dug down 4 feet, to stay warmer. I also only have one pipe system, and I am limited to 26 feet.

With the jet pump it sounds like you may be able to over come 26x2 limit. even though I had one 15 years ago, I am not overly familiar with it. It was newer and it worked.

Yep that's two lifts. Overall a submersible pump is better all around as they are protected from the cold, are self priming and you can lift as far as your pumps horsepower allows.

I have a two horse hanging at 300' and I think my next door neighbor had to go three or four as he went all the way down to 800' or about 780 with the pump. He could have hung it at only 350' or 400' because I watched them drill that well and the only water the driller got was around 325 and above, from 400' or so down on down it was all shale and not another drop. At that he only got about 3.5GPM. The rig was done at 800' so going deeper would have meant a bigger drilling rig. At 400' they went from a 6" to a 4" drill so there really isn't that much water down that hole. Just wasted energy to pump it to my way of thinking plus he had to hang it on steel pipe with the heavier pump and all that pipe. At around 300' you can hang them on poly pipe which is much cheaper and it's a whole lot easier to pull the pump later on. I learned a lot watching them drill that well.