Help with well troubles

Rotax · Feb 10, 2015

Hey all, we have a 55 foot well on our property that hasn't been used in years. There was a pump lowered into the well on a rope and over the years the rope must of stretched and now the pump in stuck in the mud/silt at the bottom of the well and we cannot get it to budge. Anybody have any ideas on how to get it up? There is a piece of 1 1/4" poly pipe on it as well. I had thought about pumping some water down the poly pipe to try flush the mud out but think theres a foot valve on it and that won't work. And I am afraid of pulling to hard on the rope and breaking it, then the pump would be stuck down there for good. Any ideas? Thanks all

Billrog · Feb 10, 2015

Maybe try sticking some PVC down the well to pump some water down and try and flush the pump loose while you keep a steady pressure on the rope.

avillahdw · Feb 10, 2015

If you feel like it is sediment, try putting a twist hose nozzle set to "stream" on the end of the aforementioned pvc to help loosen it up. The more water pressure you can blow down the well, the more likely of breaking it loose. Make sure pvc is lowered as far down as possible. Try to put a little pressure on rope and poly pipe while doing this so when it starts releasing you will know it.

Leejohn · Feb 10, 2015

Better tie off the poly 1st, the rope might not hold.

BHD · Feb 10, 2015

my guess is it is a submersible pump, do not know if it would work, but here is my idea,

would think if one would put a little tension on the polly, and then cycle the pump, a few times the twist of the start up of the motor, may break it loose, start it a few times and see if it breaks loose, and then maybe one can pull it,

troutsqueezer · Feb 11, 2015

That happened to me once. The well guys said all they could do was pull it, if it broke then it would stay down there. Fortunately, it pulled out without busting the poly pipe or nylon rope. The new one was set in ten feet higher.

Baby Grand · Feb 11, 2015

Go fishin' with a hook & long borescope?
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GLyford · Feb 11, 2015

Would it help to put some tension on it, and then leave it like that for a while, let the sediment work around the tension by itself, then come along later (hours, days, weeks) and add more tension? Might not take many cycles before you start getting some real movement.

Rotax · Feb 11, 2015

Thanks for all the ideas guys. Right now it is -30c out and won't be doing this till spring, but will put some of the ideas to work if/when it warms up....

BHD · Feb 11, 2015

for a well inspection, (will not work under water, but one can see the casing is not caved in, down to water level, Iused on a 300 foot well,

get a backup camera head, off eBay, (the one I got was under $25) and then a cable for security cameras, I just used a portable TV, to view, and I think I powered the camera with a 9volt battery,

looks like one can get for about $15 now, 7 LED Night Vision Waterproof Rear View Camera NSTC Parking Backup CMOS Camera

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Redneck in training · Feb 12, 2015

If you have pressurized water available you can get one of those to shake and "liquefy" the sediment. You need to put about a foot of pipe around it and drop it in the well on garden hose. It will vibrate the water column and hopefully shake the sediment freeing the pump. If not you will have a drain opener.

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or this device
VIBCO Pneumatic Vibrator, 450lb, 18, 000vpm, 80psi - G2142296 at Zoro

FarmWrench · Feb 12, 2015

Get ready for when it warms up.

Find a big tank. Maple sap tank, fertilizer poly tank...milk truck. 500 gallon minimum. Have some way to have it full of clean water very close to the well and be able to put the water INTO the well at a controlled rate.

Get 100' roll of 1 1/2" (2 inch if you can get it down the well) fertilizer suction hose (green stuff with hard Polly support or any other hard suction hose) and hook it to a gas drive pump ( Honda with pacer 200gpm pump)

Get three friends with dry clothing handy. Run the suction hose all the way to the pump (centralizers on submersible pump will make this a frustrating job) When you get to the mud start filling up the well from your water tank. As soon as the well is full start the suction pump. If you keep the well full the pump will draw water from the bottom and bring mud and rust up.

I got several 55 gal drums full of rust and gravel out of an 80' well this way. But I already had the jet pump out.

You may just have the shoe for the pit less connection froze and the pump will come up after that. Or are you in a pit?

Dave M7040 · Feb 13, 2015

The well drillers use compressed air to clean wells. It is amazing how much crud will come blasting out.
They use a big compressor like one for a jack hammer which you can rent for a reasonable rate for 1/2 day.
They put a length of rigid pipe on the end of the air hose to pull the hose to the bottom.
Stand well back when you turn on the air.
Alternatively a strong pressure washer with a heavy pipe on the end of the hose with a straight jet on the end of the pipe will break up the muck.
Dave M7040

Rotax · Jun 22, 2015

Well I have a great news! I got the pump out last night! I ran a hose down the well and let it flush the mud and stuff off the pump. It pulled hard at first, then it came nice and easy!

Now on to my other question, the well is has a wood casing. I want to put a liner in it to stop the possiblities of it colapsing in. Next question, what do you all recommend to do this? Also how would i go abouts it? Thanks for the help so far everyone!

joeyd · Jun 22, 2015

Congrats on getting it out. I would just check with a well driller to see what they would do and how much it would cost. Then see if you could round up the same material and do it yourself. I always try to ask the pros first.

Cord · Jun 23, 2015

Rotax said:
the well is has a wood casing. I want to put a liner in it to stop the possiblities of it colapsing in. Next question, what do you all recommend to do this?

A wood casing????? There is absolutely no way that a wood casing would give you a sanitary well. I can't imagine it lasting any length of time which might explain why the pump was buried. Got any pictures?