Servicing a Deep Well

[MMalabama]

I have an old deep well on my property that isn't working. The pump works fine, just no water. From what i understand there are leather cups at the bottom that may have worn out causing a bad seal so no water can be pulled up to the surface. The pipe inside the casing is 3/4" iron pipe. Thought Id check to see if anyone on TBN had ever serviced one like this before. I've tried to call a few professionals within a 100 mile radius and I cant get anyone to either return my calls or show up for an estimate. Seems like that's the norm for customer service these days.

 

[CobyRupert]

What is that thing? Does it need to be primed?
I don't know, but I do know the maximum you can only pull/lift water up is about 34 feet. (laws of physics).
How deep is the well?

Is that some type of "jet pump" or something similar that you have to fill/prime, that pushes a small amount of water down an inner tube that pushes (more) water up from the bottom in another pipe (i.e. 2 pipes go into well)? These require a foot valve or check valve at the bottom of the well.

 

[LouNY]

I'm not familiar with your exact pump, but;
if it is a mechanic rod pump yes it will have cups and seals and the seals do wear,
it usually will also have a foot valve (check valve) to hold the water as the cup brings it in.
I wouldn't be surprised if most of the well services are only or much more familiar with submersible pumps.
One other problem could be a rusted thru or broken pipe.
Depending on the depth it could be quite a few joints of pipe to unscrew while pulling it up.
The last time I worked on a plunger, cup or sucker rod pump was close to thirty years ago, the
intent was to pull the rod and cup up thru the pipe replace the leather seal and reinstall.
It didn't work as planed the pipe had corroded so much that the cup got stuck right after the pump barrel.
The "new" one was not designed to be repaired with out pulling the whole thing out of the well.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

To my knowledge there are three types of well pumps commonly used:

Submersible pumps that sit in the water in the well and can be at any depth.

Shallow well pumps that sit on the surface and can pull water up using suction but are limited in how high they can lift due to atmospheric pressure, about 32 feet, but really about 25 feet in practice.

Deep well jet pumps sit on the surface and shoot a stream of water down into the well to drive water up from greater depths than can be pulled.

To my uneducated eye it looks like there is just a single pipe going into the casing, which would indicate a shallow pump.

Is there a nameplate on the pump? Maybe googling will give you more info.

The two most common problems with shallow pumps are that the pump isn't primed, or that the water level in the well is too low.

 

[LouNY]

http://www.rockridgewindmills.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Windmill_Pump.png
Here's a picture of a deep hole piston pump

 

[MMalabama]

I think you are right on with what I have LouNY. So, im thinking i can use the tractor loader with a winch to pull this thing up one section at a time, and if its repairable i will repair it. If not then I will replace it with a submersible perhaps?

 

[mcfarmall]

You can only "suck" water up about 30 feet (pitcher pump with leathers inside) basically works on vacuum created above the static water level.

You can pump water from a 500+ deep well using a cylinder that sits at the bottom of the borehole with sucker rod to the surface with a windmill, pump jack or suitable hand operated pump stand. This arrangement "pushes" water up the drop pipe.

Oil wells use the same technology and can pump from even greater depths.

 

[LouNY]

I think you are right on with what I have LouNY. So, im thinking i can use the tractor loader with a winch to pull this thing up one section at a time, and if its repairable i will repair it. If not then I will replace it with a submersible perhaps?

The worst part of pulling a pump for me has been securing the pipe at the casing level while unscrewing the joints, having the right wedges or clamps makes the job much easier and safer. depending on the manufacture and installer most pipe joints and rods are 20 footers a few have been done with 10 footers lot more joints and sections to unscrew but easier to work with.
Having to lift 20 feet , then secure the remaining pipe, unscrewing the pulled joint, lifting it a bit to expose the pump rod, disconnecting and then standing that section in a rack or laying it down and repeating can get old in a hurry.
Good Luck with it.

 

[MMalabama]

One more question Lou. I get all the steps you are mentioning except where you say "lifting it a bit to expose the pump rod". Are you saying there is a rod inside the pipe? If so is it also in 20ft sections. Please explain this a little more if you could.

 

[prichard]

How do you know it's a deep well? Do you know if there's water?