Water well questions

[kentuckydiesel]

I recently uncovered an old well on our property which the previous owners had stopped using once they got county water.

Well is 50' deep with 30' of water in it (20' down from the top)...and we're in the middle of a drought! Casing is 6".

Anyway, I am going to put a hand pump and electric pump jack on the well. I'm in the process of making a pump cylinder which will be 2" ID with a 12" stroke. I am also planning to replace the old 1" drop pipe with 2" pipe so I can more easily change leathers when needed.

Here are my questions:
1)For this setup, what size and type of material should I use for the sucker rod?
2)I have heard of people using PVC for drop pipe. Is this a good idea, and if so, will Schedule 40 work, or would I need 80?

Thanks,
Phillip

 

[nybirdman]

I would use 1 inch PVC sch 40...may be hard to pump with 2 inch.Test the water if useing for house-hold use.I also would dump a little chorline/bleach down the well.

 

[kentuckydiesel]

I would use 1 inch PVC sch 40...may be hard to pump with 2 inch.Test the water if useing for house-hold use.I also would dump a little chorline/bleach down the well.

Trying to use 2" so I can pull the plunger without pulling the drop pipe. Most pumping will be done by the pump jack. Would schedule 40 be stiff enough?

 

[Egon]

Have you considered just buying sucker rod?

Or maybe using 1/2 in. Galvanised Pipe?

 

[kentuckydiesel]

Have you considered just buying sucker rod?

Or maybe using 1/2 in. Galvanised Pipe?

I can make whatever I need. Is 3/8" solid steel rod ever used, or would 1/2" pipe be the better option?

 

[The kid]

I recently uncovered an old well on our property which the previous owners had stopped using once they got county water.

Well is 50' deep with 30' of water in it (20' down from the top)...and we're in the middle of a drought! Casing is 6".

Anyway, I am going to put a hand pump and electric pump jack on the well. I'm in the process of making a pump cylinder which will be 2" ID with a 12" stroke. I am also planning to replace the old 1" drop pipe with 2" pipe so I can more easily change leathers when needed.

Here are my questions:
1)For this setup, what size and type of material should I use for the sucker rod?
2)I have heard of people using PVC for drop pipe. Is this a good idea, and if so, will Schedule 40 work, or would I need 80?

Thanks,
Phillip

Depending on what type of pump you are going to use. Submersible or surface pump. Have you tested the GPM? Before using any capped abandoned well, I'd have a sample tested by the state or county health department.-robert

 

[kentuckydiesel]

Depending on what type of pump you are going to use. Submersible or surface pump. Have you tested the GPM? Before using any capped abandoned well, I'd have a sample tested by the state or county health department.-robert

Hand pump with pump cylinder at bottom of well. No electric pump, but hand pump will be operated by way of electric pump jack.

 

[dieselscout80]

Do you have any thing that shows how to make a PVC hand pump? If you do I'd like to see/hear about it.

 

[kentuckydiesel]

Do you have any thing that shows how to make a PVC hand pump? If you do I'd like to see/hear about it.

I've seen a bunch of stuff online about PVC pumps. I'm not going that route tho...my pump cylinder is made entirely of brass, aside from the cup leathers of course.

 

[turnkey4099]

I've seen a bunch of stuff online about PVC pumps. I'm not going that route tho...my pump cylinder is made entirely of brass, aside from the cup leathers of course.

Interesting project but it seems a long way around to get useable water. Why not a shallow well pump and do away with all lthe complications and maintenance issues? Just curius as I have done a few things "just for the doing of it".


Harry K

 

[RobertBrown]

He is going to install a pitcher pump.
Seems to me 1/2" steel pipe would work but it's not going to last as long as rod. Steel pie is cheap steel, it will rust out faster than u think.

 

[kentuckydiesel]

Interesting project but it seems a long way around to get useable water. Why not a shallow well pump and do away with all lthe complications and maintenance issues? Just curius as I have done a few things "just for the doing of it".


Harry K

We already have county water...plus I have a machine shop and a bunch of brass stock. Why not?

 

[Egon]

I can make whatever I need. Is 3/8" solid steel rod ever used, or would 1/2" pipe be the better option?

The 3/8 rod should work. I mentioned the pipe as an alternative.:thumbsup:

 

[forgeblast]

I think lehmans the non electric shop has a lot of well replacment parts if you cant fab it they might have it.

 

[turnkey4099]

We already have county water...plus I have a machine shop and a bunch of brass stock. Why not?

That was my guess and a very good reason it is.

Are you also fabricating the pump jack? I googled for some and was rather shocked at the high prices and complicated construction. Far far above the one we used with a gas engine for a couple years.

Harry K

 

[kentuckydiesel]

That was my guess and a very good reason it is.

Are you also fabricating the pump jack? I googled for some and was rather shocked at the high prices and complicated construction. Far far above the one we used with a gas engine for a couple years.

Harry K

Yea, I am going to fabricate the whole outfit. I tested the brass pump cylinder yesterday...works great! Tomorrow I will fabricate the hand pump. They are $400-$600 new :0 and I just can't see paying that much. Once I get the pump installed on the well, I will go ahead and build the pump jack.

-Phillip

 

[turnkey4099]

Yea, I am going to fabricate the whole outfit. I tested the brass pump cylinder yesterday...works great! Tomorrow I will fabricate the hand pump. They are $400-$600 new :0 and I just can't see paying that much. Once I get the pump installed on the well, I will go ahead and build the pump jack.


-Phillip

Hand pumps for sure and occasionally pump jacks show up at farm auctions around here - don't bring much unless there is a collector in the crowd.

Harry K

 

[RobertN]

As others have mentioned, it would be worthwhile to have a water sample tested. No use pumping contaminated water...

 

[kentuckydiesel]

As others have mentioned, it would be worthwhile to have a water sample tested. No use pumping contaminated water...

I will get it tested but I would bet that the water is good. We,and the well are in a valley and we own the ridge
No place for contamination to come from.

 

[MotorSeven]

Please post some pictures of your pump build, it sounds interesting. I would shock the well before using it, just put a half a gallon of bleach down it should kill any bacteria from sitting so long.