Well educated

[markrahn]

Need some information on water wells. I need a well dug, from what I hear in my area I need to go down around 450 feet. at 16.50 a foot - ouch!

But here is what I don't know.
Do I need 4", 5" or 6" casing?

Will it be alright if I use sch 80 PVC with threaded ends?

Can I put the pump, pitless valve, piping etc myself and save some bucks?

Thanks for your input.

Mark

 

[flyingcow]

I'm guessing it's going to vary from region to region. I have a 220ft drilled well. 1 length of metal(6 inch) casing. Couldn't imagine having to run casing all the way. Putting in a pittless in no biggie. I did mine. Live in deep frost country. Sleeved from the pittless to the house in 4 inch schedule 40 PVC. Good draiinage aorund the PVC, and also put 4 inches of foam over pipe when i was close to surface(less than a foot).

Just make sure the water pump is rated for the depth your going to be at. not fun pulling pump back out.

 

[nybirdman]

Talk to your well driller::Codes vary by state I believe...require in NY ,where I live........Minimum of 19ft.steel caseing...my bedrock was at 6ft.Caseing is six inch.If you haven't done this work before...I would let the well driller do your installation.I paid $24/ft. five years ago.For 450ft. you are going to need a specialized pump..not cheap;but should last 20years.

 

[jinman]

Mark, my well is 386 feet deep and was drilled in 1999. At that time, the going rate for the well with pump, controller, and tank installed was about $10 per foot plus pump and installation for around $5k total. Sounds like a bargain, doesn't it? My casing is 4" PVC with an 8" galvanized header. The pipe is schedule 80 PVC with antiseize compound on the unions. My pump is a Goulds pump and came with a 5-year guarantee. My first problem with the pump was earlier this year when the controller quit operating properly and was replaced at a cost of $200 including $75 service call charge. My driller asked me to provide him with power to the well site and I also built a pad for the wellhouse and plumbed everything from the outlet of the tank.

I don't know if he would have allowed me to do the pump installation, but I would not have wanted to do that. His truck and equipment made it a simple matter. The driller cautioned me to not put the well house over the wellhead for future pump service. My wellhouse is beside the wellhead and I have a small dog house sized stucture over the well for easy removal and access in case a boom truck needs to be positioned over the well.

 

[TheGoose]

I had to look up your county, looks like your near San Antonio. I don't know that much about the area but I would assume that there is some rock involved, which makes it more expensive.

Here's what my educated advice is:

Your driller knows everything he needs to about the well. Around here most are 4", with a few 2", 5", and 6" sprinkled in. The minimum well for a submersible pump is 4", not counting the 3" grundfos makes, but that is a special case. Most likely your well will either be 4" or 5". It may or may not need cased all the way to the bottom. Here everything is cased all the way to the bottom with a screen. Some wells through rock need no screen or casing. Your geology and drillers experience will dictate that.

I like using sch 80 with threaded ends and either stainless, brass, or sch 120 pvc couplings. Depending upon the horsepower and GPM of the pump, your driller can tell you what works best in your area. I would highly adivse you to stay away from the polypipe that some use, but that is a very contensious topic and some may agree or disagree. JMO.

You probably will not need a pitless adapter, but can request one. No need for one in this part of the country.

I doubt you could save very much money DIY. Your driller already has the tools and equipment needed for this job and should have factored it in with the cost. Plus your driller has access to professional grade equipment, stay away from HD and Lowe's. They do not carry high quality WW supplies for the most part.

Goulds, Sta-Rite, Grundfos, Meyers, and Franklin make the best submersible pumps/motors. Your HP and GPM will depend on your pumping or static water level. A high static water level and well yield, the less HP you will need. You should be within the .5-1.5HP range, depending upon your particular situation.

If you want to save money I would simply have the site ready for the well. Have electricity ran (after the well is drilled) and your water pipe to the site to save on installation costs. Let him drill the well and set the pump/tank, then supply your own electricity and water pipe.

Good Luck!

Need some information on water wells. I need a well dug, from what I hear in my area I need to go down around 450 feet. at 16.50 a foot - ouch!

But here is what I don't know.
Do I need 4", 5" or 6" casing?

Will it be alright if I use sch 80 PVC with threaded ends?

Can I put the pump, pitless valve, piping etc myself and save some bucks?

Thanks for your input.

Mark

 

[Kays Supply]

If you had ever heard the splash of a pump hitting bottom when a pipe breaks you wouldn't even consider a DYI. Think about how you are going to hold the pump while you screw a 20' piece of of pipe on and it swaying. Then think about how much a 1.5hp pump weighs with 40 sections of sch 80 attached. If it gives you a problem, add the weight of all that full of water. If you ever need a warranty repair, you will have to pull it all out and take it to where ever you got it, if you do it yourself. If you hire it, all you have to do is make a phone call. Granted I am a pump installer,so all the above is biased, but of all the pumps I have worked on, the ones on PVC make me the most uneasy.

 

[JD3520Cab]

I am moving to the country and was lucky enough that the gentleman that sold me 10 acres included hooking onto his pasture well for my house. it is about 400' deep so it was a no brainer bargain. he said the well casing is 5" as he has many other wells on his property and the ones with 4" don't have enough clearance for the submersible if there are any problems pulling the well for service. it was lucky for him i came along as i needed a bigger pump and when the well repair man pulled the well the pipe had some wear spots that shortly may have broke and dumped the pump in the bottom of the hole. from what little i know about wells i got a quick education and i am glad to leave it to the experts.