Well Help

[Whiskey Sniffer]

I'm replacing my well pump and after turning off the power and taking the lid off I discovered this:
[URL=http://s288.photobucket.com/user/Whiskey_Sniffer/media/image1_zpsgdmgezok.jpg.html][/URL]

There is a PVC pipe leading to the connection that runs to the house and I'm afraid of putting too much pressure on it any suggestions. I was hoping to screw a galvanized T pipe into the fitting to pull up the pump but the guy who installed the well used PCV.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[MossRoad]

My well is all PVC. I think they used some sort of special tool to disconnect the well pipe from the pipe to the house that is down in the hole about 5-6 feet. Pitless adapter tool or something like that?

 

[paulharvey]

My well is Sch-80 pvc, but they threaded the ends and used galvanized threaded couplings, rather than glue. My set up is simply a 90 then pvc down, but there are some that use a "shoe" fitting. Google well shoe fitting to get a better idea what it is, and how it works. I belive you simply yank it up to disconnect, and weight and an o-ring seal it?

 

[Xfaxman]

Pitless Adapter

 

[buckeyefarmer]

My pitless takes a 1" pipe. I keep one in the shed, with a T on top (to turn it, and to keep it from falling down the well) just for those moments. I installed my original pump and have had to pull it about 3 times in 17 yrs.

 

[oosik]

Whiskey - The post by Xfaxman is a perfect picture of the pitiless adapter and how it works. This may be a situation you are not prepared to handle though. The pipe, wire & pump below the pitiless can be very heavy depending upon how deep your well is.

I've seen well service companies do this many times and they have and use fairly unique equipment.

They have a "shoe" which is used to hold the drop pipe (pipe from pitiless to well) while they disconnect the section of upper pipe - that which is above the shoe. They have special "tower rigging" that is used to attach to and lift the drop pipe.

If the drop pipe is galvanized, the sections, most likely, will 21 foot in length.

The drop pipe is lifted so the connection between the sections of pipe is exposed, the shoe is installed to hold the pipe, the exposed power wiring is disconnected from the lifted pipe, the lifted pipe is unscrewed. Then the "lifting clamp" - of whatever type - is reinstalled on the drop pipe and the process is repeated until the pump is pulled with the last section of drop pipe.

The major concerns are: are you equipped with equipment to grip and lift 21 foot sections of pipe - remember you will be lifting the entire length of drop pipe, the pump and all the wiring with each lift. Do you have the shoe to hold the drop pipe so the exposed section can be unscrewed and removed. And last, but by far not least - you do not want to make a mistake and drop the entire "system" or you will be looking for equipment to search, find and grip the dropped "system" at some depth down the well casing.

I've seen homeowner service their own system but normally on fairly shallow wells - 100 foot depth or less. The weight of the drop pipe, wiring, & pump is normally just too much for a homeowner to handle when the well depth is greater.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Mine is 200'. a pain to pull myself. theres been previous threads on pulling pumps.

 

[Whiskey Sniffer]

Thanks for your replies. My well (I'm told) is 80 ft deep with a good light I can see the top of the pump. My concern is the pipe from the top of the well to the pittless valve is pvc. If I pull too hard (FEL) or tap with a hammer I risk breaking the pcv pipe. In the photo note the aluminum cross piece with the ground contact this is where the pvc is connected and runs down to the pittless valve. How much lift will the pcv take before it all goes wrong?

 

[Whiskey Sniffer]

By the looks of it it is a flex pipe from the bottom of the pitless to the pump. Also the pittless valve has a foot on it is up against the well wall, is this to align the valve? There is no cord to bring this foot in off the wall nor does it look like there was ever a place for a cord to attach.

 

[Sprinklerman]

I doubt you will break the pcv pulling up , you may pull a fitting off . I do irrigation and we pull pvc all the time , never in 30 years have I broken it .

 

[MossRoad]

Thanks for your replies. My well (I'm told) is 80 ft deep with a good light I can see the top of the pump. My concern is the pipe from the top of the well to the pittless valve is pvc. If I pull too hard (FEL) or tap with a hammer I risk breaking the pcv pipe. In the photo note the aluminum cross piece with the ground contact this is where the pvc is connected and runs down to the pittless valve. How much lift will the pcv take before it all goes wrong?

Ours is a similar length as yours. Its PVC from pump to pittless as well. I watched them pull it out in one length with a motorized puller that consisted of small driven rubber tires that pinched the pipe on three sides and drove it right up and out of the well, wires and all. If you pull it and break it, or the well company pulls it and breaks it, its still broke.

 

[paulharvey]

Mine was 100 ft, and I was able to lift the pvc and have helper (wife) walk the pvc back as I got more out. (After a about 30 feet, it bowed back to the ground under its own weight). I didn't disconnect any of the couplings pulling it out or putting it back in. Pvc has a good bit of flex in it, but don't force it, cause it will break.

 

[Whiskey Sniffer]

Thanks for your replies tomorrow is the day I'll let you know how it all works out.

 

[oosik]

Good luck Whiskey. With the pump set at 80 feet or so and the drop pipe being pvc - weight should not be a problem.

 

[PILOON]

LOL! remember pulling about 300' of PolyB with 3/4 hp pump by hand with the owner.
First 1/3 went relatively OK but we forgot that the pipe was full of water and once we exited the reserve area of the well that pipe suddenly became extremely heavy as the pump itself exited the water.
As luck would have it a friendly delivery driver showed up at just the right time and between the 3 of us we pulled it all out.
We had the strength to lift but the pipe simply wanted to slip out of our hands. With 3 guys we were able to have enough hands on the pipe to overcome slippage.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

If it's the black flex pipe below the pitless, you can rent a wheel that attached to the well head, that allows you to pull it easier. I've pulled 200' without a wheel, wasn't easy. 100' shouldn't be bad. I'm surprised they leave a piece of pvc above the pitless. Here they normally leave it open so you can thread in a piece of 1" steel pipe to pull with.