I discovered a pipe in my well

I live in Florida and have been having issues with my irrigation well since I've been in my home since the 90's. The well has a 1/2 hp jet pump that was plumbed before I got here and it keeps drawing down and sucking air. I had a well guy out about 4 years ago and he pulled out the PVC and told me my well was about 21 feet...too shallow. This is just for sprinklers not drinking.

In a weird twist of fate, I decided to try to flush it out using some 2 " PVC with a hose attachment. I added 3 sections of 2 inch and it went down past the 21 foot bottom! The PVC dropped down until I ran out 30'.

So next I dropped a cheap $20 camera down there and see this pipe sticking up into the 2 " at, you guessed it 21 feet. So I have this pipe sticking up from the depths. I plumber said I may have a submersible pump down on the end of that broken pipe past 50 feet or more.

So what should I do now? Thanks. Here's some video of the thing

https://youtu.be/JSyLahaM2KU

Yeah looks like steel pipe. Probably a sub or a packer stuck down there. Most likely just need to move over and drill a new well.

Valveman said:

Yeah looks like steel pipe. Probably a sub or a packer stuck down there. Most likely just need to move over and drill a new well.

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I was afraid of that. It's pretty expensive down here. One quote was $4000. If I could just get my intake down 10 feet more if might solve my issue. Are there ways a well contractor can pull this thing out?

I spoke with one here and they said that in my area it has to be a 2 inch well. Pretty much said there's no record in the local government for any permit for a bigger well casing and the fact that now there's a surface pump. But the casing looks bigger than the 2 inch pipe I stuck down there 3-4 inches maybe... here's another vid I made that explains it better and shows the casing and my pipe.

https://youtu.be/7Loxyr6BkAg
https://youtu.be/7Loxyr6BkAg

That casing looks like 3" PVC to me. The fact that two inch goes inside it tells you it's not a two inch well. That pipe inside could be steel and could possibly be retrieved with a taper tap and a set of jars. Not many guys these days carry fishing tools as they would prefer to drill new wells than go fishing. It pays better. You could put some cable down a pipe of the same size in the well and try to lasso the pipe, then cinch the cable tight and give it a pull. It may or may not move, but you'll never know until you try.

Or I could sell you the fishing tools that I don't need anymore.

speedbump said:

Not many guys these days carry fishing tools as they would prefer to drill new wells than go fishing. It pays better. You could put some cable down a pipe of the same size in the well and try to lasso the pipe, then cinch the cable tight and give it a pull. It may or may not move, but you'll never know until you try.

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Thanks again, I concur on that. It is what I've found. The well contractors I spoke with don't even want to listen to me when I tell them a pipe is stuck. I think I may try your lasso idea. String some stranded cable down a pipe with a loop and one end out the top and grab it. That way I can hopefully let it go if it doesn't budge.

The tool I would use is a taper tap. Tapered male threaded hardened steel that goes from 1/4" to 1-1/4". On the end of a set of jars which is a too that makes hammering up and down possible. My old hoist had a walking beam that would lift and drop about 60 times a minute. If that wouldn't get something loose, not much else would.

Good luck...

Hey thanks for the help. I saw a video of a farmer who fished out 150 of PVC and pump with braided cable he noosed around the lost pipe. He stuck it down there on a 3/4 pvc cinched it up and pulled it out with his tractor. An idea for me but I still think that think its probably stuck in there. And if I get ahold of it without the proper tool to release it if it's stuck, then I have two things stuck down there now. So far no drilling pro around here will touch it. I have a few more to call to see if they have taper taps or even a desire to help.

In the mean time, I found out I CAN slip a 3/4 pipe past this lost pipe! (inch an 1/4 will not fit past it ) So my next question is, the water starts around 10 feet down. Can I drop only to 25 feet max from surface of lawn or surface of water? in other words can I drop the 3/4 down 30 feet from the ground level? I know with my surface pump this is physics limit, but I was unsure if I have to cut it at 25 from ground level.

And if I use 3/4" will this cause the pump to fail? I may be able to fit two 3/4 pipes past the stuck steel pipe and then tie them in before the pump intake.


Thanks!

You can put 100 feet of pipe down, the only thing you gain is a little friction loss. A shallow well jet pump will lift water 25' from it's intake. The amount of pipe beyond that point is no problem. As a matter of fact, it can prevent the pump breaking suction if it were to pull the water down to just past 25 feet. We always used 30'. Tying two 3/4" pipes together would be much better than just one. More flow to the pump means more flow from the pump. You won't hurt it. You might cavitate the impeller, but that is no big deal and nothing to worry about.

I was trying to understand this basic principle of pumps and wells. Read some articles about the physics how the air in the down pipe is partial vacuum above the water as it lifts and that determines the max of around 25 feet from intake to top of water in well. Here's where I'm a little unclear - if that water level is, say 10 feet down, the amount of pipe beyond that can go a lot deeper down with a normal centrifugal pump - don't think mine is a jet type?

My pump is about 5 feet from the well. Before, I was having draw-down sucking air when that old down pipe was at 21 feet (to the top of that broken dang steel pipe). But now I can drop that 3/4 way past that. Would I be advised to send it up to or past 30 feet down to avoid that draw down like you said? My plan would be to add two 3/4 down pipes down X feet down, tied in at the surface into 1 1/2" and into a check valve and then into the intake. This feeds the zones through a pump relay switch.

Honestly the deeper I can set those pipes the better to avoid it drawing down and sucking air. But I don't want to waste my time doing something stupid and beyond the laws of physics

This vid shows my test with one 3/4 down 30 feet can I go deeper when I add the second 3/4? So far so good https://youtu.be/rh9y6kQtA8Q



I always learn a lot in these projects and walk away feeling like I accomplished something and saved major bucks. Hopefully I can also pass that knowledge on to others in my area.

Post a picture of the pump. A jet pump or a centrifical pump will only lift water vertically 25 ft from itself. Forget about air forget about the 10 ft to water it will only lift 25 ft from itself vertically.

As far as Lift goes a jet Ora centrifical will lift 25 ft.

If you put 30 foot of pipe down the well you cannot have drawdown.

speedbump said:

If you put 30 foot of pipe down the well you cannot have drawdown.

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OK speedbump thanks. I'll just stick with 30 feet then seems to work with the one pipe. This is the first time in years this well has not started losing prime after a couple minutes.

Check in later and let us know how it's working.

OK I finally had time to put this together. I added another 3/4 down pipe and funny thing is I think I speared the steel pipe. That PVC was hot when I put it in the casing and as I went past 20 feet it got resistance. I thought it may have been in between the steel pipe, and the first 3/4 pipe. So I pushed harder. It went down another 8 feet to about 28 feet and could go no further. And It won't come back up... I figure it got cold and expanded inside that steel pipe! The reason I thought that is that the other 3/4 pipe is totally free and able to move about at 30 feet.

So I proceeded and glued it all in. Primed her up and fired it up. After about 30 second I had water! I fired up the zone and it works! Not the best GPM but enough and no longer is it drawing down and sucking air causing the on/off action for the last decade. My sprinklers are staying on. Here's some images. PS, this pump appears to be a GE 3/4 HP. Would I be advised to modify this system or not change what's workin?

https://youtu.be/f2UHa6vB3o8

Your pump is a Water Ace probably from Lowes or Home Depot. Good pump, cheap motor. Water Ace is made by Myers who is owned by Pentair.

Nice looking plumbing job. You should put your check valve just before the 1-1/2" tee. I assume you have it at the pump now.

If it ain't broke don't fix it. Just enjoy the sprinklers while they are working.