Deep Well Conundrum

[mutti_wilson]

1st time poster here.

Bought a piece of property 6 years ago that had a well drilled in 1998. I've attached the well log. It's a bit incomplete and there is no info on the pump type/depth which is a bummer. The other day my wife asked me why I turned her sprinklers off in the flower bed. I told her I haven't touched them. I went and checked the holding tank and it was dry. The boost pump's Pump Tec had tripped like it should and there was water trickling into the holding tank from the deep well. It looked like a pretty weak flow so I filled up a gallon jug and timed it and it was .4 GPM. That alarmed me. I know it's a low yield well and we have over taxed it at times filling a pool etc but it's always flowed good when running. I put a pressure gauge on the Tee off the top of the seal and installed a shut off valve on the water line and could only get 5PSI when dead headed. My conclusion is either the pump is shot or I have holes in my drop pipe. Either way I feel the pump has to come out. I was curious to see if I could see what depth the pump is at so I dropped some weight down on a fishing rod with a line counter and I hit at 157'. That would have to be a check valve would it not? I don't think there is anyway to find out until the pump comes out but it was somewhat interesting. I've purchased a Kwik Clamp and lift elevators and will be using my excavator with a chain hoist to pull the pump and pipe. It'll take forever, but I work cheap. I've got a couple plumber buddies who've done their own well pump and pipe installs who are going to help to.

I have a line on a brand new Flint & Wailing pump for really cheap. 1HP / 5GPM / 700ft lift. Now I don't know what my depth is at but provided it's around this depth this pump seems to check the boxes no? I think the pump in the well is a 2 wire since there is no control box to be found. The wiring is 6/3 so it's setup for a control box which this pump would need. I will be replacing most if not all the drop pipe as well. I am assuming it is galvanized. Won't be cheap but it is what it is.

Anything else I should be on the lookout for?

Pump Flow Video

Pump Specs

 

[Valveman]

If you have a hole in the drop pipe the water will fall back into the well and the pump will not be shut off on a dry well condition. Let it sit for an hour or so and do that test again, to make sure the well was not dry, which would give the same symptoms. With a static level of 157' and not knowing how deep the well is, that 1HP, 5 GPM pump maybe way overkill. Overkill with a pump is not good as they need a certain pressure against them to work properly. A water level shallower that 180' will cause that pump to be in upthrust condition. You can use an 8 GPM Dole valve to make the pump think the water level is at least 180' if you want. But if the well is only 250' deep all you need is the 1/2HP in the 5 GPM series.

Check the amps before you pull it. A 1HP drawing 9 amps is a good pump with a hole in the pipe. 6-7 amps would mean the pump is worn or the screen is restricted. 4-5 amps would mean the well is dry.

 

[mutti_wilson]

If you have a hole in the drop pipe the water will fall back into the well and the pump will not be shut off on a dry well condition. Let it sit for an hour or so and do that test again, to make sure the well was not dry, which would give the same symptoms. With a static level of 157' and not knowing how deep the well is, that 1HP, 5 GPM pump maybe way overkill. Overkill with a pump is not good as they need a certain pressure against them to work properly. A water level shallower that 180' will cause that pump to be in upthrust condition. You can use an 8 GPM Dole valve to make the pump think the water level is at least 180' if you want. But if the well is only 250' deep all you need is the 1/2HP in the 5 GPM series.

Check the amps before you pull it. A 1HP drawing 9 amps is a good pump with a hole in the pipe. 6-7 amps would mean the pump is worn or the screen is restricted. 4-5 amps would mean the well is dry.

It's on the well log but I realize I wasn't clear on a few things. The well depth is 840' and the static level at drilling was 112'. 157' was where my weight stopped when dropping it down the drop pipe tee. I can't imagine they set the pump at 157' so I'm guessing its a check valve installed in the drop pipe. I've overdrawn the well in the past and the pump stops like it should. The pump has not stopped which would make the holes in the pipe like you are talking a good possibility. Either way the pump has to come out and it seems foolish to put a 27 year old pump back in.

 

[Valveman]

The that would be a good size pump for that well. But I would still install a 8-9 GPM Dole valve to protect the pump from upthrust when the pump starts out and the water level is higher than 180'.

 

[mutti_wilson]

The that would be a good size pump for that well. But I would still install a 8-9 GPM Dole valve to protect the pump from upthrust when the pump starts out and the water level is higher than 180'.

Sounds good. Something like this would work well. I like the fact it's stainless vs brass if I'm hanging that much weight on it. Can these be mounted on the other side of the well seal on top of the Tee fitting? Does it matter where they are placed? I will be installing a check valve on top of the pump as a second check.

Stainless Steel Flow Control Valve 8 GPM 1" FNPT Calefactio # SSX8.00

 

[Valveman]

I would not put the Dole valve in the well. Just put it on the pipe coming out of the well somewhere. An 8 GPM Dole valve will only cause about 80 PSI of back pressure on the pipe and sell seal that are before it.

If the casing is 5" or larger, a flow inducer sleeve will also be good. Keeps the motor much cooler.