Advise for pulling a pump in Honduras

[Texas Wellman]

Excellent news. It's always exciting to be able to save a well like that. When you go back you should consider a 3" pump (Google Grundfos SQ) or a slim-line 4". The slim line 4" is slightly smaller than the normal diameter but the motor is the same size. I would jet the well with an air compresor if available to clear any debris and run the camera down afterwards to inspect. Be sure to put it back on steel pipe unless the pipe in the well is completely ate up. Steel pipe is so much stronger it allows you to pull much more than any other material.

 

[JimKiefer]

Thank you men, I have passed along your recommendation Texas Wellman. I hope that he can get one of those pumps in a reasonable amount of time. We are all relieved that we are finally moving forward and hope to have this resolved soon. Three days to departure for me. Will arrive in country Wednesday and get a rental car to finish the drive from the Capital Tegucigalpa to Choluteca and arrive that evening at the property.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Boycedrilling]

I haven't tested other sizes, but 1" sch 80 PVC is as strong in tension as 1" sch 40 galvanized pipe. The weak part of either pipe is the threaded ends. I use 1" sch 80 PVC for airline, when reverse circulation drilling. Occasionally the the bit gets plugged and the RC, stops, all the cuttings still in the drill pipe fall back down the pipe, trapping the airline. It takes at least 8,000 lbs of pull to break the airline. It always breaks at a coupler. A 1,000 ft string of 1" sch 80 pvc will stretch over 8 ft at 8,000 lbs pull, before something breaks!

 

[VAWellDriller]

I haven't tested other sizes, but 1" sch 80 PVC is as strong in tension as 1" sch 40 galvanized pipe. The weak part of either pipe is the threaded ends. I use 1" sch 80 PVC for airline, when reverse circulation drilling. Occasionally the the bit gets plugged and the RC, stops, all the cuttings still in the drill pipe fall back down the pipe, trapping the airline. It takes at least 8,000 lbs of pull to break the airline. It always breaks at a coupler. A 1,000 ft string of 1" sch 80 pvc will stretch over 8 ft at 8,000 lbs pull, before something breaks!

That's almost way too much weight to believe, how did you know you were pulling with 8K? PVC is strong, but only a very small fraction of the strength of steel. You are right that the weak point is at the threads.

 

[Boycedrilling]

Digital weight gauge. Doesn't matter if it's steel pipe or PVC, it's going to pull apart at the threads.

6" column pipe will pull apart at the threads at around 125,000 lbs pull.

I've pulled turbine pump shaft apart at 250,000-275,000 pound pull. The coupler fails at the oil relief hole, and any stress risers from pipe wrenches.

 

[VAWellDriller]

Sure it will breai at the threads.....its thw smallest cross section...but pvc will break at the threads WAY before steel does on any given size. Ive broken both sch 120 and sch 80 one inch with way less than 6000 (I dont have a weight gauge but thatsy mak 1 line pull). That makes sense because pvc as a material has a tensile strength around 7500 psi......(and one inch pipe has a lot less than 1 sq inch of material). Curious if anyone else has broken pvc drop pipe?

 

[Craigpump]

I've had it break three times due to stuck pumps, always at the threads. I think if sch 80 had round threads you might get more pull on it before it lets go.

 

[VAWellDriller]

I've had it break three times due to stuck pumps, always at the threads. I think if sch 80 had round threads you might get more pull on it before it lets go.[/QUOTE

Same for me .....stuck pumps. We have a lot of old 4" steel wells around here. Looks like you got a 5T right??? So you're at 3000# 1 line

 

[VAWellDriller]

Not sure what I just did

 

[Valveman]

I have broken Sch 80 PVC many times. Always at the threads and always takes more than I thought it would. Usually couldn't break it with a 5T Smeal using a single line (3000# pull). But double the line to 6000# pull and the pipe would break. Steal pipe will take a lot more. It is even hard to break with a 12T Smeal.

 

[Valveman]

Not sure what I just did

You wrote your reply between the "quote" marks.

 

[Craigpump]

No, it's not a Smeal although the tower kinda looks like it. My father and I built this back in the 80's, it's got a heavy 4 spd running the hoist drum at the base of the tower like a Monitor.