Yea I was debating materials. I could have gotten 1" EMT for not too much more, but I'm not sure how much better it would perform with those thin walls, especially since going with the PVC lets me center on the drop pipe. Anything thicker than EMT would have been around triple the price so I'm hoping the PVC gets the job done. There are no joints, torque arrestors, or anything else on the way down. Just the wires taped occasionally.
Gonna be a fun day of fishing
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LLigetfa
DIYer, not in the trades
EMT does not have threaded ends. IMC and RMC does. I used 70 feet of IMC once to clean out 10 feet of mud from my well.
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Yea that's the 3x+ price I was talking about lol. I'm not sure where the cheapest place to get it around here would be, but at Home Depot 3/4" RMC is over $3/foot and Grainger is even worse.
I am afraid the tape maybe in the way when trying to slip it over the drop pipe. Put a cutter on the end of the fish pipe to cut the tape. But then the tape pieces will be in the well, and they can clog up a pump. While pounding down, pull on the wire, not the pipe. If the wire breaks it is usually at the splice, which means you get it all out of the way. 100# poly should never be used in a well. A pump using a 40/60 switch and lifting from 100' is already over 100# on the pipe. And you can't pull on it much either.
I see you're over in plumbingforums too lol. Yea when I put the drain camera down, I couldn't exactly follow the wire the whole way, but I only saw one place where it was taped, and that was falling apart. I was thinking of cutting some teeth into the bottom of the lowest pipe to take care of anything else, but might just secure a blade to it.
Everything is retied and ready to go, just going to wait for light to start feeding the 2" down.
Agreed about the 100 PSI poly. I'll be replacing pretty much everything except the pitless adapter at some point. I've got an older one that just sort of wedges against the casing instead of sitting in a receiver. I can't find that style being sold anymore, so just going to clean it up and hope it lasts.
I've got the seal soaking in a bit of methyl salicylate right now, but here's there rest of it. Will probably clean the seal interface with a brass wire brush.
They appear to be a going concern. The building says 8976 Fostoria Rd, but Google shows it at 391-399 N Fostoria Rd, Risingsun, OH 43457 You might want to order a new o-ring from them, even tho you will pay a premium.
There are also o-ring kits which may have the right size.
There are also o-ring kits which may have the right size.
Bannerman
Well-Known Member
Wells Inc. contact info: https://wellwater.watersystemscouncil.org/list/member/wells-inc-risingsun-15
I would get a new pitiless with the regular slide fit.
Not if that is a 4-inch casing. The existing pitless may be a clearway/thruway pitless.
It may hang from a hanger bar.
Yes, this pitless just sort of wedges itself inside the casing, and relies on a metal bar that sits across the top of the casing to suspend it. I called the manufacturer who was unable to give me any details about the seal, but referred me to a local distributor who couldn't find anything about it. So looks like I'll be using the existing one. It's in good enough condition though.
I've got my PVC push-pipes 163.5 out of 165 feet down. Cut though 3 pieces of tape, and have one left it seems. This one has been a bit stubborn, but I expect I'll get it soon enough.
One strange thing though - There is a broken wire end down there. The pump still runs just fine (2 wire, 230V), so it's not one of the supply lines. It is hard to tell, but it seems to be a smaller gauge stranded wire, probably with a yellow (or other lighter color) stripe on the insulation. I'd guess a ground wire lead from the pump. As far as I can tell, there were only ever 2 wires going down the casing, so maybe it was just left disconnected when installing.
I assume mine is something like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/204381685173
It has strong looking attachment point for a safety cable. If I could get a hook around that I could pull a lot harder. Would be pretty difficult to get something on there at that depth though, and next to impossible to do so if the drop pipe or wires break.
I've got my PVC push-pipes 163.5 out of 165 feet down. Cut though 3 pieces of tape, and have one left it seems. This one has been a bit stubborn, but I expect I'll get it soon enough.
One strange thing though - There is a broken wire end down there. The pump still runs just fine (2 wire, 230V), so it's not one of the supply lines. It is hard to tell, but it seems to be a smaller gauge stranded wire, probably with a yellow (or other lighter color) stripe on the insulation. I'd guess a ground wire lead from the pump. As far as I can tell, there were only ever 2 wires going down the casing, so maybe it was just left disconnected when installing.
I assume mine is something like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/204381685173
It has strong looking attachment point for a safety cable. If I could get a hook around that I could pull a lot harder. Would be pretty difficult to get something on there at that depth though, and next to impossible to do so if the drop pipe or wires break.
You may have a plastic cable tie on those wires under the tape. The tape coming lose is why the wire sagged down and wedged the pump in place. Use good tape or pipe wrap and always end the tape on top of other tape. A tape end not stuck to other tape will come lose and let the whole thing unravel.
The third wire is a ground wire from the pump. With only two wires in the drop cable they just left the ground not connected to anything, which is the way we did is for 100 years.
The third wire is a ground wire from the pump. With only two wires in the drop cable they just left the ground not connected to anything, which is the way we did is for 100 years.
I broke through whatever it was. Kinda felt like a cable tie, but it's hard to feel through 170" of PVC. Won't really know till I get the pump out.
I'm hoping that ground wire isn't going to be an issue when pulling the pump. I don't think it's secured to the power wires in a way where pulling on them will keep it clear from the gap. One of the data lines on my camera extension cable gave out I guess, so I won't be able to see again until the replacement gets here tomorrow.
I'm hoping that ground wire isn't going to be an issue when pulling the pump. I don't think it's secured to the power wires in a way where pulling on them will keep it clear from the gap. One of the data lines on my camera extension cable gave out I guess, so I won't be able to see again until the replacement gets here tomorrow.
Broke thru as determined by the pump moving down?
If you could saw off the pipe and wire at the pump, you could push the old pump down to stay there forever.
No, I have that 2" PVC pipe going down the well with the drop pipe inside it and the power wires outside it. When I get to a taped section, the PVC pipe gets stuck till I cut it. I sharpened the end of the pipe to make it easier. With the last time it got stuck, it just felt like what it was stuck on was a bit more rigid.
I'm still hopeful to get this current pump out, but we'll see. Have just another 6" or so to go. I fully expect to be able to push the pump downward and get it unstuck, only question is if it will get stuck again on the way up.
In case I can't get it out, how would you cut the pipe and wire at the pump?
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I don't know. I am not a pro. I was thinking of a cable saw with two cords. Maybe put a galvanized tip on the PVC, run both wire and poly pipe down the PVC. Maybe the cords for the cable saw would run outside of the pipe. But I am afraid something would go wrong.
Another idea... again get the wires and poly inside of the PVC Run a noose made of strong steel cable down out side and with the tip. Pull tight and pull up with 2000 pounds. Maybe the pipe and electrical wire breaks at the noose. Maybe the whole thing pulls up.
I suspect there is some tool made for the purpose.
Another idea... again get the wires and poly inside of the PVC Run a noose made of strong steel cable down out side and with the tip. Pull tight and pull up with 2000 pounds. Maybe the pipe and electrical wire breaks at the noose. Maybe the whole thing pulls up.
I suspect there is some tool made for the purpose.
I could probably pretty easily get an icicle hitch secured at the bottom of the drop pipe. Just tie a loose one at the end of my PVC I'm pushing down with, then secure it with something that will slowly dissolve in water. The wires will probably just break at the splice anyway like Valveman said.
Hoping it doesn't come to all of that though!
I wonder if ice would melt slowly enough. I was thinking not, even if you super-cooled the ice with dry ice. The thicker the ice, the longer it would take to melt. So ice an inch thick might be a lot better than the thickness I was initially imagining.
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Well, still not budging. I pushed down on it with probably ~350 lbs, plus some hammering with a rubber mallet. Didn't move at all. I was able to see the ground lead more, and it's all bunched up at the bottom. The power wires are completely separated from the drop pipe, but I can't tell if they are entering into the side of the pump via the cable guard, or just wedged on the outside
My two main questions now are if the pump is somehow resting on something (a screen?), and if it's actually one or more of the pump wires that is causing it to be stuck. I wouldn't think it's resting on anything, since I don't believe it has dropped at all from its normal operating level. And I don't see what else it could be stuck on, since nothing has ever been dropped down the well.
*edit*
Ok it moved about an inch. Now I think I need to find a way to grab onto that ground wire with enough force to pull it out of the way.
My two main questions now are if the pump is somehow resting on something (a screen?), and if it's actually one or more of the pump wires that is causing it to be stuck. I wouldn't think it's resting on anything, since I don't believe it has dropped at all from its normal operating level. And I don't see what else it could be stuck on, since nothing has ever been dropped down the well.
*edit*
Ok it moved about an inch. Now I think I need to find a way to grab onto that ground wire with enough force to pull it out of the way.
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