Need help with irrigation well

[NPRhomeowner]

i recently moved into a house that supposedly has an irrigation well. According to the previous owner he cut out the pump and gave me a roundabout idea where the pump was installed.

I’m attempting to attach a photo of what I found in the area. The pvc pipe appears to have been cut with a hacksaw so I suspect I’m on the right track. As you can see at the pvc connection it elbows in a different direction away from the house in a galvanized pipe. I haven’t dug up anymore to see where that pipe goes. How can I text this connection to see if it is the well? Any other tips or advice are appreciated.

 

[Reach4]

Maybe a metal detector would help you follow that steel pipe to the well.

Where is the pump, or is that gone? The choices would be down the well, or someplace else. If down the well (submersible) there would be wires.

If there is just a single pipe and a suction pump was able to draw the water, a new well might be cheap enough. However if you are in town, the town might want the water monopoly, and prevent digging a new well.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[NPRhomeowner]

Adding another photo for clarity

 

[Reach4]

Is the rusty thing on the triangular concrete set into the concrete, or just sitting on the concrete?
What ID is that plastic?

 

[NPRhomeowner]

Maybe a metal detector would help you follow that steel pipe to the well.

Where is the pump, or is that gone? The choices would be down the well, or someplace else. If down the well (submersible) there would be wires.

If there is just a single pipe and a suction pump was able to draw the water, a new well might be cheap enough. However if you are in town, the town might want the water monopoly, and prevent digging a new well.

Good suggestion and I hadn’t thought to try that. The pump is gone. He said he removed it 3-4 years ago. He said it was above ground so I’m thinking maybe a jet pump kind of deal.

I’m not sure what that rusty thing is. There’s no concrete where I’m digging but there was an annoying packed down paver base I had to break through. I’m not sure the ID of the pipe but I’d eyeball the OD around 1.5”

 

[Reach4]

If that fitting below the plastic is a tee, then that could be your well right there. If it is an elbow, it is not.

 

[NPRhomeowner]

It’s an elbow. All around and below the pipe is free of obstruction.

 

[WorthFlorida]

Just follow the metal pipe, it probably isn’t that far from the house. The drill rig usually cannot go too close to the house so after the well is drilled, a horizontal pipe is added to get it next to the home where the “irrigation” pump sat. Look for old electrical boxes on the wall of the home. It probably was not a jet pump used. Most of a Florida the hydrostatic pressure brings the water up to about 5 feet below grade but at least 20 feet would be the lowest level where an above ground pump can work. An irrigation pump is far easier on the motor and more water volume with an irrigation pump.

 

[Reach4]

Most of a Florida the hydrostatic pressure brings the water up to about 5 feet below grade but at least 20 feet would be the lowest level where an above ground pump can work.

Think it might just be a sand point?

 

[NPRhomeowner]

Just follow the metal pipe, it probably isn’t that far from the house. The drill rig usually cannot go too close to the house so after the well is drilled, a horizontal pipe is added to get it next to the home where the “irrigation” pump sat. Look for old electrical boxes on the wall of the home. It was not a jet pump used. Most of a Florida the hydrostatic pressure brings the water up to about 5 feet below grade but at least 20 feet would be the lowest level where an above ground pump can work.

This is on the wall directly above the pipe

 

[WorthFlorida]

It appears that it probably was a 120 volt pump, 1/2 or 3/4 hp of that was the wire feeding the old pump. South and Central Florida, shallow wells has a lot of iron. If homes in your neighborhood with irrigation wells have rust stains, then it is a shallow well and not worth trying to use it. I'm not sure on the West Central area that you are in if it is the same since it is where most of Florida underground springs are. If there are no other items on the wall like an irrigation controller, it was just a pump with a switch.

That rusty thing looks like a ground clamp, required for pump motors.

 

[NPRhomeowner]

It appears that it probably was a 120 volt pump, 1/2 or 3/4 hp of that was the wire feeding the old pump. South and Central Florida, shallow wells has a lot of iron. If homes in your neighborhood with irrigation wells have rust stains, then it is a shallow well and not worth trying to use it. I'm not sure on the West Central area that you are in if it is the same since it is where most of Florida underground springs are. If there are no other items on the wall like an irrigation controller, it was just a pump with a switch.

That rusty thing looks like a ground clamp, required for pump motors.

It looks like that. There’s also a thick wire that runs from that rusty thing, under the galvanized pipe, and back towards the house. If you guys think it’s not worth messing with I’ll bury it and just tie into the city service line. No one else in my area seems to have an irrigation system. The old owner doesn’t remember anything about it except that he had a pump and cut it out.

 

[Reach4]

It looks like that. There’s also a thick wire that runs from that rusty thing, under the galvanized pipe, and back towards the house. If you guys think it’s not worth messing with I’ll bury it and just tie into the city service line.

We weren't thinking that. City water is expensive. You could try hooking up a "self priming" jet pump, and start sucking to see what happens. Those still need an initial priming.

 

[Banjo Bud]

Have you poured water down that Pipe? It the pipe fills up with water, that would mean there’s a foot valve at the bottom, which would also mean there was a shallow well pump on that paver.

 

[NPRhomeowner]

Any recommendations for a pump?

I accidentally got water in the pipe and it does fill up and hold water. Should I follow the pipe back and attempt to find the seal or casing?

 

[Banjo Bud]

Well it could also mean it’s the sprinkler side. If you could hold a tight rag or something around it while you hold a running hose in it, if it’s the sprinkler head side, a head or two might pop up. If nothing happens except the pipe fills and you get wet, there a good chance it’s the well side and the foot valve is closed as it should be. If it’s the well side, you need to try to pull water up to see if the foot valve is opening. Only way I know to go that is with a pump. Maybe someone else knows an easy way to test that.

 

[NPRhomeowner]

Well it could also mean it’s the sprinkler side. If you could hold a tight rag or something around it while you hold a running hose in it, if it’s the sprinkler head side, a head or two might pop up. If nothing happens except the pipe fills and you get wet, there a good chance it’s the well side and the foot valve is closed as it should be. If it’s the well side, you need to try to pull water up to see if the foot valve is opening. Only way I know to go that is with a pump. Maybe someone else knows an easy way to test that.

There was only one zone of 4 sprinklers for the main part of the front yard. The heads and pipes were in terrible condition so I removed the heads with the intention of starting from scratch.

I’ll see if the orange store has anything decent for a self priming pump and see what happens.

If it does work - should I add a small expansion tank or just rock with the pump only? I’ve never used this sort of system.

 

[Reach4]

If it does work - should I add a small expansion tank or just rock with the pump only?

Pump only. Don't block the path.

 

[NPRhomeowner]

Thank you all so much for taking time outta your day to help me out. I’ll try the pump and report back sometime next week probably.

 

[Banjo Bud]

Yes. Pump only. No need for a tank. I run mine direct.