PVC or galvanized well pipe?

[John Naab]

Hello all, newbie here on this great site. I’m ready to have a crew come and replace my submersible well pump. My well was drilled in 1994 and is 520 feet deep. The control box is a franklin for a 1 1/2 hp pump. I’m assuming it’s the original pump but have no records that the pump was ever replaced.

my question is was there a time frame when well companies stopped using galvanized pipe and started using pvc? The reason I asked was the crew coming out said there may be a chance they used galvanized pipe instead of pvc, and recommended it be replaced with pvc which I think that sounds reasonable. It just increases the bill dramatically If there is galvanized pipe in there. Thanks everyone!

 

[Sylvan]

Depends on local codes as NYC will not allow plastic piping on potable water systems

 

[Sponsor]

 

[John Naab]

Thanks for the reply sylvan. Pvc is permissible up here and highly recommend over galvanized. The well guy just mentioned that he highly recommended going with pvc if I did have galvanized piping which I hope I don’t, because the bill is a lot higher if they have to switch it out.

I don’t think back in 1994 they were using galvanized up here, but just not sure.

 

[Boycedrilling]

I'm in Eastern Washington. I started using sch80 pvc drop pipe in the early 1990's. As far as I know I was one of the first ones to use it in the Pacific Northwest. It was not available prethreaded from the wholesalers. I bought sch80 pvc plain end pipe and threaded it myself. Don't remember when the prethreaded sch80 and sch120 pipe we use nowadays became available.

The only times I use galvanized now is larger than 2 inch, or deeper than the manufacturer's recommended depth for horsepower of pump.

 

[John Naab]

I'm in Eastern Washington. I started using sch80 pvc drop pipe in the early 1990's. As far as I know I was one of the first ones to use it in the Pacific Northwest. It was not available prethreaded from the wholesalers. I bought sch80 pvc plain end pipe and threaded it myself. Don't remember when the prethreaded sch80 and sch120 pipe we use nowadays became available.

The only times I use galvanized now is larger than 2 inch, or deeper than the manufacturer's recommended depth for horsepower of pump.

that’s good news. I’m hoping I see pvc come out of the hole when it gets pulled. It will save me quite a bit in overall cost.

 

[Ian Lockwood]

Hello all, newbie here on this great site. I’m ready to have a crew come and replace my submersible well pump. My well was drilled in 1994 and is 520 feet deep. The control box is a franklin for a 1 1/2 hp pump. I’m assuming it’s the original pump but have no records that the pump was ever replaced.

my question is was there a time frame when well companies stopped using galvanized pipe and started using pvc? The reason I asked was the crew coming out said there may be a chance they used galvanized pipe instead of pvc, and recommended it be replaced with pvc which I think that sounds reasonable. It just increases the bill dramatically If there is galvanized pipe in there. Thanks everyone!

We're in San Diego, CA and we reuse galvanized pipe in wells all the time if it's still in good shape. If the existing galvanized is in bad shape, I do prefer to go back down with pvc, but I have even replaced just a couple of sections of galvanized when the customer is hard up for money.

 

[Fitter30]

Pvc drop pipe recommendations
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjASegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1_oiVlhWGrjZqPy4WPYKnP

 

[John Naab]

Thanks everyone for the great replies! I’ll be scheduling to have the pump replaced shortly.