Lond bang w/pump cycle & pitless problem

Hello and thank you for reading my post,

I am in need of some advice from the experts. Here is my predicament.

My system is making a loud bang on startup and shut down of the pump. The noise is now quite loud at times and is more likely to occur on shutdown than on start up but has gotten louder and more frequent with time. It sounds like a bad water hammer but a little more metallic in nature. Although it sounded like it was coming directly from the well to start with, I started by trying to make sure it was not just a pipe hitting a floor joist or any other clearance issue.

It has been suggested to me that it could be a problem with the check valve down at the pump in the well. This sounds plausible considering the symptoms. Is this a common problem? I believe the pump is original and the house was built in 79 so I planned on replacing the pump and check valve (and possibly the pipe, ect) with pulling it up.

I work in a service field and I’m currently between jobs so I decided to do the job myself (with an extra pair of hands). The cost of the parts is enough of a financial burden at this point in time.

This is where problem #2 comes in. I can not get the pitless connector to release. The 1” pipe that is threaded into the top of the connector is cut off about 2” below the top of the casing. I have not been able to unthread this pipe as of this point to be able to install a T pipe for better lifting. Pulling up while wiggling the pipe to try to get the coupling to release has been fruitless. I have a good sized slide hammer that connects to a vice gripes. I was able to clamp on the end of the pipe with it but even that in combination with a crow bar prying upward on the clamp did not get it to lift up. I didn’t want to get too brutal with the blows at this point as I was wondering if some types of pitless fittings release in a different way. Also, the lifting pipe is galvanized but I can’t say for sure that the pipe below the coupling is also galvanized or its condition. There does not seem to be a safety cable or rope going down to the pump and I would hate to send my old pump down to a watery grave in my well. I can not see any fasteners on the pitless but it is about 4+ feet down and a little hard to see detail. It does not look like it has a flange were the two halves would slide together like most of the ones I can find on the web. Looks more like a standard T fitting when looking down the well. Any suggestions?

The following are some specs and general information on the system I have so as to paint a more complete picture.

The well is 168’ deep
Static water level 25’
Pump set at 42’
7” well casing 8’ from the house
Pump size ?
Two wire, 220V pump
Copper plumping system
1” line to pressure tank, ¾ from tank
35 to 55psi cycle pressures

I need to add that it appears I also have developed a small hole in the bladder of the expansion tank (when it rains, it pours). I have been having to drain the tank and recharge it every couple of weeks now. I need to replace it of course, but money it tight and I have been keeping an eye on it, fully draining it regularly then setting it to about 33 psi for the time being. I do not believe I have much of any water above the diaphragm at any given time and recharging the tank does not have any real effect on the banging noise, just the cycle time.

Thank you for any input you can provide.

You don't show us where you're from... different areas of the country use different types of pitless adapters.... so, call your local pump distributors and describe the pitless to them. A bright light helps see it. They can probably give you the types used in your area in the 1979 era and how they operate. If not a dove tail type, yours may be lacking parts that rusted/fell off over the years or were broken off the last time it wss reinstalled in the well.

Some WD-40 on the pipe (without any/much going down the well) and welding a piece on to it to get a better handle on unscrewing it or lifting it. Don't break it off or you'll probably be drilling a new well or digging down to the exit of the pitless, cutting it off and lifting things out of the well. If you have galvanized drop pipe, you won't be pulling the pump by hand, even with the largest crow bar you ever saw.

I agree with the bad check valve causing the noise.

Thanks for the reply Gary,

Sorry for omitting where I am. I am located just NW of Milwaukee Wisconsin.

Both welding a piece on the existing pipe and calling some of the local distributors about the pitless, are good ideas. Thanks, I will give both a try if I can. (rigging up power for my wire welder will take a little doing)

About how much do you think 42’ of 1†galvanized pipe filled with water, along with the pump on the end of it, would weigh? With the water level at 25’, I estimated about 8 ½ pounds for the water in the pipe above the wells water level. I estimated about 70 pounds for 42’ of pipe and then we have the weight of the pump itself. All in all I was figuring about a 100 pounds of lifting force plus whatever force is needed to get the pitless to release. Are my calculations all wet? (pardon the pun)

Tod

In your area they use some strange (I'd normally say weird), to me, pitless adapters with chains and pins and positioners etc.. So good luck with that.

I suppose you're close with the weight or under by 50-75 lbs., but I really don't know. You could have an old cast iron pump too but... I do know you won't catch me trying it by hand and then holding on to it with 25' of it over my head while unscrewing couplers every 21' with BIG (24" or better) pipe wrenches. That's more than a bit much to do by hand, even with more hands. Which reminds me, I had a cousin killed doing that back in the 1950s by it getting away and hitting power lines.

Thank you for the reminder about the dangers of power lines. A point well made.

Anyone else want to add there experiences with banging noises like I have? Are check valves a common source of noise problems?

Tod

I'll go for a check valve. If your pump was installed in 79 and still kicking it may be a Sta-Rite. Around that time they made a few changes and they had a lot of problems with their check valve banging. You may have one of them.

bob...