New/Old Well - please any advice will help!!!

[Arrowoods]

I had an old well that I found under our house and I got a new pressure tank and control box and I got it working (barely) I was using it to water the lawn. After about a day of use it just died. The motor would blow a fuse everytime I reset it. So I pulled up 50 year old galvanized piping from a 145' well which was located about 2 feet from the outside of the house. The piping was very corroded and only had about a 1/4 inch inside diameter (must have been what killed it) It is a 6 inch well. Here is what I have and any help or advice as to the best way of doing it would be much appreciated.

I have all the inside stuff - new 20 gallon pressure tank, switches back flow valve, 1hp control box, ect.) I was at lowes and I saw they had a Wayne 1 hp deep well pump for clearance (open box deal) I talked the guy down to $125 (normally $377) SO I have a 3 wire well actually 4 wire 230 volt 14 gpm pump. Here is a link to the pump I have http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...284-57117-LWS1

Here is what I need to know or advice on. What type of pipe? Shedule 80 threaded, black flexible?, schedule 40?

What type of wire?

Can I lower this down myself? do I build a little platform around the well to help?

Do I need a torque arrestor?

What kind of string do you use to lower it and for saftey?

If I am just using it to water the yard and the like what is the cheapest but also reliable route?

If someone could give me a step by step of what they would do - myself and and my yard and plants would be forever greatful.... As will my city water bill and my wife.

[alternety]

Schedule 80 will take much more pressure that that generated by a 150" well.

I would use sched 80. Use SS couplers to attach segments. You may want to use SS clamps over the threads for an extra measure of stability. This is a kind of belt and suspenders approach.

Polyethylene rope for safety line. Nylon absorbs water and deteriorates. Keep the rope out of sunlight.

Check specs for the current draw of the pump. Look up current in a wire table to find proper capacity wire. Bigger is better here. Bigger wire; less loss. Insulation rated for submersion.

Torque arrestor - see manufacturers specs. Some pumps need it; some do not.

Getting the assembly down the hole; figure weight of pump, wire, pipe, and water contained in the system (water weight mostly an issue for removal). You need to be able to manage the dead weight. You also need to clamp the down-hole pipe and screw on the next section. The rope/wire used to hold the pipe should have a swivel fitting on the end with a male adapter that fits the pipe.

The weight will probably need assistance from some sort of machine. It is generally recommended that you don't use something like a car to do this.

[Bob NH]

I would use 160 psi polyethylene (the black flexible stuff).

There should be a check valve in the pump so you shouldn't need another.

You should have a relief valve and a pressure gauge.

Download and read the documents at the following links. They will be part of the education that you will need as a homeowner with a pump. Some of it will be applicable and some will not. Then come back with specific questions.


http://www.goulds.com/pdf/IM096R03.pdf

http://www.goulds.com/pdf/BSUBCAB.pdf

http://www.goulds.com/pdf/GSSINGLE.pdf

[sammyhydro11]

Alternety,
i'm a little lost on the clamps over the threads and why would you even bother with stainless couplings or schedule 80 pipe.Have you done this before??

Arrowoods,
go with the 1" 160 poly pipe like Bob said,it will be easier for you to install and easier to pull the pump a year from now.I only say that because those pumps from Lowes are garbage. I would also use a torque arrestor to keep the pump motor from smacking the inside of the well casing every time it kicks on. Also install wire guides every 40 feet to keep the wire from rubbing on the inside of the well. As far as wire size you need to find out how far your breaker panel is from the pump motor. #12 wire is good for 400' from the breaker to the motor.

SAM

[rshackleford]

for a do it yourself you should use poly pipe. this is the black pipe. to me it is a sob to get out of the hole. there is a lot of weight there and it takes a lot of work to pull a pump set on poly, but for a do it yourself job it is best. on the other side the sch 80 rigid drop is my preference. it takes a derrick truck to set it and pull it. i like this because it is a lot easier and less manual labor.

you must use a torque arrestor. it does not matter what pump you have. it keeps things from spinning down the hole and it helps to protect your motor lead splice.

when using rigid drop pipe brass couplings would be fine.

3m 33+ is expensive but is the best way to keep your wire on your drop pipe. use this.

do not use a safety rope. never ever use a safety rope. if you though about using a safety rope, DON'T. if you ever drop the rope down the well you can kiss the well good by. it will act as a brake as it gets caught between the well casing and the pump.

by the way, don't use a safety rope.

find flat jacketed wire. this is the best kind to use. it sits against the drop pipe flat and takes up less room. it is well protected by the jacket and less prone to failure due to rubbing off of the insulation. determine the distance of total length before sizing.

[valveman]

Threaded, sch 80 PVC with SS, brass, or galv couplings can also be easily installed without a boom truck. I have set many of them up to 200' deep in areas where I could not get the boom truck into. As long as it is above 50 degrees, and you are careful not to bend the pipe much at the threaded parts, Sch 80 PVC will bend more than you think.

Screw everything together laying out on the ground. Splice the pump and screw it to one end. Run the wire through the well seal on the other end and tape the wire to the pipe as needed. Keep a good arch in the pipe as you start the pump in the hole, and keep it arched as someone helps pull the pipe in from across the yard. Goes in real easy, comes out a little more heavy because it will be full of water.

I also would never use a rope down hole. Torque arresters are more important with poly pipe than rigid pipe. With sch 80 PVC, I never use torque arresters but, they are more important if you don't have a Cycle Stop Valve. The torque from excessive cycling is what wears out the wire down hole along with everything else.