Leaking Well Pipe

Hello All,

First time poster, but I've been a big fan of reading/searching the Terry Love forums for some time. It is with the help of the forums/posts that I have been able to save a bunch of money and aggravation. Unfortunately I now have a problem that I don't think I'm able to tackle myself.

System: SE Pennsylvania, 40-100' well (just a guess, can see water with flashlight), Goulds 7GS05422 1/2hp pump installed 2002-01-09 (previous owner), Franklin 2445059004 motor, and fairly acidic water

Background on the problem: couple months ago pitless adapter started leaking (could hear noise above ground and see water spraying out with cap off); I believe it is a pitless with a 1" female at the top. Knew I needed to get it fixed but kept putting it off. Pump cycle times were still okay. This week the noise changed drastically (much louder). Initially looked and didn't see any water leaking out of the pitless (quite confused). Pressure in house was still okay. This morning noticed pressure drop. Pump won't even build pressure in the tank (WX-203 - i think). I have since shut the pump off except in case of dire need; I'm scared to know how long it could have been running nonstop, or at worst, cycling quickly. With the pump on, I did another flashlight look down the well and saw large amounts of water spraying from the well pipe 15-20 feet down (can't believe I didn't notice this prior).

I have already made some calls to the professionals, but am waiting until Monday to not pay the emergency service charges.

So, here come the questions (thank you in advance to anyone who can offer assistance):

1. Should I assume they reused galvanized pipe in 2002 when installing the new pump? And that this pipe has now gone bad?
2. Edit: come to think of it, I remember seeing 1-2 hose clamps just below the pitless adapter. Would this mean existing pipe is some sort of flex PVC? What would cause this failure mechanism in flex PVC?
3. What are the chances my well pump is still okay? I'm hoping that it is and, at worst, that I have only shortened its usable life.
4. Do I have a check valve in my pump?
5. The owner's manual on the pump says a check valve should be installed just below the pitless adapter, does this sound right? I am fairly positive I do not have one there as water drains out of the house when I shut the pump off.
6. Is the right course of action (and proper dialogue with well companies for quotes) to receive quote for lifting pump, replacing existing pipe with flex PVC, add check valve in proper location, and replace pitless adapter?
7. What else should I have done/inspected?
8. Am I missing anything? Any other food for thought?

Thanks everyone for your help. I tried to provide the right information, but let me know if you need anything else to help me.

Best,
Alex

1. Should I assume they reused galvanized pipe in 2002 when installing the new pump? And that this pipe has now gone bad?
   
   Probably, yes
   
2. Edit: come to think of it, I remember seeing 1-2 hose clamps just below the pitless adapter. Would this mean existing pipe is some sort of flex PVC? What would cause this failure mechanism in flex PVC?
   
   If there's clamps then the drop is probably all PE pipe
   
3. What are the chances my well pump is still okay? I'm hoping that it is and, at worst, that I have only shortened its usable life.
   
   Pump is probably OK
   
4. Do I have a check valve in my pump?
   
   Not in, - On
   
5. The owner's manual on the pump says a check valve should be installed just below the pitless adapter, does this sound right? I am fairly positive I do not have one there as water drains out of the house when I shut the pump off.
   
   The only check valve should be at the pump
   
6. Is the right course of action (and proper dialogue with well companies for quotes) to receive quote for lifting pump, replacing existing pipe with flex PVC, add check valve in proper location, and replace pitless adapter?
7. What else should I have done/inspected?
8. Am I missing anything? Any other food for thought?

Just have them pull the pump and replace the drop. They should also check the wiring while they have the pump out.

They should do all electrical checks of the wiring, motor windings, for shorts and the amps before pulling the pump. That's so they can replace the pump if needed and 'fix' the leak at the same time.

Thank you for the replies! I'll let you know what the company finds Wednesday.

ACEschborn said:

Thank you for the replies! I'll let you know what the company finds Wednesday.

Click to expand...

I think what you will find is a galvanized insert going from the waterline into the pitless has rotted. Make sure they replace it with brass. If this is the problem, no need to remove the pump. Just dig down around the well. It is one of those things that is $500 for the back-hoe, $200 for the labor and $7 for the part. Just never should has been galvanized.

Leave your pump off as much as possible. The dryer it is, the less time it will take. I have seen a few cases of the water friction cutting the PVC. Once it let sand drop down on the pump and sand locked it, ruined the pump.

Good luck!!!!

I guess today must be my lucky day.

Pump checked out okay - yay! Total damage was slightly less than $450.

The existing pipe was ABS plastic that was extremely weak and brittle. On top of that, it was not glued at the two fittings but rather hose clamped. As the tech was pulling the pipe it broke into multiple pieces. The well depth was 110' and he replaced the ABS with poly.

The leak I had around the pitless adapter was actually coming from the male adapter that screwed into the bottom of the pitless (vertically). When he replaced the pipe he replaced the adapters and viola, the leak at the pitless was gone.

I asked about the check valve and he showed me one on top of the pump - it wasn't in the line, but actually roughly the diameter of the pump. Does this make sense? I pictures something only just slightly bigger than the diameter of the piping...

Thanks again for all the help!

Thanks for the feedback.

The check valves I'm familiar with are about 2-3.0" I'd guess, I never measured one because they are what they are.

Gary Slusser said:

Thanks for the feedback.

The check valves I'm familiar with are about 2-3.0" I'd guess, I never measured one because they are what they are.

Click to expand...

That sounds/looks about right as far as what I saw...

When he removed the last 10" of pipe, water was still sitting there which is a good sign.