Over the last 10 years, I probably service/replace 2-10 jet pumps per week. Ive seen insides melted very few times. I asked my dad (25 years exp.) this morning, he said the same thing, he's seen it but very rare. same type of deals here with the lady of the house, etc. Had one bout 2 weeks ago that had ran so long I had to cut the sch. 40 pvc back 5 feet or more before I could glue to it. fixed it and it made 60psi effortlessly.. It was a 3/4 starite btw, about the same age as OP's. Idk though, maybe the people in these woods are just a little quicker to catch things than some in other places of the country.
I have a couple used heads and parts, maybe used motor or two, laying around here I don't care about. maybe i should do a test soon and we can all have a better idea just how long it takes to melt stuff. .. maybe one test pump plugged and full of water, and one partially full like when the suction leak happens after running hot.
might be something cool to know one day... lol, had them for a while now but I'd probably need one of melted parts as soon as I did this.
Btw thatguy, the life of a well has many variables. A better question might be what is the life of a particular type of well. A PVC well drilled correctly here should be the last well you ever need, as our wells don't require screens, are grouted in cement, and have open holes drilled into usually rock. steel cased wells seem to last around ten years here before they rust out. Then you have to consider other places where wells do require screens, and whatever other types of wells are out there which i am not familiar with. Porky might have a guestemate as to the average life of a well, it seems he's about done them all. my thought would be anywhere from a year or so up until the length it takes PVC to go away, which I was always told was never.