jphiii
New Member
First, a gracious thanks to anyone who reads my entire post. I suspect it's going to get very long as I attempt to explain my particular circumstances in detail.
To the best of my knowledge, the well was struck in the late 60's, early 70's. The system is strictly for irrigation, it runs three sprinkler circuits on a timer. My property is only 3' above sea level, in between the Atlantic ocean and Intracoastal waterway.
Everything worked fine until one day long ago (about 2 years), when the pump seized up. Water was flowing right up until that point.
Unfortunately, numerous issues put its repair on the back burner; but now I'm laying new sod and really need my sprinklers back up.
There's a 2" galvanized shaft running down to the well. I have no idea what's at the bottom, but based on my oldest neighbors' speculation, it's a metal screen.
At the top of the shaft is a 90 elbow, then a service/inspection tee, then a brass check valve.
After the check valve is a standard Flotec 1/2hp jet pump.
I replaced the pump and began trying to prime, but I could never get any water flowing. After shutting off the pump and unscrewing the check cap on the inspection tee, I could tell there was vacuum behind the check valve, since I could hear air sucking in as I unscrewed the cap on the inspection tee.
Having no documentation on this well, I began investigating its depth and water levels. I tied off a fishing sinker on a long string and let it plummet. I hit water at 13' (yes, 13 feet. I hear that's not good).
I let the sinker keep dropping, and it finally settled at about 80'.
Next I removed the elbow from the top of the shaft and sent a garden hose with a jet nozzle down. My goal was to see if I could get sediment to start bubbling out of the shaft. I started to hit resistance with the garden hose at about 20'. Using a plunging action with the hose, I was able to get it down to about 45' with lots of effort.
Unfortunately, I was never able to get water bubbling out the top. I can get the shaft filled all the way to ground level, then there's a big burp and water drops back down to about 12-13'.
I suspect that the screen at the bottom of the shaft is so clogged up and coated with mineral deposits that I can't get any flow going. On top of that, I think the bottom of the shaft is fulled with sand and clay.
Can anyone offer any advice or suggestions? Is is possible to pump all the sediment out of the shaft? And is there anything I can use to break up all the sediment that's already in there? If it's possible for me to get some water flowing again without having to strike a new well; I don't care how much elbow grease is involved, I'll do it.
Also, if anyone has any comment on hitting water at 13'...or why I can get a fishing sinker to drop 80' but can only get a garden hose 45' down, I'm all ears.
To the best of my knowledge, the well was struck in the late 60's, early 70's. The system is strictly for irrigation, it runs three sprinkler circuits on a timer. My property is only 3' above sea level, in between the Atlantic ocean and Intracoastal waterway.
Everything worked fine until one day long ago (about 2 years), when the pump seized up. Water was flowing right up until that point.
Unfortunately, numerous issues put its repair on the back burner; but now I'm laying new sod and really need my sprinklers back up.
There's a 2" galvanized shaft running down to the well. I have no idea what's at the bottom, but based on my oldest neighbors' speculation, it's a metal screen.
At the top of the shaft is a 90 elbow, then a service/inspection tee, then a brass check valve.
After the check valve is a standard Flotec 1/2hp jet pump.
I replaced the pump and began trying to prime, but I could never get any water flowing. After shutting off the pump and unscrewing the check cap on the inspection tee, I could tell there was vacuum behind the check valve, since I could hear air sucking in as I unscrewed the cap on the inspection tee.
Having no documentation on this well, I began investigating its depth and water levels. I tied off a fishing sinker on a long string and let it plummet. I hit water at 13' (yes, 13 feet. I hear that's not good).
I let the sinker keep dropping, and it finally settled at about 80'.
Next I removed the elbow from the top of the shaft and sent a garden hose with a jet nozzle down. My goal was to see if I could get sediment to start bubbling out of the shaft. I started to hit resistance with the garden hose at about 20'. Using a plunging action with the hose, I was able to get it down to about 45' with lots of effort.
Unfortunately, I was never able to get water bubbling out the top. I can get the shaft filled all the way to ground level, then there's a big burp and water drops back down to about 12-13'.
I suspect that the screen at the bottom of the shaft is so clogged up and coated with mineral deposits that I can't get any flow going. On top of that, I think the bottom of the shaft is fulled with sand and clay.
Can anyone offer any advice or suggestions? Is is possible to pump all the sediment out of the shaft? And is there anything I can use to break up all the sediment that's already in there? If it's possible for me to get some water flowing again without having to strike a new well; I don't care how much elbow grease is involved, I'll do it.
Also, if anyone has any comment on hitting water at 13'...or why I can get a fishing sinker to drop 80' but can only get a garden hose 45' down, I'm all ears.