Have a few questions before my first well pump install

**grizz** · 06-05-2012, 03:29 PM

Hi, I am getting ready to install my first well pump. I have a few unanswered questions.

1. What kind of electrical wire do I need for water resistance? I need 10 awg stranded for my depth, can I use the THHN stuff from lowes or does it have to be some specail water proof wiring?

2. The well hasn't been used in about 8-10 years, do I really need to get my well pumped for sand and mud? Instructions on the pump say to do so but is it really necessary?

3.What is the best way to do the under water splices?

4. Since the pump will be about 350 ft deep, the calculations say pressure will be around 150psi at the pump. I plan to use sch 80 threaded 1 1/4" pipe for about the first 40-60 ft and then use standard black water piping rated at 160 psi the rest of the way up. I'm only pouring into a water storage tank, no pressure. Does my setup sound ok

?

Thanks for the help!

**valveman** · 06-06-2012, 06:38 AM

350’ is the same as 151 PSI. So I would just use 160# poly all the way to the pump. You can get a splice kit with heat shrinks and butt splice connectors at many stores. I like the thhn/thwn, double jacketed, round cable. It is made for direct burial and works just as good in the well. It is not NSF or rated for submergence, but I have run hundreds of thousands of feet of it in wells as deep as 2100’.

**grizz** · 06-06-2012, 02:03 PM

Thanks a lot Valveman! Now I was wondering what is the best way to lower the pump into the well with three guys on hand? I'm thinking things are going to start to get heavy once that pump gets low. How would we go about this without a pump puller machine? Is this something we could just man handle all the way down?

**valveman** · 06-06-2012, 06:18 PM

It depends on how much water is in the well. If the static water level is say 250’, then it is going to be heavy. But if the static level is at 10’, you will nearly need to push the pump down the hole. It will be empty on the way down and buoyant after you hit the static level, so not too bad. But it will be full and heavy on the way up.

I would stretch it all out, assemble everything, and tape the wire to the pipe. Then two or three people drop it down the hole while another drags it across the yard. You just don’t want to have to stop once you get it going, so make sure the pitless or well seal is ready to catch everything when you get to the end. Slow and easy. Don’t let it get away from you.

If it is a really deep static and heavy all the way you can tie the well seal to the bumper of a car and let the pipe slip over a curved surface like a 55 gal drum above the well, as the car/truck pulls towards the well. Can come out the same way. Just need a little prep work for the barrel and tie to the car so you can get loose.

**grizz** · 06-07-2012, 03:40 PM

Good deal valveman, that setup sounds like it will work for us. So when I connect the 100 ft rolls of 1" poly piping together with couplings do I just use standard worm gear type hose clamps? Do I need any special clamps that are for a water environment?

**LLigetfa** · 06-07-2012, 04:42 PM

Why not buy a single length of poly so that you don't need couplings?

**grizz** · 06-07-2012, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by LLigetfa

Why not buy a single length of poly so that you don't need couplings?

I'll have to check on that, I was thinking the 100' 160psi rolls from homedepot would be my most affordable option.

**valveman** · 06-08-2012, 07:27 AM

I agree with LL, it is best to have few or no splices in the pipe. But anywhere you need a barb fitting, be sure to use the long barb fittings so you can use two or three worm gear clamps. Then be sure to tape over the clamps to keep the worm gear from rusting out.

**greenmonster304** · 06-10-2012, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by valveman

Then be sure to tape over the clamps to keep the worm gear from rusting out.

Why not use a stainless clamp like an Ideal Lox-on clamp or similar?

**valveman** · 06-10-2012, 03:37 PM

I use Ideal. But the worm gear is 400 series Stainless and will still rust. Tape over the worm gear stops the rust and holds down the excess part of the clamp that sticks out.

**grizz** · 06-16-2012, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by valveman

I use Ideal. But the worm gear is 400 series Stainless and will still rust. Tape over the worm gear stops the rust and holds down the excess part of the clamp that sticks out.

good deal, I got the 2228 3m vulcanized tape for my worm gears, I'm also going to put it over my water proof splice connections just for extra protection.
Also I was able to score a 300ft roll of 200psi poly drop pipe! I'll be coming out of the pump with about 80ft of schedule 80 pvc so I get about 30ft of poly pipe coming out of the well.

Now do I need some sort of lightning rod for grounding at the control box? I assembled a 250v plug coming out of the control box to plug into a generator when I need to use the pump, so it's not connected to a house grounding system.

**valveman** · 06-17-2012, 02:50 PM

Good ground rod at the well head is never a bad idea.

**grizz** · 06-19-2012, 09:00 AM

Thanks for the help guys! Yesterday Me and a couple buddies put the well pump in and everything works great! All your pointers and ideas worked great! I'm actually pretty amazed a couple city boys were able to pull something like this off. Ran the pump for about an hour and the flow never slowed down, very clear/cold water too! In total I saved $3000 doing this myself! Thanks a bunch!!!!!