Need Advice On How To Get The Leathers To Seal In A New 2" Driven Well

It also helps to flare the leathers out with a screwdriver before you get them wet.

Thanks for the info. I have been looking on the net for the part but haven't found it yet...

Porky said:

It has a spring dog to hold the bottom while turning to the right tightens the packer rubber.

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Thanks for the info. I did try to pressure the well as you suggested earlier and I could fill it but the water dropped immediately when I stopped. The curious thing that I just noticed upon pulling the packer this last time is that I can seem to seal the pipe when it is out of the waterline but as soon as I put the packer back into the water depth it won't . Could that be from the small amount of water pressure around the cup????

LLigetfa said:

I would try the next size (2-1/4") leathers. If you think it would be too tight a fit going in, just don't soak them for so long.

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TM said:

Thanks for the info. I did try to pressure the well as you suggested earlier and I could fill it but the water dropped immediately when I stopped. The curious thing that I just noticed upon pulling the packer this last time is that I can seem to seal the pipe when it is out of the waterline but as soon as I put the packer back into the water depth it won't . Could that be from the small amount of water pressure around the cup????

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How much new 2'' well casing did you put in ?

Sounds like you may be putting the packer below the Casing.

Do you have a foot valve on your packer assembly ?

I have 36' feet of new case plus the 36" inch sandpoint on the end. I placed the suction line with 35 feet of pipe and the packer jet which should place the seals so that they are still 5 inches into the case (note that the sandpoint has about 6 inches of solid pipe before it transitions to the screen. ) Altogether I should have a ten to twelve inches of room for error, I measured my suction line the last time I pulled it out and my distances should be good to keep the leatheers within the case. I also pulled the suction line up a few feet just to test it to see if it would seal at a different spot but to no avail.

Concerning the footvalve, I do have one attached to the end of the packer and it is functioning fine as Iv've had the opportunity to check it each time I have pulled the line.

My one concern is that a coupling near the sandpoint may have cracked during the drive process (I used a Rhino post driver and it did not seem to hit too hard). Is their any wayto ensure that my case is intact? i was able to mount pressure in the pipe when I pumped water into it...

DonL said:

How much new 2'' well casing did you put in ?

Sounds like you may be putting the packer below the Casing.

Do you have a foot valve on your packer assembly ?

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I put one final set of leathers on this afternoon and adjusted the suction lline up about another foot. The well did not seal and I began to raise it and check it at 5 foot increments. The pipe finally sealed above the waterline at about fifteen feet. This was just above my second casing joint, I believe the casing must have fractured at the fifteen foot joint as water exits the pipe rapidly just below this level. It looks like I will need to pull the case. Are there any easy methods????

Thanks for all the input by everyone --it has truly been appreciated.

TM said:

The well is 38' deep with eight feet of water in the pipe...

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8 feet of water is not much to work with. So by my calcs there is 15 feet of good casing and 15 feet of air to the water. What you could do is to put 23 feet of drop pipe on the footvalve and still have a working system without pulling the sandpoint. There is a good chance that when you pull it, only the top 15 feet will come out.

Don't the leathers have to be in the waterline to function? If not, I would certainly be up for givung it a try....

LLigetfa said:

8 feet of water is not much to work with. So by my calcs there is 15 feet of good casing and 15 feet of air to the water. What you could do is to put 23 feet of drop pipe on the footvalve and still have a working system without pulling the sandpoint. There is a good chance that when you pull it, only the top 15 feet will come out.

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The water on the inside is what seals the leathers. Certainly worth a try.

I will give it a try tomorrow morning and see what happens!

valveman said:

The water on the inside is what seals the leathers. Certainly worth a try.

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Sounds like you cracked a collar to me. Leathers are not hard to seal. You just flare them some with a screw driver and put em in. I have done it thousands of times. I never pre-soak or anything.

I put the packer in at 15 feet today and dropped the foot valve in 20 feet lower at 35 feet . This made it an additional 15 feet to the water level with 8 feet of water in the pipe (including the sandpoint). The leathers sealed almost immediately. I hooked up the pump to a generator and filled all the pipes and primed the pump but was unable to pull any water from the well. Are you sure the packer will pull under this split configutation??? I was unsure if the suction line would pull the initial fifteen feet to the packer and then if the packer was able to supply the drive to take it up the remainder of the pipe. Is this something that has been done with consistent results?

Thanks for the feedbacck.

TM

LLigetfa said:

8 feet of water is not much to work with. So by my calcs there is 15 feet of good casing and 15 feet of air to the water. What you could do is to put 23 feet of drop pipe on the footvalve and still have a working system without pulling the sandpoint. There is a good chance that when you pull it, only the top 15 feet will come out.

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TM said:

I put the packer in at 15 feet today and dropped the foot valve in 20 feet lower at 35 feet . This made it an additional 15 feet to the water level with 8 feet of water in the pipe (including the sandpoint). The leathers sealed almost immediately. I hooked up the pump to a generator and filled all the pipes and primed the pump but was unable to pull any water from the well. Are you sure the packer will pull under this split configutation??? I was unsure if the suction line would pull the initial fifteen feet to the packer and then if the packer was able to supply the drive to take it up the remainder of the pipe. Is this something that has been done with consistent results?

Thanks for the feedbacck.

TM

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I think that was a may work ?

What kind of pump are you using ?

What is the size of your Jet ? What Packer are you using ?

What was the original problem for you to have to install a new casing ?

Thanks for the response. I'm afraid I cannot furnish much of the information you are seeking at this time. I do not know the jet size or manufacture. I bought it from our local pump supply and service center and did not realize it needed to be sized until I just read more info on the site. It did not come with any packaging and there was no information on the brass body. The dealer did not mention the sizing issue and they have a no return policy. The jet packer assembky alone was priced at $275. The pump is from a big box (Wayne 1/2 horse convertible). I was afraid to invest heavily in a better brand until i knew if the well would produce.

The reason for the new casing is that it is a new installation entirely. I have a very large remote garden (no utilities available at this time) that I am constructing in an attempt to provide vegetables for our local homeless shelter. It appears my well building knowlege is sadly lacking... I thought I would hit water at a shallow well depth as I am situated over a large aquifer. When the well depth dropped past the shallow well limit, the whole project was past my skill level. i did have a professional out to take a look early on and he worked to develop some flow in nthe case through compressed air. He felt there might be enough water to risk setting a pump and i proceeded on from that point...

DonL said:

I think that was a may work ?

What kind of pump are you using ?

What is the size of your Jet ? What Packer are you using ?

What was the original problem for you to have to install a new casing ?

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Blow the well with an air compressor and see if it will make water. Put a "T" on the top, air line in the top down to the bottom , let the water discharge out the side. Put a stuffing rag where it goes in the top so it won't blow all over you.

I use a ~5 HP gasoline for small wells like yours with great success. Anything bigger or deeper and you need a tow-behind. A sizeable electric may also work.

Wellman, are you suggesting that procedure to further develop the well or as a means to get water out of it? The well guy that I had out was able to use a large compressor to blow water out of the well at a rate he believd was 3 gallons a minute. I just can't seem to pump it out with the crack in the case joint...QUOTE=Texas Wellman;348729]Blow the well with an air compressor and see if it will make water. Put a "T" on the top, air line in the top down to the bottom , let the water discharge out the side. Put a stuffing rag where it goes in the top so it won't blow all over you.

I use a ~5 HP gasoline for small wells like yours with great success. Anything bigger or deeper and you need a tow-behind. A sizeable electric may also work.[/QUOTE]

3 gpm doesn't play well with a jet pump. You need to try and get the production up some more. Also, with that cracked collar, I don't think you're ever going to get this well going right. If the jet is as high as you state then you're going to have problems with the water getting too low to suck up. Might be time for Round 2. Next time use good quality steel casing, try to stay away from the China Syndrome stuff. I know it's hard to do, but check around for better quality. I can't remember the last time I found american made galv. steel.

I am sure Texas Wellman is correct, He is the best.

Are you Priming your pump manually ?

I think that is a 5 GPM pump and it will not self prime the way you have it setup.

For the price that you paid I guess you got the different Jets and ventures ?

They should have included the pump also for $275.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply. I believe I will pull the case and begin again with better materials!

Texas Wellman said:

3 gpm doesn't play well with a jet pump. You need to try and get the production up some more. Also, with that cracked collar, I don't think you're ever going to get this well going right. If the jet is as high as you state then you're going to have problems with the water getting too low to suck up. Might be time for Round 2. Next time use good quality steel casing, try to stay away from the China Syndrome stuff. I know it's hard to do, but check around for better quality. I can't remember the last time I found american made galv. steel.

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I hooked a water tank to the priming port after trying to prime it maually several times. I thought the tank would help eliminate air but it appeared that the case was pulling so much air that it would not even pull the prime water from the tank...

DonL said:

I am sure Texas Wellman is correct, He is the best.

Are you Priming your pump manually ?

I think that is a 5 GPM pump and it will not self prime the way you have it setup.

For the price that you paid I guess you got the different Jets and ventures ?

They should have included the pump also for $275.

Click to expand...