Airline for checking water level?

[DeepWell]

I was told I should install an airline in my well to make checking water levels easy.
I agree, this would be very handy, especially since we seem to get further and further in a drought with no relief in sight.
Is there a special tubing I should use? I don't want this to start cracking/deteriorating down hole.
Thanks,
DW

[tvl]

Hi DW!

Refer to this thread for additional information: http://www.terrylove.com/forums/show...ure&highlight=

[craigpump]

How about buying a Well Sounder? I have one and it works great. I don't have to worry about contamination issues and there is no installation procedure. I think it was $1000.00 and I bet you couldn't put an airline in your well for that price.

[Texas Wellman]

Actually craig the airline is just a piece of poly-tubing taped to the side of the drop-pipe. You apply pressure to it and see what it holds to determine the water level. Probably about $20 for the avg. person.

[craigpump]

I'm familiar with how they work, but I think in a previous post he stated that the well was 800+ feet deep

[DeepWell]

I actually made my own sounder that I used before, but the air line will be better for keeping contaminates out.
The air line was $90 with my company discount (from Granger) and it's 150psi USA tubing.
I still need to get a few of the miscellaneous pieces to make it work, compression fitting, Tee, Schrader valve & gauge. Shouldn't be much $ with the gauge being the most expensive (of the remaining items).

[craigpump]

My mistake, I misunderstood that you wanted to put an airline in when the pump was out of the well

[valveman]

800’ of ¼” poly is not very expensive. The problem with an airline for water level detection on a deep well is the amount of air pressure available. A 100 PSI compressor will only show 231’ of water standing above the pump. I use to test a lot of 1200’ to 1600’ wells using a ¼” rubber hose. We had to use a tank of Nitrogen with a regulator to get enough pressure to go that deep.

An airline will show the water level dropping, but you have to air it back up to show an increase in water level. An airline is the only way I know to detect a true pumping level. The airline will not pick up water falling from perforations that are high up in the casing, as many sounders and electric current detectors will.