Is it OK to glue pvc drop pipe couplers for submersible well pump?

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Jfharper

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I have to drop my sub a little due to water table drop. I pulled up the drop pipe a little and it is sch 40 1 1/4". There is already a glued adapter going from the 1 1/4" to 2" galvanized which is right under the well cap...the rest of the drop pipe is the pvc sch40 1 1/4". My well depth is 75 feet, water level was 50 feet and sub sits at 60 feet...we are at the bottom of the valley right next to a seasonal river bed. Sub is a 1hp. I ran a fishing line down to get all these figures. One time down the casing with a sinker, one down the drop pipe as there is a threaded cap at the top, one with a bobber to water level. Casing is 6" pvc. Can I just glue 5 foot section in there being that the weight is probably no more than 50 pounds at the most...probably a lot less than that...I was able to lift it myself. Anyone know how much weight the Christie's pvc glue can handle? This 1 1/4" sch 40 / 1 hp sub setup has lasted since we bought the house in 1999.

Also, I may have to dig a new well and was thinking of doing it myself...gonna try to go 200 feet. Do you think I can run glued couplers with sch 40 1 1/4" 1 hp? I haven't looked up the requirement for how high a 1hp can pump...my holding tank is 25 feet above ground. I have a dole valve on there inline now as well as a gate closed slightly...I've been getting air slightly since last July. Local agriculture is causing these problems along with lack of rain. Thanks for any advice.

Btw, I have a holding tank setup, into a booster pump with two pressure tanks. Well was rated at 35 gpm when we bought the hous, the dole valve reduces to 20 gpm, and the partially closed gate valve slows the flow even more.
 
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Jfharper

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Thanks...maybe I should just pull the whole thing up and replace the drop pipe to make sure it is all correct. Should I use sch 40,80,120? What couplers do your recommend? Hand tight or is there a tool for tightening couplers? Also, what does the threaded stuff cost about? Thanks again for your help.
 

Valveman

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Sch 120 has belled and treaded ends and needs no couplings. With Sch 80 I would use brass, SS, or Galv couplings, no Teflon or pipe dope, and tighten with pipe wrenches until it pops a time or two. Sch 40 is too thin to thread.
 

Jfharper

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Sch 120 has belled and treaded ends and needs no couplings. With Sch 80 I would use brass, SS, or Galv couplings, no Teflon or pipe dope, and tighten with pipe wrenches until it pops a time or two. Sch 40 is too thin to thread.
Thanks. Is there a preferred method from what you mentioned for if I need to pull the sub out again and disconnect everything, perhaps to reuse in a new well if my current well runs dry? Or is it recommended just to replace everything if you disconnect it?
 

Reach4

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A lot of people prefer polyethylene pipe for such wells. There are good points to each side. I have included some links that discuss poly vs threaded PVC. Preferences are largely regional, and it may correlate with how deep the typical well is in an area. Your well is fairly shallow, so poly would be plenty strong. Read through these discussions and search out others.

I expect the pros use a derrick truck to handle the schedule 80 and 120 PVC pretty much as they would if they handled galvanized. I don't know if the trucks have screw/unscrew mechanisms for the pipe built in, as oil derricks have, but I would guess yes. I am not a pro, or even an amateur in touching well pipe. If I were going to try DIY well pipe handling, I think I would use poly... but I will use a pro when that comes up-- and he will use threaded schedule 80 because that is his preference.

https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?42102-Sub-pump-370-down-on-poly-pipe
https://terrylove.com/forums/showth...r-opinions-on-poly-pipe-to-use-on-a-long-haul
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?8605-Maximum-length-of-PE-pipe-in-a-well
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?46166-Build-up-on-Galvanized-well-pipe-(Reddish-brown)
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?32083-Replace-galvanized-with-Pex
 

Texas Wellman

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Mostly a pipe wrench/chain tong and muscles!~

A lot of people prefer polyethylene pipe for such wells. There are good points to each side. I have included some links that discuss poly vs threaded PVC. Preferences are largely regional, and it may correlate with how deep the typical well is in an area. Your well is fairly shallow, so poly would be plenty strong. Read through these discussions and search out others.

I expect the pros use a derrick truck to handle the schedule 80 and 120 PVC pretty much as they would if they handled galvanized. I don't know if the trucks have screw/unscrew mechanisms for the pipe built in, as oil derricks have, but I would guess yes. I am not a pro, or even an amateur in touching well pipe. If I were going to try DIY well pipe handling, I think I would use poly... but I will use a pro when that comes up-- and he will use threaded schedule 80 because that is his preference.

https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?42102-Sub-pump-370-down-on-poly-pipe
https://terrylove.com/forums/showth...r-opinions-on-poly-pipe-to-use-on-a-long-haul
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?8605-Maximum-length-of-PE-pipe-in-a-well
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?46166-Build-up-on-Galvanized-well-pipe-(Reddish-brown)
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?32083-Replace-galvanized-with-Pex
 

Craigpump

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By the time some "pros" got out the power tongs for 1" sch 80, the rest of us would have 200' pulled and on the ground
 

Texas Wellman

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Next time I get on some 4" or larger column pipe I am going to use a power tong. I seen em advertised for about $10K. After doing that a few times I think it would be worth it.
 

Valveman

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After many years of wearing my back out with chain tongs and a cheater, I finally got some oil field power tongs on my extended 12T Smeal. Don’t know how I lasted so long without them. I could pull and set 2,000’ of 3.5” X 30’ upset tubing in one day, and drove 100 miles back and forth to do it. Same job was a man killer and use to take 3 days with chain tongs.

Just swung the power tongs from the sand line. Only took a couple of minutes to hook it up. Maybe 5 more minutes if you have to change the teeth for a different pipe size. They are not cheap though. Probably cost 20,000+ these days. Pulling unit trucks and everything on them is expensive. If people knew how much this stuff cost they might not complain so much when they are charged a few hundred bucks for labor.
 
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