shallow sand point well problems

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Dean M

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About 9 years ago my father and I sunk a sandpoint well. We went down about 50 feet using 2" galvanized pipe. I installed a well x trol pressure tank model wx302 and a 1 h.p. standard Fairbanks Morse shallow well jet pump. we ran 1 1/2" pvc pipe into the galvanized pipe and connected to the pump. I ran the pressure to the house at the preset factory 38 psi. I am now experiencing problems with several pressure switches which have warped near the contacts of the switch. The last one I replaced was a flo tec 40/60 pressure switch which lasted 2 weeks and also melted. I boosted the pressure up to 55 psi and adjusted the switch accordingly. my pump is also running for an extended amount of time( about 8-10 minutes) before it switches off and is getting very hot. The increased pressure was very nice while it lasted! After running the garden hose for about 10 minutes air would start to blow violently out of the hose and other fixtures.( the pump would then take forever to reach the correct pressure and shut off). Today I had zero water pressure and when I checked the pressure in the pressure tank it was 0. My questions are these: Do I have a leak in the system? Is the pressure tank bad or water logged? Could the foot valve or check valve be bad? Im running out ideas and dont know where to start.
Any advice or comments would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! Dean M from New Mexico
 

Bob NH

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You need to check out the whole system.

Is the bladder tank in good condition and correctly precharged? A bad tank could lead to pressure switch failures.

Is there enough water in the well? Are you pumping it below the depth where a shallow well pump will work? You could put a vacuum gauge on the suction side of the pump. If you don't have a check valve on the discharge side, then you need a gauge that will withstand the pressure when the pump is shut off.

Do you have an air leak on the suction side of the pump? That could cause the violent discharge when air comes out of the tank. Air would also cause the pump to never reach pressure.
 

Speedbump

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How much 1-1/2" pipe did you put into the 2" pipe? Did you put a footvalve on the end of the 1-1/2" pipe or a check valve at the pump.

Try a pressure switch with a little quality. FloTec and quality should never be used in the same sentence.

Your screen is probably getting plugged up by now and may need to be pulled or treated with Nu-Well tablets.

bob...
 

Dean M

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shallow well

Bob thanks for the reply. I put in about 48' of 1 1/2" pipe. Can you suggest a good quality switch? Today I was planning on pulling the pvc pipe and replacing it along with the foot valve. I was also going to replace the check valve at the pump. reference the new well-tablets will they take care of the screen on the sand point well? I am learning as I go and have always been the kinda guy that does all his own projects but this is different. I was assuming you meant the screen on the sandpoint? Thanks again Bob I really appreciate your advice and experience, ill wait to hear from you and in the mean time I will track down a quality switch and some nu-well tabs fron the supply house. gotta get started its not fun without water!.
 

Speedbump

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All you need is 30 foot of pipe in the well. Put a footvalve at the bottom. Forget the check valve at the pump.

Square D used to be a good switch, but now I find the Chinese knock offs are better. I'm sorry to say that, but it's true. I sell them for $9.98.

If you have any kind of screened well that does not have a check (bremer) valve at the bottom, the Nu-Well tablets will clean the screen if you don't let it get too badly plugged. Running water into the well after putting the tablets in is a must to do a good job of dissolving the mineral.

bob...
 

Dean M

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Speedbump, thanks for the reply. It turned out to be a waterlogged tank. the well screen is also plugged. I am also going to treat the well screen with tabs and flush with water as you suggested. I am replacing the pipe in the well and adding a footvalve which it didnt have. I should have the everything finished by tonight if time alllows. thanks again speedbump!

Dean...
 

mkdap

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Stumped in Idaho???

About 3 weeks ago my father-in-law and I drove a sand point. We went down 24 feet and hit about 14 feet of water. We put the check valve on and ran Polly pipe about 60 feet to a pump house and screwed on a 1HP pump. It was a non-priming pump so we primed it up and it started pumping water! When we went to start another hose we lost pressure to everything. After about a dozen tries we thought maybe it was the check valve since when we would pitcher pump it...water would not stay at the top when we unscrewed the pump....After changing that and adding another check valve since it would still do it....we had no luck!!! Just wondering if anyone had any other ideas as what it might be? As of the moment I have someone checking out the pump to see if thats the problem!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!
 
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