Pitless adapter won't seat back down

[Jbjohnberger]

Hi all, I pulled up my well pump and replaced it. However I have reinstalled this pitless adapter and there now it is leaking on the connection.
I am not able to identify this type of adapter.

Is there tricks when installing? It should just be placing this "C" lip back onto the other piece correct? I have tried pounding it lightly with a 4 ft 2x4 to make it seat better no luck. My well is only 50' so not that much water/pipe/weight to set it back down.

Is this "flat" O-ring one that is "flat" because it been there for so long? It doesn't look like a normal O-ring and I guess the whole black piece is together, and I can't find a replacement.

Any thoughts/advice?
Thanks

 

[Bannerman]

While your flat 'O' ring may need to be replaced (hardware store may have a replacement), I would first lubricate your existing 'O' ring with a food grade silicone lubricant such as Dow Release Compound 7 or Chemplex 862.

All O rings new or old should be lubricated prior to assembly.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[LLigetfa]

Test setting the pump down so that it does not sit on the pitless to see if maybe it is hitting bottom. One time when I pulled my pump, the motor had been sitting in silt and I had to shorten the pipe to get it back onto the pitless.

On the pitless, make sure the groove is clean in case something in the groove is holding it up. You might have to clean the top of the male half down in the well.

 

[Reach4]

That is different than other pitless adapters I have seen pictures of.
It looks like there is a part cast into the side: "R17440". No hits on Google.

What does the other side look like?

 

[LLigetfa]

It looks like there is a part cast into the side: "R17440". No hits on Google.

I read it as a B but no hits on DuckDuckGo either for anything resembling a pitless.

Make sure the wire is taped to the pipe in such a way that it does not get between the pipe and the casing. If you replaced the iron pipe with poly, make sure the curl goes the right way.

 

[Jbjohnberger]

- Will give the silicone lubricant a go.

- Its not hitting the bottom for sure, there's about 10ft. 40' ft. down is water, pump is 50' and bottom of well is 60', not that much room to play with.

- Yeah I tried to clean the groove, a water bottle fill with water and aimed at it, and some cloth on a stick..

- Can't really get a pic on other side but its just a V shape groove on the top side of a circular pipe that this adapter rest on. The poly pipe curl may be a problem like LLigetfa said, I don't see how the "bottom side" of this connection is held against the other part.

Lets say I can't get this to seal, right now I have a check valve on top of the pump, if I install another check valve before the water pressure tank, then this "leak" would only be like 5ft of pipe from the pitless adapter to the water tank, and from there is the line to filters, and the house etc.. would that be fine? at least wait until summer if I need to dig a giant hole to replace the whole pitless adapter.
If the leak hopefully is small enough that it still reach the point that the pressure switch get trigger and get the pump to stop with water pressure tank "full".

 

[LLigetfa]

The poly pipe curl may be a problem

Turn the poly so that it curls away from the side that the pitless is on or use one length of rigid pipe coming off the pitless.

How deep is the pitless below ground? You might consider digging it up / replacing it if not too deep and the ground is not too frozen.

 

[Jbjohnberger]

I will give that both a go next weekend when I am free. If that don't work ya, I might have to replace that pitless adapter.
The ground is not frozen but I have high water / clay soil, and raining hard on the pacific northwest, if I dig right now I be making a pond. It's like 5 ft down but my lawn not even draining at the moment.

Got a pic of the other side after I put in the lubricant

 

[Valveman]

It looks like the removeable part of the pitless could be bent. The half moon part on top must slide down in the grove on the stationary side of the pitless. Hard to tell from a picture though.