Well Repair

[ReeferMac]

Had some trouble w/ the well out on the property we own. Was throwing the breaker.

Got a reference from a local fellow for a repair-man, came out today to check it out. Says either the pump's bad (replace), or wire is shorting out (repair), either way, he needs to bring in a crane-truck to hoist the pump up out of there to see. Well is approx 120-feet deep, galvanized pipe, can't pull it by hand (tried, sucker's pretty heavy).

Estimated $1500-2000 total for repair/replacement, as we probably need to replace the bladder-tank, too.

I'm a city-boy, water always came from a pipe the city owned... does that estimate sound about right?

Any suggestions/additions as I'm going to bite the bullet on Friday and get it fixed? Likely going to re-do the shed-house surrounding pump w/ cinder blocks as it's currently mostly rotten wood. Well-guy said a 100-watt light-bulb left on in a draft-free well house will generate enough heat to keep pipes from freezing down here/

 

Thanks for the advice!

 

- Kevin

[Westwindmike]

My son had a well. His was a non-submersible with a pressure tank. His equipment was in a wooden building with a space heater pointed at the unit and his still froze last winter here in Mufreesboro. The water filter even froze and burst. Had they stayed, I recommended that he build an insulated box around all the pump, filter and pressure tank. Shouldn't take much to heat it then.

If you ever get your pump out, I'd suggest replacing the galvanized with plastic.

Good luck.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Before you do it drop something down to collect the water. If it comes up clear it is probably flowing but if it is cloudy water I would not fix it because it probably doesn't have fresh water coming in. Also smell it, a lot of rust and sulfur in the area if that matter.

 

[10-Ring]

I've lived in 3 houses with wells and had my pipes freeze 1 time.  I never ran a heater or lightbulb or anything else.  They froze during a snowstorm, I stuck a space heater in the well house and had water within 30 minutes.  That pump house was just concrete block with a tin roof too.  Just leave your faucets dripping, it's not like you are paying a water bill anyway.

[ReeferMac]

36 minutes ago, Dolomite_supafly said:

Before you do it drop something down to collect the water. If it comes up clear it is probably flowing but if it is cloudy water I would not fix it because it probably doesn't have fresh water coming in. Also smell it, a lot of rust and sulfur in the area if that matter.

 

Thanks! We've been using the well for a few months now. It was a little murky when we first fired it up (after sitting idle for 10+ years!), but after a few days of intermittent use, the water cleared up and has been OK. Horses and dog have been drinking it for months, we haven't sent it for testing yet so don't drink it ourselves.... Only once after running it outselves for about an hour did it start pulling up dirty water again.

 

- K
 

[RED333]

I helped a man with his well years ago, like yours it was deep, 100 feet IIRC. We used a rope (bad idea),the rope hit the side of the pipe about 3/4 way down. cut the rope, what a mess, took us hours to get it back up as the rope jammed on top of the pump. He used a plastic pipe that was flexible, we used the pipe to pull it back up.

Your case is ridged pipe, it takes a crane to lift and hold so it can be unscrewed. you do not want 100 feet of pipe sticking up in the air, it will fall. You could build a rig, use a come a long, make a clamp to hold the pipe up so to reset the come a long for the next lift. My guess it would take more than a few hours.

Rig would need to be big think wood or steel, gona cost a good bit, plus the come a long. Spend the money and let someone else take a chance on dropping the mess back down the well, you get to sit back and watch. The price is not that bad.

[ReeferMac]

Thanks Red, I didn't think it was too bad - IME, if you show up on a job site w/ a specialized vehicle/equipment, you start at least at $500/day. The guy said the steel pipe comes in 21' sections, and the concern w/ hand-pulling is that it can break at the threads, dropping the pump back down the well (and then you get to re-drill, whee!)

Just sucks having to pay the bill, you know what kinda rifle I could get w/ that coin? My gosh, that's thousands of rounds....

- K

[RED333]

Check out how the crew works the pipe coming out. It is a sight.

[TNWNGR]

Freshwater wells are expensive. Once your pump and wiring are replaced make sure to insulate the replacement well house. Whenever you build a house look at using water barrels and a cistern. It's a lot cheaper to use filtered rain water to take care of livestock and gardens then it is to use well water. Electrically powered pumps draw a lot of amperage which equates to a lot of money.

[mhmd]

Get another opinion. Had one few years back that first fellow said pump had to come out. Second fellow said DONE about 5 minutes after looking at it and replacing a relay (darn thing was a 125$ relay but still better than pulling pump). Also can you relocate tank inside house?  If you can, throw piece of fiberglass insulation over well head and be done with it. Cheaper than burning light bulb year after year. And yes most years light bulb will be all you need. 

[owejia]

What WestwindMike said about replacing galvanized with plastic is right on. Is the well casing galvanized also or is it plastic? In my area most household wells are drilled 120ft deep and are 4in plastic casings with 1 1/2 in plastic pipe. I use a 2hp 220volt pump in mine and can still pull them by hand if necessary. Had 4 0f them on power at one time, watering livestock at different locations, always something to fix or replace on them. Plastic is easy to pull as long as you keep an arc in it to keep from crimping and breaking it. Last year had to replace a pump and used a 10 foot ladder to stand on and get a nice arc in the pipe. If you use plastic pipe, use electrical tape to tape the wires to the pipe every five feet or so in case the pipe breaks or comes unglued you can still pull the pump and pipe using the wires. We have high water table here so most pumps are only 60 t0 100 ft deep in the wells

[ReeferMac]

$300 for a new pressure tank from Lowe's, $1250 for the guy (crane truck, 3 new sections of pipe, new pump, hook it all up), and the horses have water again!

Money well spent (new pump and pipe should last me a while), but all the same, there's soooo many other things I'd have rather used that money for, LOL!

Thanks everyone.

 

- K

[TripleGGG]

1 hour ago, ReeferMac said:

$300 for a new pressure tank from Lowe's, $1250 for the guy (crane truck, 3 new sections of pipe, new pump, hook it all up), and the horses have water again!

Money well spent (new pump and pipe should last me a while), but all the same, there's soooo many other things I'd have rather used that money for, LOL!

Thanks everyone.

 

- K

I think you did very well at that price.  But yes that is a lot of ammo 

[RED333]

Sounds like things went "well" congrats.