Deep subject! : P
newbie308
Posts: 768
Last Thursday I had the unfortunate experience of having my well pump quit in the middle of a shower. After a few soapy choice words, I geared up and started the process of unearthing the well house, pulling the old pump, and sourcing a replacement. It's dirty work, but not really difficult. I don't own a metal detector, so I resorted to the old fashioned method of locating the well house with divining rods. It's crazy, but that method put me within a few inches of the well house, so think what you want about the technique, but I'm a believer!
After lifting the lid, I had to do a little more digging. Quite a bit of soil had accumulated at the bottom of the well house. The old well pump was dated 1986, so it was due to fail about 20 years ago...
I replaced everything from the pump up to the elbow that connects to the poly pipe leading to the house. Whoever installed the well the last time, didn't attach the ground wire!
Looks like the well seal was compromised, too. That explains the silt I was getting in my water after a heavy rain...
The new pump is a slightly higher flow rate and delivers significantly more pressure!
The new pump is all stainless steel, so corrosion won't be an issue for a very long time! I'm hopeful that this new pump outlasts me, because I probably won't want to do this myself when I'm in my 80's...
After lifting the lid, I had to do a little more digging. Quite a bit of soil had accumulated at the bottom of the well house. The old well pump was dated 1986, so it was due to fail about 20 years ago...
I replaced everything from the pump up to the elbow that connects to the poly pipe leading to the house. Whoever installed the well the last time, didn't attach the ground wire!
Looks like the well seal was compromised, too. That explains the silt I was getting in my water after a heavy rain...The new pump is a slightly higher flow rate and delivers significantly more pressure!
The new pump is all stainless steel, so corrosion won't be an issue for a very long time! I'm hopeful that this new pump outlasts me, because I probably won't want to do this myself when I'm in my 80's...
Sources: Technics SL1200MKII | SME3009 Tonearm | Monster Alpha 1 MC cartridge | Oppo UDP203 disk player | Nikko NT-790 analog tuner | Musical Fidelity Trivista 21 DAC | Preamp: Threshold SL-10 | Amplifier: Threshold Stasis 2 | Speakers: Snell Acoustics C/V | Kimber 12-TC bi wire speakers | Analysis plus Oval 1 preamp to amp | Wireworld Eclipse 7 DAC to Preamp | Wireworld eclipse digital IC Oppo to DAC | Audioquest Quartz tuner to preamp |
Comments
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Nice work. I helped a friend out with this same task a few years ago. It was one of the first more advanced DIY home projects I really worked on.
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Interesting type of well. All of the ones I've had or seen around here have the well head slightly above ground, so easy access and no chance of silt getting in.
An example, not mine.
Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
That style uses a pitless adapter. WAY better design!Gustard X26 Pro DAC
Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)
There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus -
Modern wells in this area are, as you mentioned, drilled from the surface and utilize a pitless adapter through the well casing below the frost line, so no well house is required, but accessing the pitiless adapter involves a bit of excavation. This well was drilled sometime in the early 1950's. Drill rigs from that Era had a maximum depth of 50 to 75 feet, and pitless adapters didn't exist. The well house allowed connections above the well seal and below the frost line. The well house probably extended above grade by at least half a course of block, but at some point a load of topsoil was spread on the property, and the well house was buried. I am going to add another course of block to the well house to bring it above grade again.
My well utilized a jet pump originally because I found remnants of the 1950's well head and jet when I dug out the pit.Sources: Technics SL1200MKII | SME3009 Tonearm | Monster Alpha 1 MC cartridge | Oppo UDP203 disk player | Nikko NT-790 analog tuner | Musical Fidelity Trivista 21 DAC | Preamp: Threshold SL-10 | Amplifier: Threshold Stasis 2 | Speakers: Snell Acoustics C/V | Kimber 12-TC bi wire speakers | Analysis plus Oval 1 preamp to amp | Wireworld Eclipse 7 DAC to Preamp | Wireworld eclipse digital IC Oppo to DAC | Audioquest Quartz tuner to preamp | -
Modern wells in this area are, as you mentioned, drilled from the surface and utilize a pitless adapter through the well casing below the frost line, so no well house is required, but accessing the pitiless adapter involves a bit of excavation. This well was drilled sometime in the early 1950's. Drill rigs from that Era had a maximum depth of 50 to 75 feet, and pitless adapters didn't exist. The well house allowed connections above the well seal and below the frost line. The well house probably extended above grade by at least half a course of block, but at some point a load of topsoil was spread on the property, and the well house was buried. I am going to add another course of block to the well house to bring it above grade again.
My well utilized a jet pump originally because I found remnants of the 1950's well head and jet when I dug out the pit.
I highly recommend seeing if you need a filter on the water in line. We have a drilled well ~200ft deep (the one Jesse posted a photo of) and we got the occasional spit up of debris so when our treatment system was replaced, the guy also installed a filter.
Considering how much dirt was in your well house Id get a professional opinion on it and see if it's viable or needed.
Good that you got to go in and see what was up though, I take it you installed seals, the ground wire, cleaned the soil, etc? -
I installed a back washable silt screen before the pressure tank, and two whole house filters in parallel with the floss style 5 micron sediment filter after the pressure tank. I'm also considering a reverse osmosis filter with a cold water tap at the kitchen sink, but I can buy a lot of gallon jugs of spring water for what one of those systems would cost, even if I install it myself.Sources: Technics SL1200MKII | SME3009 Tonearm | Monster Alpha 1 MC cartridge | Oppo UDP203 disk player | Nikko NT-790 analog tuner | Musical Fidelity Trivista 21 DAC | Preamp: Threshold SL-10 | Amplifier: Threshold Stasis 2 | Speakers: Snell Acoustics C/V | Kimber 12-TC bi wire speakers | Analysis plus Oval 1 preamp to amp | Wireworld Eclipse 7 DAC to Preamp | Wireworld eclipse digital IC Oppo to DAC | Audioquest Quartz tuner to preamp |
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I installed a back washable silt screen before the pressure tank, and two whole house filters in parallel with the floss style 5 micron sediment filter after the pressure tank. I'm also considering a reverse osmosis filter with a cold water tap at the kitchen sink, but I can buy a lot of gallon jugs of spring water for what one of those systems would cost, even if I install it myself.
Looks like you're 8 steps ahead!
Why a reverse osmosis system and not a whole home softener? -
I don't have any issues with getting soap to lather or calcium deposits, so I don't think a water softener is necessary. I don't even have the iron bacteria sulfur smell, but it would be nice to know that the water is safe for consumption. I don't drink it currently. I purchase gallons of water for that, but if I installed a RO system, I wouldn't hesitate to drink it. My well is shallow, and my neighbors use fertilizer and weed killer on their lawn, so I really don't want to consume that crap.Sources: Technics SL1200MKII | SME3009 Tonearm | Monster Alpha 1 MC cartridge | Oppo UDP203 disk player | Nikko NT-790 analog tuner | Musical Fidelity Trivista 21 DAC | Preamp: Threshold SL-10 | Amplifier: Threshold Stasis 2 | Speakers: Snell Acoustics C/V | Kimber 12-TC bi wire speakers | Analysis plus Oval 1 preamp to amp | Wireworld Eclipse 7 DAC to Preamp | Wireworld eclipse digital IC Oppo to DAC | Audioquest Quartz tuner to preamp |
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I don't have any issues with getting soap to lather or calcium deposits, so I don't think a water softener is necessary. I don't even have the iron bacteria sulfur smell, but it would be nice to know that the water is safe for consumption. I don't drink it currently. I purchase gallons of water for that, but if I installed a RO system, I wouldn't hesitate to drink it. My well is shallow, and my neighbors use fertilizer and weed killer on their lawn, so I really don't want to consume that crap.
I'd recommend testing first. The ground can filter out chemicals quite well. That way you don't spend more on an overly uneeded system or get a system lesser than your needs.
We tested for our system and the results were 100% not what we were expecting. Turns out our softener was making the water worse but the raw well water was perfect except pH.... -
A good 3M carbon/resin block like those that hospitals use will remove all that you're worried about. Yes depending on your water chemistry an RO system can get very expensive with the filter membranes.
The 3m carbon/resin block will not remove the necessary minerals you may want that a RO system would remove unnecessarily. -
They make a small, under sink RO system that you could use in your kitchen or bathroom. They have a small pressure tank that usually stores a gallon or so. I have one in my 5th wheel for when I dry camp in the mountains and pull water out of streams.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/APEC-Water-Systems-Essence-Premium-Quality-5-Stage-Under-Sink-Reverse-Osmosis-Drinking-Water-Filter-System-ROES-50/206275647Gustard X26 Pro DAC
Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)
There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
