Well question... Sigh...

RedTartan · #1 04/12/08, 04:16 PM

We are trying to replace our jet pump with a submersible pump. We've opened the well... top and we're hitting water about 12 feet down. This is not possible. Wells in this area have to be drilled 120-160 feet. Something is blocking our descent. What could it be? Why can't we measure the depth of our well?

Also, we can't get the "Williams pitless adapter" off. They've rigged up scaffolding and everything. My FIL said that they ought to be able to lift a car with this rig and it won't come off.

Help. I really can't afford to bring in professionals on this job...

Thanks,

RedTartan

goatlady · #2 04/12/08, 04:39 PM

The water depth has nothing to do with the well depth, water levels are most always much higher. you need to contact the original driller for a copy of the drill records and that will tell you what you need to know - depth of well, water level, gallons per minute refill/flow, type of soil levels drilled through, etc. - at no cost probably.

RedTartan · #3 04/12/08, 04:46 PM

There's no way for me to get that information. This well system is a minimum of 50 years old and I bought the place two years ago. It was a foreclosed home and the bank had no information on anything... It was a steal though

RedTartan

farminghandyman · #4 04/12/08, 08:22 PM

some pit-less adaptors have a nut or bolt that works a wedge on the actually adaptor section,

also you may want to make sure your securing the pipe during this undertaking, as the adaptor my be all that is holding your string of pipe in the well,

on mine the adaptor had a wedge type item that a rod would tighten up or loosen on part of the top of the unit,

I could not find any thing on a Williams adaptor except for below.

here is a patent on a Williams adaptor,
http://www.google.com/patents?id=8rh...BAJ&dq=2968256
a pdf of the system,
http://www.google.com/patents/pdf/PU...EuYuC9Pkm0DiPU

these are other possiblities,

http://www.purdue.edu/envirosoft/pri...c/pumppro1.htm

about half way down,,
http://www3.abe.iastate.edu/HTMDOCS/pm840.asp

foxtrapper · #5 04/12/08, 08:28 PM

You may well have a shallow well. I do for example. mine is a mere 20 feet deep. Everyone else is down at 300 now, and going deeper, into the aquafer. They all together drain that aquafer and are steadily running out of water.

I, on the other hand, with my shallow well, have never run out of water, including in the droughts we've had.

retire2$ · #6 04/12/08, 08:32 PM

If the pitless adapter is stuck you can always dig down on the outside of the pipe to the pitless adapter, unscrew it from the outside and then pull it up that way.

agmantoo · #7 04/12/08, 08:42 PM

Elaborate on the setup for the 2 inch system you are removing. Was the 2 inch system a single down pipe or did it have two pipes into the well. Describe in full detail what you know about the well itself. What is the size of the casing and what diameter is the submersible pump. How do you know this is a Williams pitless adapter and not just a hard plumbed pipe for the old 2 inch setup? Obviously from my rambling you can tell I do not have enough information to go forward.

RedTartan · #8 04/13/08, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agmantoo

Elaborate on the setup for the 2 inch system you are removing. Was the 2 inch system a single down pipe or did it have two pipes into the well. Describe in full detail what you know about the well itself. What is the size of the casing and what diameter is the submersible pump. How do you know this is a Williams pitless adapter and not just a hard plumbed pipe for the old 2 inch setup? Obviously from my rambling you can tell I do not have enough information to go forward.

This is a 4 inch jet pump system. We are trying to convert to a submersible. Two pipes go in the well inside the well casing. We assume this is a Williams pitless adapter because that's what it says on the well cap.

As of right now we've called professionals and they'll be here first thing Monday morning. They are going to charge me $2000-$2500 for a new submersible pump, new storage tank, and installation. That's not as bad as I feared it would be. Because we have NO water and 4 kids, we're going to let them fix it. For posterity's sake, I'll try to find out what they do. Maybe I can even post pictures so someone else can see how to do this in future.

It's entirely possible, probable actually, that there's something holding the adapter on. My FIL has a problem accepting that there are many ways to do things. He saw and adapter that just pulled out, so he insists that they're all that way

I wish the man could say, "No, I don't know how to do that." Instead of saying, "We'll figure it out. It'll be a half-day job. Easy."

Ah, well... I have, in the last two years, put in a new furnace, a new hot water tank, built a barn for my goats, and now I'll be getting a new well pump, storage tank, and water softener... Someone tell me that there's nothing left to break. Please?

RedTartan

RedTartan · #9 04/13/08, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retire2$

If the pitless adapter is stuck you can always dig down on the outside of the pipe to the pitless adapter, unscrew it from the outside and then pull it up that way.

I'm betting that that's what the professionals will have to do when they get here. I'll let you know.

RedTartan

RedTartan · #10 04/13/08, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farminghandyman

some pit-less adaptors have a nut or bolt that works a wedge on the actually adaptor section,

also you may want to make sure your securing the pipe during this undertaking, as the adaptor my be all that is holding your string of pipe in the well,

on mine the adaptor had a wedge type item that a rod would tighten up or loosen on part of the top of the unit,

I could not find any thing on a Williams adaptor except for below.

here is a patent on a Williams adaptor,
http://www.google.com/patents?id=8rh...BAJ&dq=2968256
a pdf of the system,
http://www.google.com/patents/pdf/PU...EuYuC9Pkm0DiPU

these are other possiblities,

http://www.purdue.edu/envirosoft/pri...c/pumppro1.htm

about half way down,,
http://www3.abe.iastate.edu/HTMDOCS/pm840.asp

I'm going to email your entire post to my FIL (unless you object.) I know that he'll want to see it even if he doesn't work on ours again. He's a general contractor and is always interested in stuff like this.

Thanks much for finding it,

RedTartan

cc-rider · #11 04/17/08, 11:36 AM

So what did they end up doing??? I have to hook a water line to my pitless adapter SOON so I'm curious.

CC

agmantoo · #12 04/17/08, 12:43 PM

cc-rider, look down the inside of the casing and see how many pipes are there and post back here.

watcher · #13 04/17/08, 12:53 PM

Take pictures, LOTS of pictures of everything they do, how they do it and everything they have laying around. You'll have a record of what kind of pump (close up pic of the name/info tag), how the pump is attached to the pipe (steel, AL, PVC, etc), how much pipe they put down, etc, etc.

I worked with a plumber for a while and we replaced a couple of pumps. If it is as deep as you say you need some special equipment to do it. Well not NEED but if you don't have it you have to be VERY careful or you'll drop the pump and pipe down the casing.

RedTartan · #14 04/17/08, 03:54 PM

They fixed it on Monday. There was a bolt visible when you looked down the well that the guys took off and then one guy easily pulled it up. I asked my husband why they didn't take the bolt off and he said that they were afraid it would fall down the well... So they tried to force it off instead? I won't pretend to understand that...

Anyway it's fixed and it works like a dream. I didn't take pictures like I planned because I was afraid of being in the way. Sorry.

CC-Rider, the bolt was obvious. I looked down the well and knew that that would have been my first move to get it out. I really don't know what was wrong with my FIL... I wouldn't worry if I were you. I'm sure you'll see it.

RedTartan