Anyone ever built an air lift water pump?

sisterpine · #1 09/05/04, 08:09 PM

Greetings from southwest montana! Some of you may already know about our sad well problem. the well we drilled last week is 360 feet deep and dry. someone nice on this forum told me about an air lift pump system that i could use to develop and clean out the well bore hole which, according to the driller, will fill somewhat with water seeping from the surrounding rocks. I am having trouble figuring out exactly what parts and pieces i need, though i did look up the web site the nice person directed me to regarding the process. I have access to an air compressor that will fit the bill and power to run it but dont know exactly what kind of poly pipe of what size to use for the discharge pipe to go down 350 feet , how to keep the darn pipe down there, what size air line and how to keep the air line on the air compressor line. Can i just use 400 feet of air compressor line inserted into the , say 1 inch , discharge line? I have sent emails to everyone I ever met looking for the answer to these questions, so if you get one dont be alarmed...it is not a virus LOL just a gal looking for some water to wash her hair! Kathleen

agmantoo · #2 09/05/04, 09:00 PM

Sisterpine, if you scroll down at the website I directed you to it will give you the pipe sizes based on how much water you plan to remove per minute. Personally I would use 3/4 inch rigid pvc for the main water up line and I would use 1/2 inch pex for the air down line. I would go down 260 to 280 feet. Follow the site guide to make the perforate piece that goes on the end of the air line. I would make that piece from copper and I would use 2 each copper elbows to get the air line turned up into the 3/4 inch PVC. You can use tie wraps, the plastic type, to secure the pex pipe to the side of the pvc. With the 2 pipes tied to each other they should stay in place and easily insert into the well. Care must be taken not to drop the rig into the well! It is a proven design and should work without a hitch. If you need any clarification on the chart at the link I gave you regarding the compressor size and the plumbing feel free to ask.

Ed Norman · #3 09/05/04, 10:45 PM

So what is the website? I'd like to see it, too. I'm thinkingof making an airlift pump driven by a windmill.

agmantoo · #4 09/06/04, 08:21 AM

http://www.quantumlynx.com/water/bac...2/v22_st5.html

sisterpine · #5 09/06/04, 09:25 AM

Dear Agman: Got the information from my query on this site. Did read the whole site you directed me to but could not figure out how deep to go (you just answered that question) we went the whole way down with a garden hose 5/8 inch and a 1/4 inch air tube. Air tube kept blowing off the compressor hose at 40 psi! So it looks like we should : use rigid pvc for 280 or so feet (i am assuming we couple it and glue it?) one inch size ? and then 1/2 inch air line. but how do i get the air line to stay on the compressor hose? Also we had to tie a 20 foot piece of rebar to the hose to get it to actually go down! Thinking that was too heavy and a ten foot piece would have worked? Thanks in advance for all of the assistance. I will post this on the question site as well as dont know if you get pm's or not. Kathleen

sisterpine · #6 09/06/04, 09:26 AM

What is `1/2 pex please?

agmantoo · #7 09/06/04, 09:53 AM

Pex is a poly tubing manufactured to copper tubing sizes and is suitable to handle potable water and can withstand pressure from the air compressor. Being the same size of the air tube suggested, the poly can be secured to the air tube readily with off the shelf fittings. Fabricate the air tube to have the U bend in it so that the pex can be connected straight thus preventing a kink. A stainless radiator screw clamp can be used to secure the air tube in place to the pvc.
You will need to use couplings in the pvc in order to handle it as you insert into the well. It would be an advantage to fabricate a "holder" for the pvc above the well casing to assist in holding the pvc vertical while you couple it to the section in the casing. You will not have to affix a weight to this setup. You will leave it open ended on the pex and the pvc until you reach the depth you are going, then connect to the compressor. Water will rise in both the tube and the pipe and there should be no tendency to float. I am always leary of putting anything into the well that I might drop, use extreme care!

sisterpine · #8 09/06/04, 10:01 AM

[ Ag man: you are a wise and generous person and you have my many thanks! kathleen in montana