Advice on a Submersible Well Pump

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Nov. 09, 2021 8:24 pm

Yes, I followed the directions that came with it. That is a good practice for almost anything. 8-)

As for the solder and flux, if you are using water soluble flux and 95/5 solder it is a very fine line between not hot enough and burned flux. Personally I would not use that water soluble stuff again if you have me a 5 gallon pail of it.

Nokorode is my favorite, but I do use the Oatey Tinning Flux on occasion. I did about 100 sweat fittings in my system with these products and did not have a single leak.

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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Tue. Nov. 09, 2021 8:26 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Tue. Nov. 09, 2021 8:24 pm
Yes, I followed the directions that came with it. That is a good practice for almost anything.
No plug n play I guess :lol: ok good to know. And thank for the tips on the flux :)

 
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Nov. 09, 2021 8:33 pm

I still have the directions if you need a copy.

 
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Post by Lightning » Tue. Nov. 09, 2021 8:38 pm

I looked down the well casing to see if the power line was wrapping itself around the drop pipe. It wasn't which is a good thing, since otherwise would indicate that torque is unscrewing my connections. I worry about silly things I guess.

I did have a heart stopping incident though.. I was down in the basement after work and noticed my pressure gauge said zero. :o In my disbelief I opened the drain valve and surely enough, no pressure. Then I remembered that I only twisted together my electrical connections at the well head. Must be there wasn't a good connection there. I soldered them together and all is good again. But for a minute I was tweakin. :lol:

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Tue. Nov. 09, 2021 8:41 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Tue. Nov. 09, 2021 8:33 pm
I still have the directions if you need a copy.
Oh thank you.. I have the paper work in the basement somewhere. Since I went down that rabbit hole with my leaky copper I just haven't had the time or effort to check it out. I'll let you know if I need it.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Nov. 09, 2021 8:42 pm

Lightning wrote:
Tue. Nov. 09, 2021 8:38 pm
I looked down the well casing to see if the power line was wrapping itself around the drop pipe. It wasn't which is a good thing, since otherwise would indicate that torque is unscrewing my connections. I worry about silly things I guess.

I did have a heart stopping incident though.. I was down in the basement after work and noticed my pressure gauge said zero. :o In my disbelief I opened the drain valve and surely enough, no pressure. Then I remembered that I only twisted together my electrical connections at the well head. Must be there wasn't a good connection there. I soldered them together and all is good again. But for a minute I was tweakin. :lol:
You didn't use wire nuts?

 
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Post by Lightning » Tue. Nov. 09, 2021 8:44 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Tue. Nov. 09, 2021 8:42 pm
You didn't use wire nuts?
I know.. I feel like a dummy but I didn't have any on hand that could handle 12 gauge wire.


 
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Post by Lightning » Wed. Dec. 29, 2021 2:43 pm

Update - the submersible pump has been running great so far. We have awesome pressure and the pump can keep up easily.

Today I rounded up the courage to set the stop cycle valve. My main concern is back pressure on the drop pipe, I should have installed one with a higher pressure rating. The black poly drop pipe is rated for 100psi. The stop cycle valve's function is to hold the pressure right at 50psi for showers and of course cut down on cycling. So what happens is, when someone turns the shower on the pressure falls to 40psi and the pressure switch turns the pump on. Then while the shower continues, the pressure comes up to 50psi and is held there by the stop cycle valve, keeping the pump on till the shower has ended. Once the shower is off, the pressure climbs to 60psi and the pressure switch shuts the pump off.

The result is steady pressure and a lot less cycling. Pretty neat unit!

 
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Wed. Dec. 29, 2021 2:55 pm

Lightning wrote:
Wed. Dec. 29, 2021 2:43 pm
Update - the submersible pump has been running great so far. We have awesome pressure and the pump can keep up easily.
Excellent news!

 
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Post by Hoytman » Sun. Jan. 23, 2022 3:00 pm

I wish I could get my system figured out. Showers around here sick, as the water pressure is weak and never the same...read as, it gets weaker the longer the water is run.

We’re looking to put in a new well soon, and maybe even another cistern/holding tank (large capacity) just in case a 4th well caves in. Yep...3 of them have caved in 66 years. Not even sure we want to try drilling another well because of it. Still can’t see why it wasn’t cases that were o the bottom knowing cave-ins have been an issue. Last well was 45 feet deep and casing stopped at 20 feet for some reason.

I had to reseal the cistern as it was leaking. Could push my thumb through much of the block that had gotten soft. Chipped all the soft stuff out and filled with hydraulic cement then coated with Dry-lok powder seal...which has lasted 5 years...knowing full well it is only a temporary fix (2800gallon).

Going to need either a new well or new cistern soon. Maybe both. Wanting to address water pressure issue before hand. Just replaced the 1/2hp jet pump and small pressure tank...in a crawl space.

Wanting to eliminate crawling under the house. Going to need to build an insulated well house for everything...which will need to be at least a couple hundred feet from the house. I don’t ever want to have to crawl under the house again. Fat boy can barely fit through the opening, let alone make the 90 degree turn to get under the house. Obviously, about a 20 gallon pressure tank is all that will fit through crawl space entrance. Never could understand why the access was outside rather than through the floor anyway.

Already not enough storage space in the home. Already lost two small closets to a water heater that isn’t big enough and another to a water softener that isn’t working.

I need to get out pen and paper and try and design what I need and have plans ready. Not an easy task when you’re not a good plumber. I can do the hand work though...even though I’m slow as a snail.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Sun. Jan. 23, 2022 3:27 pm

Not far from me there is an area that is solid gravel. You can drill 100 ft and never hit bedrock. They run a casing the entire length of the well to prevent it from caving in.

A well house seems like a good solution to your crawl space. Why does it need to be a couple hundred feet from the house?

 
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Post by Holdencoal » Sun. Jan. 23, 2022 4:49 pm

Hoytman,

45 feet deep seems very shallow, almost still in the ground water aquifer not the artesian aquifer. The casing pipe needs to go the whole length.

Have you pulled the jet pump and checked for debris build up on the screen(s)? Have you checked the pressure right at the pump pipe? Could your pumptrol be acting up?

 
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Post by McGiever » Sun. Jan. 23, 2022 5:55 pm

I my region we stop the casing as required to seal off surface water and then at time of pump installation then slide 20’ lengths of 4” plastic SDR pipe with lots of 1/2” holes drilled along it from bottom up to below the pitless adapter.

Liner installation has been a DIY job for me here.

Another maintenance task is to shock the well with white vinegar and Clorox…3 parts vinegar to 1 part Clorox. Can get more details of this procedure online. Without the vinegar you only 5% benefit out of your Clorox. Ratio is a ph thing so your mileage may vary.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Sun. Jan. 23, 2022 8:20 pm

McGiever wrote:
Sun. Jan. 23, 2022 5:55 pm
Another maintenance task is to shock the well with white vinegar and Clorox…3 parts vinegar to 1 part Clorox. Can get more details of this procedure online. Without the vinegar you only 5% benefit out of your Clorox. Ratio is a ph thing so your mileage may vary.
This is the best guide I have seen for shocking the well.

http://www.moravecwaterwells.com/maintainence/dis ... nd-testing

 
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Post by Hoytman » Mon. Jan. 24, 2022 3:25 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Sun. Jan. 23, 2022 3:27 pm
Not far from me there is an area that is solid gravel. You can drill 100 ft and never hit bedrock. They run a casing the entire length of the well to prevent it from caving in.

A well house seems like a good solution to your crawl space. Why does it need to be a couple hundred feet from the house?
If I don't put it that far from the house it impedes anything else I do...because of a long narrow yard. Road about 50 off my front patio and a creek behind the house about the same distance. Left or east side of the yard, beside the bedrooms, is the septic. They will not drill a modern well in the same location as the 3 older wells because of the cave-ins, too close to the house, too close to the septic...which is not a good thing anyway. That puts it all west of my house and garage. Being the yard is maybe 65-100 feet deep front to back and I have 900ft of road frontage...it needs to be away from any buildings, potential buildings, and the garden. Ideally, is the far west end of my lot about 60 yards from the garage and up against the woods. That keeps it out of the way of any potential garden spot, or new building I might build.


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