Wells

[Lefty 21]

Anyone here on a well? If so, have you had your pump wired so that if the electricity goes out you can plug it in to the ginny? How much did it cost?

I am looking at doing this but don't want to spend a ton on it.

Thanks all.

 

[rhino]

Have you also considered a hand-powered pump?

 

[Ri22o]

Have you also considered a hand-powered pump?

Even though I live in the middle of the ghetto, I'm lucky enough to be on a well. That was my plan.

 

[wolfman]

Have you also considered a hand-powered pump?

Unless you have one of the old style long handle pumps -w- the pump kit installed down below the water line, hand powered pumps are not very pratical if your well is over 20' deep. Most wells use 1.5" pipe and the water in the pipe weighs in between 1.5 to 2 pounds per foot of pipe, so it takes a lot of suction to get it to the surface.

wolfman

 

[Glock21]

Anyone here on a well? If so, have you had your pump wired so that if the electricity goes out you can plug it in to the ginny? How much did it cost?

I am looking at doing this but don't want to spend a ton on it.

Thanks all.

Is the pump a submergible or a jet? Control box? 220 or 115?

Wiring it up is actually a pretty simple task for an electrician, just a matter of installing a 3-way switch box in line which will disconnect it from the fuse pannel and switch it over to your generator.

The real cheap way is put a power cut of switch in the power line going to the pressure switch. Then you just throw that switch to prevent a backfeed when the power comes on (or you being electrocuted during step two), and then have a power cord with one end left bare wires - you pop the cap off the switch and wire your two legs for 220 directly into the switch. Then just plug the other end in to the generator and away you go.

Many people simply wire in a cord from the generator to an empty breaker, which they just snap into the fuse pannel (after shutting off the main, and all of the panel breakers, of course.) The generator breaker powers up the fuse pannel, and then you just pick and choose which circuts you want to use. When you want lights, flip that one. When you want the freezer to run, flip that one. The well, flip that - etc... It works well for people who have a small generator which won't power the whole house.

A heavy guage extention cord and a double breaker should run you around $100, I'd guess. You may have to replace an end to match the generator output outlet.

And I'm not an electrician, so go forward with caution, lol.

 

[bwframe]

The property I moved to late last year has a well with an old hand pump. The former owner said it worked until just a few years ago when it "lost something" now it does not pump. Any idea what this might be?

 

[Glock21]

The property I moved to late last year has a well with an old hand pump. The former owner said it worked until just a few years ago when it "lost something" now it does not pump. Any idea what this might be?

The leather packings are probably worn out - you may be able to rebuild it. And not knowing the brand or age of it, you'll have to do some web searching for parts and prices.

 

[bwframe]

The leather packings are probably worn out - you may be able to rebuild it. And not knowing the brand or age of it, you'll have to do some web searching for parts and prices.

That would make since. This old hand pump had been "custom" converted to electric with an external motor and cammed larger pulley. They likely overworked the system that was designed to work by hand.

Would the packings be in the pump body or below ground level?

BTW- Thank you very much for the advice.

 

[Glock21]

That would make since. This old hand pump had been "custom" converted to electric with an external motor and cammed larger pulley. They likely overworked the system that was designed to work by hand.

Would the packings be in the pump body or below ground level?

BTW- Thank you very much for the advice.

Welcome!

The leathers are usually in a cylinder at the bottom of the drop pipe - depending on the type of pump.

Here's a link that shows a pretty standard type, like you would see in many forrest preserves in the midwest.

http://www.bakermonitor.com/domestic_new/hand_pump_stands/hand_pumps.html

 

[22rssix]

Since this topic is already going I though I would ask...

I just bought a house that once had a well. I am now on city water but the well pipe outside is still there. I want to hook it up for yard use and if the water is clean then possible backup drinking water.

I see that I could get a hand pump, which would work well for getting drinking/cooking water. but if I want enough pressure to water the lawn what would be needed?

Thanks,
James

 

[Glock21]

Since this topic is already going I though I would ask...

I just bought a house that once had a well. I am now on city water but the well pipe outside is still there. I want to hook it up for yard use and if the water is clean then possible backup drinking water.

I see that I could get a hand pump, which would work well for getting drinking/cooking water. but if I want enough pressure to water the lawn what would be needed?

Thanks,
James

It depends on what kind of well it is...

Is it a sand well? A rock well? If a sand well, is it a 4" steel or plastic casing, or is it 2" sand point?

No matter what, you'll need some sort of pump - a submergible pump if it's a 4-5" casing, or a shallow well pump if it's a 2" well.

And if you end dropping a pump in the well, you'll need a pressure tank, which means you'll either need a well house (shed) or you'll need to run service lines into the house, to provide power and protection from the elements. It is possible to open discharge the pump, but should you do that, you cannot valve it to the point of "dead heading" the pump, as that will ruin it. It's always best to install a pressure tank and switch.

Also, I'm really surprised the town hasn't made you plug that well. There's probably is some sort of code you're in violation of, so keep it to yourself, unless you know that your city is cool with lawn irrigation wells.

 

[22rssix]

Glock21,

I still have the tank in my basment I am not sure if that could be used or not. If I can get it working I will not talk about it.

Currently the well pipe is a 3 inch pvc pipe sticking out near my patio. It has no cap of anykind on it. If its not to code it would not surprise me. someThings around here are sketchy.

 

[Glock21]

Glock21,

I still have the tank in my basment I am not sure if that could be used or not. If I can get it working I will not talk about it.

Currently the well pipe is a 3 inch pvc pipe sticking out near my patio. It has no cap of anykind on it. If its not to code it would not surprise me. someThings around here are sketchy.

3" casing is kind of an odd size...but if there is no cap on it, get one on it. Bugs and mice and everything else can get in there.

I'm trying to figure out how you have a pitless adaptor on a 3" pipe - since the pressure tank is in the basement, I'm assuming the water line(s) come in through the basement wall?

Or do you mean you just have the tank stored in the basement?

And maybe this is a stupid question, but how sure are you that is a water well casing sticking up in the yard?

 

[Ri22o]

And maybe this is a stupid question, but how sure are you that is a water well casing sticking up in the yard?

Good point. It might be an oil tank, but I don't ever remember seeing one with bigger than 1 1/2-2" pipe.

 

[arbitrary]

Lehman's - Products for Simple, Self-sufficient Living
Well buckets are a clever idea.