FrustratedinNJ
Member
I have a fairly shallow well with a jet pump setup. I have been in this house for 30+ years and replaced the foot valve not long after moving in -- probably within the first 6 months. That was uneventful. My well is at least 72 feet deep (I dropped a weight down it with that much rope and didn't hit bottom) and there's 60 feet of plastic pipe in the well. So I'm drawing water at 60 feet down.
Not that it matters, but the water surface is about 12 feet down.
When I replaced the foot valve 30 years ago I was told by a local well guy that he knew this well, which goes back probably to the 40's, and that it had only 20 feet of casing in it. Meaning there's no casing in the well down where the foot valve is.
The foot valve went bad last January, so I replaced it. I also replaced the venturi, and that's another story.
My first question is this: When I run my pump, would the foot valve be moving around down in the well? I won't say "thrashing" around, but maybe I should.
This foot valve (from Home Depot) is apparently N/G because I lost at least a gallon from my jet pump last night and that's been a recurring situation so I'll be returning it and getting one from a reputable company. But that's a separate problem.
The problem I keep seeing -- when I AM pumping -- is that the water is alternately clear and cloudy. By "cloudy" I mean it's brown. That's from the shale we have around here and I'm thinking that either the foot valve is resting against the side of the uncased well, or it's "thrashing" around down there and thus sometimes sucking clearer water and sometimes stirring things up.
Also know that when I replaced my venturi, I chose one for a depth of over 60 feet. The old one was more like for a depth of 60 feet and my choice was either "60 feet or less" or "over 60 feet." Since I'm right at 60 feet, I chose the latter.
Maybe I shouldn't have? I'm using the old nozzle, so could the new venturi be causing the jet body/foot valve to "thrash around" when I'm pumping?
I'm about at the limit of my patience with this situation.
Anyway, that's my basic question. If the foot valve is resting against the side of the uncased well wall, I can solve that problem. But it it's thrashing around, my solution probably won't help much, if at all.
I NEVER had this problem in the 30+ years that I've been here. It only started when the old foot valve went bad 3+ months ago.
Thanks for any help.
Not that it matters, but the water surface is about 12 feet down.
When I replaced the foot valve 30 years ago I was told by a local well guy that he knew this well, which goes back probably to the 40's, and that it had only 20 feet of casing in it. Meaning there's no casing in the well down where the foot valve is.
The foot valve went bad last January, so I replaced it. I also replaced the venturi, and that's another story.
My first question is this: When I run my pump, would the foot valve be moving around down in the well? I won't say "thrashing" around, but maybe I should.
This foot valve (from Home Depot) is apparently N/G because I lost at least a gallon from my jet pump last night and that's been a recurring situation so I'll be returning it and getting one from a reputable company. But that's a separate problem.
The problem I keep seeing -- when I AM pumping -- is that the water is alternately clear and cloudy. By "cloudy" I mean it's brown. That's from the shale we have around here and I'm thinking that either the foot valve is resting against the side of the uncased well, or it's "thrashing" around down there and thus sometimes sucking clearer water and sometimes stirring things up.
Also know that when I replaced my venturi, I chose one for a depth of over 60 feet. The old one was more like for a depth of 60 feet and my choice was either "60 feet or less" or "over 60 feet." Since I'm right at 60 feet, I chose the latter.
Maybe I shouldn't have? I'm using the old nozzle, so could the new venturi be causing the jet body/foot valve to "thrash around" when I'm pumping?
I'm about at the limit of my patience with this situation.
Anyway, that's my basic question. If the foot valve is resting against the side of the uncased well wall, I can solve that problem. But it it's thrashing around, my solution probably won't help much, if at all.
I NEVER had this problem in the 30+ years that I've been here. It only started when the old foot valve went bad 3+ months ago.
Thanks for any help.