How to grip PVC well pipe

[RMAR10]

I tried to replace a corroded galvanized T and the T broke off of the 8" galv pipe that goes into a coupler that is screwed onto a 1" sched 80 pipe. I then tried to unscrew the pipe from the coupler and the pipe broke off the coupler (again corroded). All I had holding the pipe/wire/pump was a large channel lock under the lip of the coupler. I then drilled a 3/8" hole thru the coupler and rammed a 3/8" piece of rebar thru it. That is what is now holding my whole concern from going down the well. I think it's about 100' with water to I can only pull it up about a foot or 2 by hand, it is so heavy. With the rebar T'd thru the coupler I can now pull it up a few feet with a chain and front end loader. I need to unscrew the coupler from the PVC and screw a new one on. Question is how to grip and hold the pipe a couple feet out of the well while I pipe wrench the coupler off and put new one back on.

Thanks

 

[Valveman]

If the pipe is dry a nylon lifting strap will hold it. Or you can use a pipe vice with a chain.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[RMAR10]

Thanks, I'll try the pipe hitch and looking at buying a pipe clamp.

 

[Reach4]

If the pipe is dry a nylon lifting strap will hold it. Or you can use a pipe vice with a chain.

Would that be using some kind of knot or just a lasso kind of thing?

How about 10 turns with a ratchet strap? Wrap and the ratchet tight. How to grab the loose end? Maybe tie a loop. Sounds handy, but I expect the pipe knot will be good. Maybe have a second strap wrapped with the pipe, and then form that into a lifting loop after the first strap has been tightened. Maybe a safe tug-of war between competing knots would be good. Take pictures of the competition.

I tend to like the kind of ratchet straps called "endless" so that you don't have to deal with the hooks.

Valveman has lifted many many such well pipes, and its zero for me.

 

[RMAR10]

One more question. If I attempt to unscrew the coupler from the PVC and it breaks the PVC, what is plan B? Is there a way to re-thread the PVC? You would not glue the pipe with that much weight on it would you?

 

[Reach4]

You can use a pipe threader on PVC.
https://terrylove.com/forums/index....-coupling-without-being-threaded-first.57473/
https://terrylove.com/forums/index....bout-pvc-well-pipe-color-and-suppliers.60972/

Stainless steel couplers are preferred by many, but others prefer schedule 120 PVC couplers. Those people point out that you don't need to apply a lot of torque when tightening the PVC couplers IIRC.

 

[Craigpump]

If you're not careful your future will look like this

 

[Valveman]

Yes that is the kind of strap I would use. The noose will get tighter as you pull up on it. And sch 80 PVC can easily be hand threaded, but you will need the pipe chain vice to hold the pipe. Don't drop it or it will look like the picture from craigpump.

 

[RMAR10]

I ordered a pipe vise and will also test and use the pipe hitch knot. I see Harbor Freight has a pipe thread tool for 30 bucks. I can run down and get that I guess if I do break it.

I dropped a large fishing weight down and it stopped at about 100'. I then dropped a cork with a small sponge on it and it stopped and had water at about 70 feet, did it again and it stopped at about 80'. So can I conclude the weight went past the pump or landed on the pump? Just trying to figure what my well depth, water level and pump level are. I figure the well to be about 20 years old, but it did pump water when I hooked 220 up to the motor controller.

 

[Reach4]

I dropped a large fishing weight down and it stopped at about 100'. I then dropped a cork with a small sponge on it and it stopped and had water at about 70 feet, did it again and it stopped at about 80'. So can I conclude the weight went past the pump or landed on the pump?

Unless there are reasons to the contrary, the pump is typically set about 20 ft off of the bottom. The reason to set lower is usually to keep from running out of water.

When you said "did it again and it stopped at about 80' ", I infer that "it" was using the fishing weight rather than the cork. Typically a pump is a little under 4 inches diameter. If your casing is 5 inch ID, the weight could go past or could hit the top of the pump.

Right now your pump is riding higher than it will be when in place.

Don't use a lead weight in case it gets lost down there. New fishing weights are not lead.

I was looking around for info as to whether a lube should be used for PVC threading. http://www.harvel.com/technical-support-center/installation/fabrication/threading says

GF Harvel rigid PVC or CPVC plastic pipe can be threaded without use of external lubricants; but cutting oils which require degreasing type solvents are not recommended, nor should such solvents be used in any cleanup operation. Water-soluble oil or plain water is recommended. Clearing of cuttings from the die is strongly recommended.​

 

[Craigpump]

I love it when people drop weights into wells, the string gets tangled up in the wire, wrapped around the pipe....

If I get lucky the pump is trapped inside a string of 4"pvc because someone used stones to determine the water level.

 

[RMAR10]

Thanks for the input. Wow, I didn't think about the lead weight, it is a very big weight too. What was I thinkin????
The cork hit 70 then 80, not sure what happened. I'll try the depth checks again this weekend. I'll use a smaller weight so I might can tell if it gets past the motor.
This well has not been used in at least 15 years. I'll mainly be using it for yard irrigation, but once I get it going I might use it for my house. I was thinkin since I'm messing with it, I might as well drop it down another 10 feet or so. Seems like it would be insurance against running out of water, and easier to do it now. Any thoughts?

Can you run a well and motor for a couple days just to see what the water level will do? Since the motor is so old, would that also be a good check to see if the motor is going to hold up?

 

[Reach4]

The reason to not go lower would be if you pump sand or other solids. That is not all bad, but the sand is not too good for the pump.

You can try reflecting the sun with a mirror down the casing and looking, but that only lets you estimate the distance. If you want to drop something to watch and listen to, drop ice cubes.

It is normal to run a well for a while after working on the well. That is usually done to get rid of solids and debris. You can run wide open to daylight. However you don't want to run it for long while you run out of water. It is the water flow that does the cooling. You could get a device that detects that you are out of water by monitoring the current draw. Over $200. If you were using a pressure switch and pressure tank and limiting the flow so that the pressure stays over 30 while running unless you run out of water, you could switch to a pressure switch that shuts you off, until you manually reset, if the water pressure drops to 20 PSI. That switch is relatively cheap, and replaces your regular switch. It is not foolproof for a house, but is foolproof if you have that open tap running.

You could keep an eye on the water that you spew into the air and shut the breaker if the water dies down. Or you could just risk it.

I have no experience with this stuff.

 

[PumpMd]

If you can manage pulling up the broken pipe (20ft) to the next coupling & use a metal plate that fits under the coupling to hold the weight so you can work on the pipe outside of the well would be nice especially if you are going re thread the pipe.

(Pipe vice) what valveman recommend works just fine to hold the pipe in place. we use it to cut the sch40 fitting off & glue on another fitting. This is if the customer doesn't want to change the pipe out to sch120 and just wants to fix the pipe.

 

[Craigpump]

Who in their right mind would reuse sch 21 or 40?

 

[PumpMd]

People who are broke!

 

[Craigpump]

Can't afford $33.00 for a stick of sch 80?

Glad I don't live & work in Oklahoma

 

[PumpMd]

What's the point of only replacing one stick of pipe, when the rest of the pipe are still sch40?

 

[Craigpump]

My point exactly. Why would you glue on a fitting then put it back in the well?

 

[Craigpump]

My pic is from a job where a homeowner thought he new as much as his pump guy did. This is after I fished it out for him.

Saftey rope, gluing on new fittings.... Sounds like false economy and built in service calls to me, cobble it together today so we can come back next month or next year.

No thanks