Hand Driven Shallow Well

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HI, hope someone can help. I have driven a 2" diameter galvanized pipe shallow well. I am 22' deep from surface with well point. I have a 3' well point, hooked to 5' sections of drive pipe with drive couplings. At the top section of pipe I have a T with a plug in the top and out the side go through the basement wall with a section of galvanized pipe (1 1/4" diameter) to a check valve then in to the 1 HP Jet pump (Fint walling). The pump is hooked to a pressure tank. I get good flow about 18 gpm and I have run the pump for an hour at full flow and still had no loss of flow. The problem is that I hear air at the checkvalve. I have replaced the check valve and still hear the air leak. I loose prime after a few minutes. I have re-tightened all fittings/ pipes above ground. Is my next step to pull the pipe out of the ground and remove each and then re-pipe dope then couple and put back in the hole?
 

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It would seem to me that if your hearing air at the check valve, that is where the leak is. I would try replacing the pipe instead of re tightening. You may have a crack that you can't see. Suction lines can be cracked enough to leak air like crazy but not leak water.

bob...
 

Sammyhydro11

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If you have 2" casing, and you find that your problem is with the well casing,you can simply put in 1 1/4" drop pipe with a flanged well head up top. The suction will then be on the 1 1/4" drop pipe and not the well casing. Sure beats pulling up all that well pipe.

Sammy

www.tylerwellandpump.com
 
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Sammy, if I just drop down a 1 1/4" poly pipe down into the well casing then Would I put on a foot valve or a check valve near the pump?
 

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If you will have easy access to the well in the future, i would place a foot valve on the end of the 1 1/4" pipe in the well. If you are going to bury the well, i would not put a foot valve in because if it fails gaining access to it will be difficult. If the well head is going to be buried, then put a check valve on the pump. You will need that flanged well head i was talking about. It will seal up the space between the 1 1/4" pipe and the 2" casing up top so no sand or foreign matter can enter the well.

sammy
 

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Sammy, Thank you. I am not sure what you are talking about with the flange.
Are talking about using galvanized or pvc in side of the 2" drive pipe and well point that I have already put in the ground? If I use PVC or galvanized pipe then I could just remove the T that I have at the top and hook up the pipe that I have coming through the basement wall currently. Do I drop the insert pipe down to how deep? The standing water in the well is about 80" or 12' from the top.

Yes I will be burying the top of the well as soon as I get this air leak figured out.

Is it hard to pull the well? I was planning to use my 2 1/4 ton floor jack and a chain to get it pulled up. if I were to do that now.

Thanks for your help

Kevin
 

Sammyhydro11

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Kevin,
you dont have to pull the well up! Just insert the 1 1/4" pipe down the well, leave it 1 foot off the bottom. Get the well head that i'm talking about from a water well supply store. It's a 2" well head that has a hole in the center that you thread the 1 1/4" pipe into. the the well head sits over the 2" casing. The flange has 2 bolts that you tighten up that presses a seal against the 2" casing.

sammy
 

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Sammy, have another questions. Will I loose volume of water flow by going to 1 1/4" pipe for the length of my well?
 

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Sammy, how far from the Brass check valve could I hear a air leak with my ear up against the check valve?
 

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Bob, what pipe are you talking about? all the pipe? The check valve?

The check valve is the only place where I am able to get my ear up the pipe. How far would I be able to hear the air leak once I get my ear to the pipe? Any Idea?

Kevin
 

Sammyhydro11

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who the heck is bob?
anyway
don't worry about the the loss of volume. That leak could be any where. The reason why you are hearing it at the check valve is because it's the first fitting the water is traveling through at the pump.

sammy
 

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Sammy, thank you for responding. I am concerned about the volume that is why I drove a 2" rather than a 1 1/4" well to begin with. What is the problem with pulling the well and checking/ disconnecting all connection, re taping and appling pipe dope? Will I have to re-drive the well pipe or will it just slide back down in the hole?
Can there be an air leak below ground? Even after it rains wouldn't the dirt shift up tight to the pipe to form a seal?
 

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The 1-1/4" pipe is large enough for any jet pump. It will make your chances of having an air leak much less than using the casing.

If you pull the well (which won't be easy) the pipe won't just slide back in.

I meant changing the piping underground, not the well.

bob...
 

Mike Pastorelli

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This post is for residents that live in sandy soil areas. I'm in Florida.
They said it couldnt be done and they said I would break the PVC pipe. Well, just wanted to let people know that it can be done. One week ago, I was able to drive a 1.25 PVC pipe with 48" point into the ground with a 6lb hand sledge hammer. I gently drove her down 20 feet.. I dug out the 1st 6 feet with a post-hole digger. I broke 3 PVC end caps doing it. I think the trick is to hit hard, but not really really hard. Eventually the caps fail and explode from the impact of the hammer. I found Lasco PVC caps to hold up really well to the hammering ( LOEWS ) but eventually they do fail.
Total cost for my 20' driven well was just under $18 dollars..
 
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