Old shallow well upgrade

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OwyheeHome

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I have a shallow well that serves my home and lawn sprinklers. We are surrounded on three sides by irrigated fields and on the fourth by the Snake River, so the well will never ever go dry. The water pressure from the well cycles up and down. Sprinklers spray goes up and down and pressure from the shower head changes during the shower. Lately the water pressure is so low that it won't kick on the in-line water heater. We solve this by turning on the sink tap and then the well pump kicks on and we have enough pressure. The pump and motor are a rusted mass that was old when the previous owner bought the place in the early 1970s. It is located on the floor of a strange dry cistern in the ground next to my house. A water pressure tank appears to date from about 20 years ago. The lines running from the tank to the sprinkler and our house are flexible 1 inch plastic pipe with a ball shut-off valve that has rusted open. I know I have to replace things, but need some guidance to get started. Times are tough, otherwise I would have just called a well company. I am fairly handy, having dug a basement under our house, wired it to code and wired and plumbed the in-line electric water heater to code. So how do I get started on this??
 

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Get a new 3/4 or 1 HP jet pump and use a Pside-Kick like the one on top of this page. The CSV on the Pside-Kick will give you constant pressure instead of the pressure always going up and down. And the constant pressure will make your water heater and sprinklers work properly.
 

OwyheeHome

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Any advice on selecting a quality pump

Thanks for the advice on the set up.

I know next to nothing about pump brands. I don't want to replace every few years, so what are some jet pumps? Who should I shy away from?
 

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The well appears to be hand-dug from around 1917. It flows what seems to be an infinite amount of clear cool water that is slightly alkali. You asked how deep. I do not know other than it is a shallow well. The well is at the bottom of an 8 foot diameter dry cistern in the ground next to my house. The floor is covered with soil and I am hesitant to start digging around at the top of the well to see what is underneath for fear of contaminating. The water has been repeatedly tested and is good other than slightly raised nitrates from the surrounding alfafa fields. I know it is shallow because all deep wells in this area are geothermal and the nitrates from the alfafa. So to answer your question -- I would guess between 10 and 50 feet starting eight feet underground. Weird, yes, but there it is.
 

OwyheeHome

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Pside-Kick arriving today

Will be getting the Pside Kick in today. I plan on installing it even though my new pump has not arrived yet. Hopefully, all will go well (pun not intended).
 

OwyheeHome

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SCV1W valve questions

Received the Pside-kick today. Opened the box and checked the contents, it is all there, but I do have a couple questions about the Pump Control Valve. The instruction part list identifies the part as PK1W. The valve that came with the kit is labeled both on the box and on the part as CSV1W. I assume that it stands for Cycle Stop Valve 1W. Is this the same as the PK1W?

Also when I opened the CSV1W box, I found the white cone rattling around along with a thin, about 2 inch diameter ring seal. Is the seal a spare?

A small silver bit, possibly a small Allen screw has been mashed on the side of the brass nut on the top. There is also a heavy gouge on the side of the brass part directly under the brass nut.

Now that I look at it closely, some of the threads appear to be micro-nicked, but still serviceable.

Since this appears to be the lynch-pin technology for the whole thing, I don't want to proceed until I know the unit is fully functional.

Thanks for your time.
 

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Cary Austin
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Received the Pside-kick today. Opened the box and checked the contents, it is all there, but I do have a couple questions about the Pump Control Valve. The instruction part list identifies the part as PK1W. The valve that came with the kit is labeled both on the box and on the part as CSV1W. I assume that it stands for Cycle Stop Valve 1W. Is this the same as the PK1W?

The CSV1W is the Cycle Stop Valve for the PK1W which is the complete kit.

Also when I opened the CSV1W box, I found the white cone rattling around along with a thin, about 2 inch diameter ring seal. Is the seal a spare?

The white cap and o-ring are just in the box incase you needed to install the CSV in the well and under water. If it is not installed under water, you don't need to use the white cap and o-ring.

A small silver bit, possibly a small Allen screw has been mashed on the side of the brass nut on the top. There is also a heavy gouge on the side of the brass part directly under the brass nut.

The small Allen screw is to lock the adjustment screw in place. It is not really needed as the adjustment screw won't move unless someone uses a screw driver to move it. Sounds like it got banged around in shipping and the Allen screw and gouge are from hitting something. Sometimes I think the freight companies can break a rock. Shouldn't be a problem, sounds like it is only cosmetic. But will replace it if you think it is needed.

Now that I look at it closely, some of the threads appear to be micro-nicked, but still serviceable. Threads on the Allen screw is not a problem. Threads on the spring cage are not a problem as long as the cap is tight and doesn't leak.

Since this appears to be the lynch-pin technology for the whole thing, I don't want to proceed until I know the unit is fully functional.

What matters is on the inside of the valve.

Thanks for your time.

Sounds like a cosmetic problem only but, I still hate that it didn't get there in perfect condition. If you are worried send me a picture. All the working parts and the top simply screw on, so they can be replaced after the valve is installed if needed. Call if you have any questions and I will talk you through it.
 

OwyheeHome

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Thanks

I appreciate you taking the time to reassure me. The problems all looked cosmetic, but since I am not an expert, I thought I had better check. For example if the Allen screw was some sort of air port, it might have been important.

I was going to install it today, but am thinking about waiting until the new pump arrives and mount it directly on the pump. Or would it be better to separate the two and put in a coupler and a ball valve?

Thanks again.
 

OwyheeHome

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Been over a year.

Okay, over a year has gone by and the Pside Kick is working great. However, our old 40 year-old 3/4 HP Jacuzzi pump just doesn't have the power it once had. We want to upgrade to a water softener, but realize that we have to get the pump lined out first (the old pump doesn't do the sprinklers very well) and has trouble giving enough pressure for the shower.

I am thinking of buying a Goulds 1 HP J10S Shallow Well pump. Is this appropriate?

The pump will go into an 8 foot deep cistern (damp environment) that draws from a 6-15 foot deep well. The wiring is 110.

Thanks for any help.
 

OwyheeHome

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I have thought about a submerged pump -- my neighbor has one that is working fine for him and resolved some of his sprinkler pressure issues -- but the logistics of our well at the bottom of the cistern make me favor the easy to get to and easy to replace pump. I am a little astounded that the old pump has worked so long and so well. I wonder if I will get that kind of service out of the new pump.
 

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Pumps may not be made as good as they were 30 years ago, but you now have a CSV on your Pside-Kick. Drastically reducing the number of cycles with the CSV, you might even get a longer run, even with a recently built pump.
 
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