GeneOtt
New Member
Hello all.
I have a shallow-well yard irrigation system which has performed perfectly every Summer for years; common 1 and 1/4" driven PVC paired with a STA-Rite 3/4 hp pump. I've used it for 12 years, the well itself could date back to the 1960's. The well is 25ft deep with the static waterline at 13ft (checked that this morning.)
View here::http://BrianMcCulloughShow.biz/WellHead&Pump.jpg (I'm anticipating putting in underground sprinklers soon, so, yes, that's all new PVC you see - new air tank, check valve, the pump was given new seals (everything else in it, impeller, injector, etc was OK. Tested in a barrel.) Put system back together, and all working fine for several weeks after the "refurb."
Yeah, things were going too...well. At startup today my normal 9gpm flow is down to a surging dribble, and not enough oomph to trip the on-at-30/off-at-50 pressure switch.
The pump holds its prime. The pressure switch works.
I tested for leaks on all the joints - inlet & outlet side with soap.
I don't think there could be a foot valve since I'm pretty sure it's just a pounded in wellpoint.
We've had nowhere near our normal amount of rain this Spring in South Carolina, so I cut below the check valve and dropped a line in to make sure "hey, dummy, y'all ain't gettin' water 'cause there ain't none"...and water was there at 13ft.
I ran a hose with city water all the way down the 1 & 1/4" casing to see what would flush out, got clean water back up with a very slight trace of sand. Let the garden hose (with approx 25# city water pressure) run into the well for 10 min, and it took it easily. Put everything back together, no improvement.
The above pretty much exhausts my repertoire of well smarts. What's my next move?
Thanks in advance for all who are kind enough to comment.
I have a shallow-well yard irrigation system which has performed perfectly every Summer for years; common 1 and 1/4" driven PVC paired with a STA-Rite 3/4 hp pump. I've used it for 12 years, the well itself could date back to the 1960's. The well is 25ft deep with the static waterline at 13ft (checked that this morning.)
View here::http://BrianMcCulloughShow.biz/WellHead&Pump.jpg (I'm anticipating putting in underground sprinklers soon, so, yes, that's all new PVC you see - new air tank, check valve, the pump was given new seals (everything else in it, impeller, injector, etc was OK. Tested in a barrel.) Put system back together, and all working fine for several weeks after the "refurb."
Yeah, things were going too...well. At startup today my normal 9gpm flow is down to a surging dribble, and not enough oomph to trip the on-at-30/off-at-50 pressure switch.
The pump holds its prime. The pressure switch works.
I tested for leaks on all the joints - inlet & outlet side with soap.
I don't think there could be a foot valve since I'm pretty sure it's just a pounded in wellpoint.
We've had nowhere near our normal amount of rain this Spring in South Carolina, so I cut below the check valve and dropped a line in to make sure "hey, dummy, y'all ain't gettin' water 'cause there ain't none"...and water was there at 13ft.
I ran a hose with city water all the way down the 1 & 1/4" casing to see what would flush out, got clean water back up with a very slight trace of sand. Let the garden hose (with approx 25# city water pressure) run into the well for 10 min, and it took it easily. Put everything back together, no improvement.
The above pretty much exhausts my repertoire of well smarts. What's my next move?
Thanks in advance for all who are kind enough to comment.
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