Well tested positive for Coliform >200.5 What do do next?

Users who are viewing this thread

Charrie

Member
Messages
85
Reaction score
6
Points
8
Location
N. GA
Hi and thanks to everyone who does such a wonderful job helping and sharing information in this wonderful forum!

I am in the process of buying a home with a well and no public water available. We really love the property but we took a water sample from the well and it came back positive for coliforms, >200.5 MPN/100-ML, NO E coli.
I am trying to figure out what is the next move I should make. I have limited details right now but here is what I have.

I don't know much about the well yet but did talk to a man who said he drilled most of the wells in that area and remembers the property. He said most of the wells in that area are around 180 ft deep. He said to drill a new well would probably run around 4K with a a new pump. The well was drilled somewhere around 1999 so it is around 20 years old. It has a 6" steel casing and a single drop 1"1/4" cap with 4 bolts to tighten the seal. It has a 26 gallon pressure tank that looks like it was installed in the last few years.

I have done a lot of reading on wells since we took the sample and will have to go back to the property to get more details. When the pump turns off and on you can see the pipe jump on top of the well cap. Perhaps it is not tight? The wiring is far from meeting any code and I did not check to see if the whole is sealed where the wire enters into the cap. Some of the splices are open wire nuts and no support connector in the pressure switch so where the cable enters into the cap may not have a connector either.

The guy who drilled the well said that he has never been called back out there and doubts the well was ever maintained. That may be true because the owner financed the land and it has sold 4 times in the last 20 years with only one person staying 9 years. The last owner had a water softener and peroxide injector added along with with two other tanks that I do not know what they do.
I spoke with the company that installed the equipment and here are some of their test results. Oddly they said they did not test for bacteria!
I do not know if this is after or before the system.
TDS=441
Hardness=32
Iron=1.5ppm
Heavy Metals= 20

The lay of the land.. 5 acres rural residential with most people having 5 to 10 acres spread out. all woods with trees about 50 year old and is just a few miles from a national forest. There is a small creek that runs across the land between the well and the house. The soil has a lot of shell rock in it. From the road the driveway slopes down hill about 225' to the well from the road. Going on down the hill from the well about 150' is where the creek crosses the driveway. That creek boarders the well on 2 sides but is abut 150' from the well on both sides. From the creek the driveway starts back up hill about 175 feet to the septic tank where the ground levels out briefly. So it is about 325' from the well to the septic tank. both being up on a hill with the creek in the middle.
I mentioned the lay of the land in case the contamination could be from the spring and to give you a bit more details?

So the well guy says to shock the well and re test it and he would almost guarantee that would fix it.
The filter company said not to worry about the water because the filter system will handle any problems!
They said the peroxide solution would handle it or I could also let them install a UV light for $1,400!
Their filter system runs about $800 a year for chemicals and service they said! I want to work on cutting that down..

So what are my options?
I am fairly confidant working with the well as we had a piece of land with a well on it in the past when I was younger.
Should I have a company come out and run a camera down in the well or just shock it and see how it goes?
The guy that drilled the well said he probably does not have the records so we don't actually know how deep it is. He does not have a camera either.
What to do?
Thanks
Charrie
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
I am not a pro.

For any bacteria test to be meaningful, you have to follow proper sampling techniques including sterilizing the faucet. If you care about the coliform test results, care needs to be taken in sampling. http://www.ugra.org/pdfs/SamplingHandout.pdf http://www.ugra.org/images/pdf/sampling_handout.pdf is one description of a method to avoid contaminating the sample. Chances are that you did not use a similar procedure in drawing your sample.


https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/ is my well and plumbing sanitizing write-up.

Your well will need some treatment for iron. Is the the Hardness=32 in grains? If so, you will need some serious softening. If it is in ppm, you won't.

If sanitizing and proper sampling still gives a positive coliform test, you could treat with chlorine. Use a contact tank, and then remove the chlorine with a backwashing carbon tank. That also removes iron.

There are other iron treatments if you don't have that bacteria problem.
 
Last edited:

Charrie

Member
Messages
85
Reaction score
6
Points
8
Location
N. GA
Thank you so much Reach4!
I will have to read the info a few times to make sure i have it down and will probably have several questions.

The property is 70 miles from where I am now and will have to wait till i move up there next month. On top of that the Realtor will not let us open the well till after the closing.

You are probably correct about the proper sampling techniques not being used. The link did not work but i read how to take the sample from the second link you posted. I took the sample at the well head as it has a standard brass spigot there. All I had was some bleach and am sure it did not get all the way up inside the spigot.

I have a thought here... I do not know the depth of the well or the SWL. Would it be possible to connect 3/4 PVC and drop it down into the 6" casing and pass the pump? A couple of reasons I was thinking about this.
1- while inserting the 3/4 PVC (and measuring it) I could stop and blow air into the pipe and know when I reach the SWL.
2- Once at the SWL I could measure how far down to the bottom and calculate the total depth and volume of water.
3- Reading the info you posted it is hard to circulate the water below the pump and bottom of the well. If The 3/4 PVC was at the bottom I could connect the hose to the PVC, turn the pump on and have it to recirculate the water pumping the bleach to the bottom of the well?
4- According to this video and one other I watched, I should be able to connect a pressure gauge to the 3/4 PVC and check how long it takes the well to fill back up by calculating the pressure differences between the drop and rise of the water level.

Another question is: The cap is a solid 1 piece cap with 4 bolts to squeeze the rubber seal. Can the cap be loosened and the pump pulled up enough to easily access the casing while cleaning it?

I have a trailer and will have to bring water in to flood the well. I guess the easiest way is to buy a couple of 55 gal water barrels. I have 2- 30 gal barrels but they probably would not come close to the water I would need to flood the casing.
Should I use water from a city water source if I have to bring it in?
If i dump say 100 gallons in and its still not full, will I probably have time to run and fill the barrels back up and dump them in? Say a couple of hours in between time..

Just trying to get my ducks in a row before moving there.

A last question for now might be,, with just coliform in the water, would it be safe to bathe? I guess that is a loaded question..
i don't know much abut the filter system right now but I will see if I can post the single pic i have of it. It is supposed to be a water softener and peroxide injection system.
20180920_181731.jpg
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
You are probably correct about the proper sampling techniques not being used. The link did not work but i read how to take the sample from the second link you posted.
I edited the above post to point to the revised URL http://www.ugra.org/images/pdf/sampling_handout.pdf

Try to get the homeowner to pass info on the system. Unless this is a hostile takeover, I think most sellers would be happy to help. Even if the takeover was somewhat unfriendly, maybe $50 for some information help could work. Also, the installer may be helpful too. The well and pump supplier is likely to be helpful, not holding back info to attempt for a monopoly.

I have a thought here... I do not know the depth of the well or the SWL. Would it be possible to connect 3/4 PVC and drop it down into the 6" casing and pass the pump? A couple of reasons I was thinking about this.
1- while inserting the 3/4 PVC (and measuring it) I could stop and blow air into the pipe and know when I reach the SWL.
You could. Your access will probably be through a plug or vent line, so I doubt that you could get 3/4 in.


The method I propose involves using test strips to get the amount of chemicals right. So it is not that important to know the volume. Keep adding bleach and vinegar until things are where you want. The size of flooding volume is a problem, so I think go big if in doubt.

Another question is: The cap is a solid 1 piece cap with 4 bolts to squeeze the rubber seal. Can the cap be loosened and the pump pulled up enough to easily access the casing while cleaning it?
That is called a well seal. Makes things harder than a pitless, which my well has.

Your treatment setup looks impressive. The translucent tank on the left is called a solution tank (A). That holds the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plus water. The thing on top is a Stenner brand peristaltic pump (B(. Quality. It has a tube that should be replaced maybe annually. Read up on Stenner pumps.

The Stenner pump adds solution to the water either under flow control or when the submersible pump runs. If when the submersible runs, the peroxide is mixed in before the pressure tank. You want to establish the order of things. Make a block diagram. I think that (L) may be a carbon tank. That media may need replacing every 3 years or so. The letters should make it easier for people to comment.

I have a trailer and will have to bring water in to flood the well. I guess the easiest way is to buy a couple of 55 gal water barrels. I have 2- 30 gal barrels but they probably would not come close to the water I would need to flood the casing.
Should I use water from a city water source if I have to bring it in?
If i dump say 100 gallons in and its still not full, will I probably have time to run and fill the barrels back up and dump them in? Say a couple of hours in between time..

1. You can get water from the well, add bleach and vinegar. Store the water for when you need the flooding volume. Once the bleach is in there, there will be no living coliform.
2. You cannot fill up the well. Any well that makes water can accept water.

A last question for now might be,, with just coliform in the water, would it be safe to bathe? I guess that is a loaded question..

I think so. The great majority of coliforms are not harmful. Would you swim in a lake? That is going to have coliforms. The reason they check for coliforms is that it is easy. Then if postive, you can treat and retest, or you can check for e. Coli. That is in poop. If that is present, there might be some source of contamination, such as rain water from the lawn made its way into the well. Not likely, but possible. Anyway, it sounds scary. Would you roll around in the grass where there are dogs or woodchucks if there are no visible deposits? I would, but others are more cautious. Still, the sanitizing and retest will very likely make it all good.

If it does not, you could switch from H2O2 to bleach. Treat your iron and kill your bacteria at the same time.

Others will recommend a UV sanitizing system for your water. Not me. I am not a pro. I am betting that your next coliform test will be clear anyway. So specifically, your plan of drinking bottled water until all is treated is reasonable.

So anyway, your next suggested chore is to work up a schematic/block diagram. Well, H2O2 injector. Pressure tank (not in your picture). Cartridge filter? Whatever else.

If you do some plumbing changes, add boiler drain valves between stages for sampling and possible places to mount garden hose thread pressure gauges.

Look for a model number on the softener controller (F). Find the manual.

(C) is the brine tank for the softener.
 

Attachments

  • img_1.jpg
    img_1.jpg
    76.1 KB · Views: 269

Charrie

Member
Messages
85
Reaction score
6
Points
8
Location
N. GA
I edited the above post to point to the revised URL http://www.ugra.org/images/pdf/sampling_handout.pdf
http://www.ugra.org/images/pdf/sampling_handout.pdf
Thanks for that link. Also for the link about the PH. I had read about adjusting the PH but hadnt found a link nearly as good as the one you provided!
http://www.ugra.org/images/pdf/sampling_handout.pdf
Try to get the homeowner to pass info on the system. Unless this is a hostile takeover, I think most sellers would be happy to help. Even if the takeover was somewhat unfriendly, maybe $50 for some information help could work. Also, the installer may be helpful too. The well and pump supplier is likely to be helpful, not holding back info to attempt for a monopoly.
It started to become unfriendly once I took the sample at the wellhead. The listing agent was upset that I didn't take the sample inside the home after the filter system. There is a question on the disclosure sheet: Has the well ever failed a test? The owner did not fill that section out. The filter company said they did not test for bacteria because the owner did not request it.
I told them that if I didn't buy the land, that it would have to be disclosed now and the owner agreed to lower the price 2K more.


You could. Your access will probably be through a plug or vent line, so I doubt that you could get 3/4 in.
Here is what I was thinking about. If I can lift the seal and pump up a couple of feet then I could move it to the side and have access. What do you think?
pumplift.jpg



The method I propose involves using test strips to get the amount of chemicals right. So it is not that important to know the volume. Keep adding bleach and vinegar until things are where you want. The size of flooding volume is a problem, so I think go big if in doubt.
I really like this method and will have some more questions about it once I start getting things together.
If I have it down correctly, first is to lower the PH and then add the bleach. The water I use to flood the well will also need to have a low PH and have bleach in it too.



Your treatment setup looks impressive. The translucent tank on the left is called a solution tank (A). That holds the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plus water. The thing on top is a Stenner brand peristaltic pump (B(. Quality. It has a tube that should be replaced maybe annually. Read up on Stenner pumps.
The Stenner pump adds solution to the water either under flow control or when the submersible pump runs. If when the submersible runs, the peroxide is mixed in before the pressure tank. You want to establish the order of things. Make a block diagram. I think that (L) may be a carbon tank. That media may need replacing every 3 years or so. The letters should make it easier for people to comment.
Thanks for that info and the markup. I will have to get the company that installed the system to give me all the manuals. I also have to check with them about how to sanitize that system since at least part of that system would have coliform in it too. I could think the owner should have a manual also.



1. You can get water from the well, add bleach and vinegar. Store the water for when you need the flooding volume. Once the bleach is in there, there will be no living coliform.
I thought about that after I posted the last reply and thought DUH! There are several companies around here that sell those blue barrels. Being used I would think the first thing to do before using them is to bleach them out.
Do you know of a way or have an idea about how to dispose of the bleached water once I pump it out? From the well it is down hill to the creek.
housewell.jpg



So anyway, your next suggested chore is to work up a schematic/block diagram. Well, H2O2 injector. Pressure tank (not in your picture). Cartridge filter? Whatever else.
If you do some plumbing changes, add boiler drain valves between stages for sampling and possible places to mount garden hose thread pressure gauges.
Look for a model number on the softener controller (F). Find the manual.
YES I plan on rewiring and plumbing the well. I want to put a low cut out pressure switch on it too. I saw a video where one of the filter installers drew out a diagram labeling everything. Very good idea!


I do not have any pictures of the well yet but will need to rewire and plumb it at the well house. Perhaps that should be done while cleaning the well so everything will be disinfected? I think the wiring just drops down into the plug hole on the well seal and I am not sure about the vent. The wires are just stuck in the pressure switch with no connector and other splices are just open. Water also puddles under the spigot around the well. Perhaps it would be good to use come concrete and build it up to run any water away from the well. Right now it just has a wood frame insulated box with a metal roof siting over it, one just tilts it over for access. All that is at the well is the pressure tank, spigot, and pressure switch. From there the water line runs to the house. I believe they originally planned on putting the house up by the well. It is around 325' to 350' from the well to the house. The line comes directly from the well to the filter system inside the house..
I would also like to put a drain pan under the filter system in case of a leak...
Do you see any problems with the well being so far from the house? Anything I might need to do different? I also read that one needs to account for the volume of water in the line and house when disinfecting the system.
Not sure it would really matter using your method.
From here
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/pipe-water-content-volume-weight-d_1734.html
if i am correct a 1" pipe has 0.041 gal of water... X 350' is around 14.3 gallons...
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
Here is what I was thinking about. If I can lift the seal and pump up a couple of feet then I could move it to the side and have access. What do you think?
There may be a well pump service sticker on the pressure tank or elsewhere. After you close, I suspect that person will provide some info from records on well depth and static water level.

The county may have that info stored. In some places the state does that. I don't know if they are public record, but I would expect that info to be available after you close.

I would not do that lifting, but I might be less adventuresome than you. That thing on the right is the vent. My plan for sanitizing would be to unscrew that. I would use that for recirc etc. I would use it to add bleach and vinegar. I would plan to insert a wand of some sort that would spray upward and wet down the upper area of the casing.

The following is not worked out. It is what I had been thinking of doing before deciding to get my pit demolished, my casing extended, and a pitless adapter installed. For the wand, I imagine maybe some 1/4 ID 3/8 OD copper tubing. Maybe 3/8 ID 1/2 OD if the hole is big enough. Block the end, perhaps with smashing and/or solder. Drill a small hole an inch up. That blocked end would go down. Insert a nail etc and bend the nail head up. That would make a little up-tilted orifice. The upper part of the tubing would be adapted to a garden hose adapter in some way.

The main water recirculation adapter could be made the same way. Maybe use plastic tubing. Maybe copper. See what your scrap bin has. Maybe the up-spraying unit could be plastic tubing.

Your idea on this may be better than mine. Your way would let you use a 5/8 or 3/4 ID hose for the recirculation. That would speed the process, and it would cause less cycling of the pump.

Whichever, take photos. You may want to post what is most successful.
 

Charrie

Member
Messages
85
Reaction score
6
Points
8
Location
N. GA
Well after having some more time to think about it,,, I may try tour method of just making a tool to insert and spray upwards.
The reason is I have seen some videos where the PVC pipe broke when lifting the pump. But then again I'm thinking the pump is hanging by the PVC now I believe.. I will be going up there some time this week and will take another look as well as take some pics. I may try to loosen the cap and see if it will lift up a little.
Was also thinking it would be good to install a pressure switch with a low pressure cut off switch.

If I do not take the cap off to clean the well, what is a good way to measure the static water as well as the well depth? I am worried about lowering a weight down in the well and it getting tangled on the wires or something..

Thanks
Charrie
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
Looking back at #8, if you did lift, I think you would screw an attachment into the tee in place of the plug, and lift by that.

If I do not take the cap off to clean the well, what is a good way to measure the static water as well as the well depth? I am worried about lowering a weight down in the well and it getting tangled on the wires or something..
Your concern about getting something stuck or tangled is good.

I don't see that you need to know the static level for sanitizing. With test strips, you see the effect of a gallon of bleach and a gallon of vinegar, and add more as needed. If you are replacing a pump, then knowing the static depth is good. If that happens, you would probably be better off to have the pump service company pull the pump, and put in what you need. At that point, the water line is probably going to be readily visible on the drop pipe. There are ultrasonic devices that can measure the depth to water. Water Watch 660 by Eno is one. https://www.enoscientific.com/well-watch-600.htm However I don't see the need to know that for sanitizing. For the depth of the well itself, the depth of neighboring wells is a good guess. Just have enough flooding volume to handle the worst case.
 

Charrie

Member
Messages
85
Reaction score
6
Points
8
Location
N. GA
Well I am getting things together and still reading/learning about wells and my filter system. I was going to post some pics of my supplies thus far but for some reason cant get my computer to recognize my phone.
Instead of barrels I just bought a 275 gallon tote. If is FDA approved for food and still has about 5 gallons of food grade coconut oil in the bottom. The oil was received here in GA on 09/21/2018 and expires in 2020! I just have to wash it out really good. looks like the one in the pic below complete with drain spout and water hose adapter. I will sit it up on the high side of the well and be able to let the water gravity flow into the well.
tote.jpg


Next thinking about how to clean out the tote, I remembered a gutter cleaning wand my mother bought off one of those TV adds. The tote has a 6 or 8" screw on lid on the top so there is good access to wash it out. The gutter cleaning wand is a cheap plastic pole that connects to a water hose and has a telescoping 1/2" aluminum tube inside it with not quite a U shape bend on the end. It has a crimped on plug on the end of the U that has a hole drilled at an angle out the side for the water to spray out from. One can turn the plug so it will spray at different angles. I was thinking about your idea of a tool to insert in the 3/4 well cap plug to spray the underside of the well cap. This should fit right in the hole.
gutterwand.jpg


Next I bought 3, 8" landscape timers to lash together and make a lifting tripod in case I wind up needing to pull the well cap up since the drop pipe comes up through the center of the well cap. I have read the bottom of the well cap may have the measurements of the well on the bottom side, depends on the driller... If I have to lift it up I will probably just use a come-along we have..
Excellent video here on how to make one.


Talked with the water filter company and their service managed was trying to encourage me not to shock the well. He kept insisting that I should add one of their UV lights. They quoted me $1,200 but quoted the real estate company $800 when they called before I bought the property. Looking online one can be bought for around $400.
The service manager said that the water will turn blood red and may not clear up. He said that the coliform is probably in the aquifer and would just come back... Humm, I have read that can be the source but most often it is contamination in the well. I know there can be other issues that allow coliform to enter the well but I want to try shocking the well first.
He also said there is a good chance of shocking the well would cause chunks of rust to break off the well casing and clog the pump up. I was thinking if that were to happen, it would be a good time to pull the pump and do a better cleaning...
What do you think about the idea of using a well casing brush to clean the casing and then flush the well?

A last question for today is about my neighbors wells... I read an article that said shocking a well can sometimes affect a neighbors well.. Using a map measuring tool from the county tax assessors web site, 2 of my neighbors wells are just over 300 feet (as the crow fly's) of my well. I guess the thought is that when flooding a well, the bleach can seep into the aquifer and turn your neighbors water red?
I was planning on letting the bleach sit for at least 24 hours..

The filter company hasn't sent me all of the information yet and I have had to ask them 2 times now. They did send me the test results they came up with. They said they did not test for bacteria, nitrates or anything else... Humm..
This is all they list.
TDS = 441 PPM
Total hardness = 32 GPG
Iron (rust) = 1.5
PH = 7
Chlorine = 0
Odor = Sulfer
Heavy metals = 20
Others = 0
 

Charrie

Member
Messages
85
Reaction score
6
Points
8
Location
N. GA
Ok, Well... I went back up to the property today and didn't have help to flip the well cover over but was able to lift it up enough to prop something under it and take another look... It is a PVC casing and at least 6" in diameter. All of the research I have done applies to steel casings!
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
Ok, Well... I went back up to the property today and didn't have help to flip the well cover over but was able to lift it up enough to prop something under it and take another look... It is a PVC casing and at least 6" in diameter. All of the research I have done applies to steel casings!
PVC casing is better than steel casing for most purposes. At least the casing will not be contributing to the iron.

A 5 inch casing would be 5.5 inches OD usually.
 

Charrie

Member
Messages
85
Reaction score
6
Points
8
Location
N. GA
Thanks for the reply Reach4! That is what I have been reading and now I know the casing isn't rusted through, could be broken but not rusted through!
I got my phone connecting to my pc now, so I have some pics.
WELL, it looks like I have a job on my hands... I went to the property today and had time to explore, what a mess! It looks like I will be rebuilding the well house, concrete slab, re-plumbing, wiring, and a heater with a thermostat. I see a pitless adapter installed next year but for this year a heater will have to do.

home depot has a 24" 350watt baseboard heater. If my calculations are correct that would only add about 1.5 amps to the existing 3 wire (no neutral) #10, 240 volt line. Think I will need to use a contactor and refrigeration thermostat so I can set the temperature at say, 36F
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Cadet-2...ic-Baseboard-Heater-in-White-2F350W/202832888

I am hoping the bacterial contamination is from the well cap, lack of maintenance, and past repairs.
I was correct that the pump wiring is just stuck down in one of the well cap holes. The second access plug was taken out and used to run a chain through for lifting the pump. The hole is not sealed. The PVC casing was not cut straight and the cap has a gap where it meats the casing as well as a gap on one edge where the rubber seal is not compressed tight against the casing.
Instead of going on I will just post some pics!

What a mess around it!
WP_20181021_006.jpg




Among other things you can see that it has 3/4" pvc pipe coming out of the top of the well.
WP_20181021_012.jpg




The electric cable going into the cap
WP_20181021_009.jpg




There is a gap where the well cap seals to the casing
WP_20181021_010.jpg




So i am thinking
1- I need to clean up around the well.
2- Pour a concrete pad that goes around the casing an is big enough to build the well house on.
3- new plumbing and electrical with a heater..

OR would a pitless adapter be better at this point?

Or should I clean the well first and see if that solves the coliform issue first? Its starting to get cold down here and I still have to be moved by the end of November and will have to find someone to help me do the work.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
If you build a well house, remember that a well truck with hoist will need access at some point. Some make the roof of the well house removable. Some make it so they can lift the whole well house to the side.

You appear to have poly pipe hanging from plastic fittings. Usually people hang from stainless steel or brass fittings.

If you run new electrical wires, you might want a subpanel in the well house. That can let you have lights and outlets, as well as powering the pump.

I like pitless. That lets you have a well cap up top instead of a well seal. It gives easier access for sanitizing. If the well people who will do your work use pitless adapters at times, that would be good. Some areas seem to use well seals rather than pitless adapters, even if it freezes at times.

I am not a pro, and I have no relevant experience.
 

Boycedrilling

In the Trades
Messages
837
Reaction score
185
Points
43
Location
Royal City, WA
That baseboard heater from Home Depot.... that’s what I usually install. But I add the thermostat that mounts right to the heater. Home Depot is actually cheaper for that cadet heater than my electrical wholesaler is.
 

Charrie

Member
Messages
85
Reaction score
6
Points
8
Location
N. GA
Thanks for the replies!

This project is not going to be as simple as just disinfecting the well. I am not sure how I am going to get it all done before I have to move in by Dec 1st!

Yes I thought about needing to remove the roof. That would be bad not to do that!

I am not sure it is hanging from the plastic fitting just yet though I see what you are saying from the pics.. That steel ring at the top of the cap is connected to a plastic coated chain that has no slack in it so I am assuming the chain is supporting the pump at the moment or perhaps a rope connected to the chain.

I was thinking about the PVC casing and installing a pitless. That was installed around 1990 and I am wondering if it might be brittle and crack when tightening up the pitless?

If I install a pitless then I would have to move the pressure tank. There might be room under the house just under the filter system but I am not sure.
What about installing it just over top of the peroxide injection tank inside the house if it wont fit under the house?
If so then the cut out switch and gauges would also need to be inside also?
I would really like the filter and all the other equipment to have a drain pan under it in case of a leek. It has a flood sensor but by the time it shuts off the water the floor would have a 1/4" of water in it...

That brings up another problem.. There is no bypass in the plumbing for the filter system. Well there is for the water softener but nothing else. From dealing with the company that installed the system, I don't think they will come out and install a bypass without charging for it.
I guess I will probably wind up re-plumbing the whole system. They seemed to be pretty upset that I took the water sample at the well head and not inside the house.

If I wind up re plumbing the filter system, do you see a problem with me getting a metal shop to build a drain pan big enough to set all the equipment in. Thinking it would need to have a 2" lip on it and drain going down through the floor.
img_1a.jpg


Boycedrilling, the reason I was thinking about using a refrigeration thermostat because the HD thermostat that goes with the Cadet heater only goes down to 40F. White-Rodgers has a refrigeration thermostat that I can set from -30 to 90F and an adjustable differential. It can be used for line voltage so that would eliminate the contactor. Was thinking it would save on the electric bill if i were to set the temp at say, on at 32F and off at 37F unless that is cutting it too close.
They can be bought for around $49 online.
https://www.grainger.com/product/WHITE-RODGERS-Line-Voltage-Mechanical-Thermostat-1RC43
 

Charrie

Member
Messages
85
Reaction score
6
Points
8
Location
N. GA
Ok so I have been thinking. Due to time constraints perhaps I should just clean up around the casing and use whats there for this winter. If I do and plan on installing a pitless next spring, I shouldn't pour the concrete pad because it would be in the way of digging out access to install the pitless.

It looks like I at least need to install a union in order to be able to lift the well cap and pump up enough to flood the well.
Without being up there and going by the pictures I took, the white PVC is defiantly 3/4". I am not sure what that grey adapter is that connects the white PVC to the black drop pipe. The smallest drop pipe hole I have found on 6" well caps is a 1". They do not specify ID or OD.

Will I be able to cut that old drop pipe and get a metal fitting into it or will the old drop pipe be too brittle?
If the chain that is coming out the 3/4 hole in the well cap is in fact supporting the pump, Do you think I could replace one of the well cap bolts with a I-Bolt through the bottom of the well cap to hang the chain from? That way I could use that hole for a vent pipe.
Would you replace the well cap or would the rubber still compress and seal to the casing and around the drop pipe?
If replacing the well cap, what brand would you recommend?
What brand vent do you recommend?


One of these connectors should seal the hole where the wire goes through the well cap.
conduit-fittings-90662-64_400_compressed.jpg


Thanks Charrie
 

Charrie

Member
Messages
85
Reaction score
6
Points
8
Location
N. GA
I talked with the guy who drilled the well but he wasn't much help except cautioning me about working on the well. He said he had worked on that well not too long ago and it should have a steel barb fitting to the drop pipe and a 90 steel elbow right off the barb fitting. He insisted I didn't know what I was talking about. He cautioned me about trying to work on the well because I would probably break the drop pipe and I would then be into some big money. He said that I didn't need a heater, just a insulated box because of the ground water temperatures it would never freeze. He also said that he doesn't install pitless adapters because they always leak and there was no need for one in my case..... He also said that in all his years of working and drilling wells, that he had never heard of flushing a well using the method you linked me to. He said to just dump 2 gallons of bleach down the casing through the access hj0ole and flush it out! So not a lot of help talking with him about doing what we have discussed here....

What do you think about my using a couple of pieces of unistrut and clamps to hold the drop pipe up while I work on the well? I would like to remove the PVC barb fitting and install a stainless steel one along with a stainless steel elbow.
unistrut1.jpg


I am not sure if I know where it is but my dad used to have a chain type bumper mounted pipe vice i though about using if I can find it.
Any other ideas of how to support the drop pipe while I change the barb fitting?

Thanks
Charrie
 

Charrie

Member
Messages
85
Reaction score
6
Points
8
Location
N. GA
Just an update and a couple more questions.

So I measured the drop pipe and it is defiantly 3/4" ID poly pipe.
The well casing is 6-1/2" PVC casing.
I tried to tighten the split well cap and it did not want to seal. I pulled on the metal O ring that appears to have a chain attached to it (at least one link) and the that raised the well cap and pump when I pulled it up. I only lifted about a 1/2" because the PVC piping is still connected.

I found a local hardware store that has a large supply of well parts at great prices. They sell a bronze 1" pitless adapter for $31. Square D pressure switch with low pressure cut out for $24.


What do you think about what the guy told me at the hardware store?
The guy at the hardware store said that I need to change the drop pipe to at least 1" $103.00 for 200 feet.
As for the cap not sealing, he said a trick is to wrap it with electrical tape to make it thicker. I was thinking about that and doesn't electrical tape actually compress.
He did say that they sell a 6 1/2" pvc cap for the casing. He said you do not glue the cap on, just press it on. The issue with that is that I would have to drill it out for a vent and the electrical.

Do you think I should go a head and pull the pump so I can find out what type and size it is as well as it would make it easier to measure the static water level as well as the depth?

Thanks
Charrie
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks