Blown drop pipes

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Towersurf

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I have a 100' deep well in a remote area of Mexico that has recently blown out a few drop pipe unions. The drop pipe is just sch 40 PVC which has worked fine for the last 5 years. The blow outs are happening because the 120 mesh filter I have installed between the well and the pressure tank is clogging up with sediment and the pump keeps trying to pump. Is there some type of switch I can install that could monitor and turn off the pump when this is happening? The pressure switch at the pressure tank currently controls the on/off of the pump but since its down stream of the filter it doesn't detect the high pressure on the up stream side of the filter.
Thanks for any advise you can give.
 

Reach4

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What is your pump? Sounds like it may not be sized correctly.

Normally you do not put a filter between the pump and the pressure gauge. But if you do, also put a relief valve before the filter. And a bigger filter seems appropriate if you are to have one. Spin down filters are not usually rated for high pressures. You might check the spec on yours.

It is also not normal to use schedule 40 as a drop pipe. I think the main problem is that people don't let the glue set long enough, but your install is past that danger of the joints coming apart as the glue is not yet at full strength.
 

Valveman

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Like Reach says, shouldn't use glue pipe down the well, and especially shouldn't use unions. Filters after the pressure switch is the only safe way as well. Also need the pressure relief valve, not a switch to protect from high pressure.
 

Towersurf

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What is your pump? Sounds like it may not be sized correctly.

Normally you do not put a filter between the pump and the pressure gauge. But if you do, also put a relief valve before the filter. And a bigger filter seems appropriate if you are to have one. Spin down filters are not usually rated for high pressures. You might check the spec on yours.

It is also not normal to use schedule 40 as a drop pipe. I think the main problem is that people don't let the glue set long enough, but your install is past that danger of the joints coming apart as the glue is not yet at full strength.
Thanks for the response Reach. Here is a bit more info,
The pump is an M2X30-15 (3HP) which I'm sure is too much for what I need. Total lift from pump to pressure tank is about 60 meters or about 200 foot. We use a bypass value before the filter and pressure tank to irrigate the 1 acre property with a 1-1/4 hose. Any recommendations on a more correctly sized pump would be highly appreciated.
We are using an Arkal 2" steel band filter rated @ 145 PSI.
I found a 3/4 pressure relief valve that opens @75 PSI that i was planning to install. I was hoping to find something bigger but didn't find anything bigger then 3/4 at 75 PSI.
 
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Towersurf

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Like Reach says, shouldn't use glue pipe down the well, and especially shouldn't use unions. Filters after the pressure switch is the only safe way as well. Also need the pressure relief valve, not a switch to protect from high pressure.
Thanks for the feedback. What type of specs should I look for on a pressure relief valve?
 

Towersurf

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Thanks for posting the link. The pump in the link appears to have the same specs as the one I'm currently using but the site has very good information on the available pumps and specs. My gut tells me that my pump is too powerful and is stirring up sediment. I'm considering going with a pump that puts out 1 liter per second versus the 2 liter per second that I currently have.
 

Reach4

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How far down is the water?

How far down is the well cased?

How far down is the pump currently?
 

Reach4

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How far down is the water? 30 feet
How far down is the well cased? 90 feet
How far down is the pump currently? 70 feet
Sounds good.

How big ID is the well?

What nominal gpm is your pump, and how much pressure is expected while pumping at that gpm?
 

Towersurf

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Sounds good.

How big ID is the well?

What nominal gpm is your pump, and how much pressure is expected while pumping at that gpm?
I drilled an 8 inch well and installed a 6 inch casing.
The pressure tank is located 100 feet above the well head.
If I understand the second question correctly the GPM is 30 and the pump pressure would need to be 85 PSI due to the water head of about 170 foot (pump at 70 foot of well depth and pressure tank about 100 foot above well head. The pump starts at 25 PSI in the pressure tank and it turns off at 55 PSI. The 30 GPM is what I get when I open up a 1 1/4 hose thats connected upstream of the pressure tank but at the same elevation as the pressure tank.
Sorry if making this confusing. Im still trying to learn a lot of this and in our remote area we dont have access to good resources.
Thanks
 

Reach4

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A flow inducer sleeve is good for cooling a regular pump where the motor is on the bottom. It may reduce the sediment, especially if you extend that below the motor several inches.

I am not sure how your pump compares to the classic submersible pump, which has the motor on the bottom, intake in the middle, and the pump sections above.
 

Towersurf

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The flow inducer sounds like an excellent option, thanks! This is something that I can do fairly easly here with local material.
 

Bannerman

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An inducer sleeve is commonly fabricated from 4" drain pipe.

The version shown in the photos below, utilizes thin walled green pipe, but, thin walled white pipe may be more readily available.

index.php
 
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