Existing Well, need a new well??? Help lol

[beachloverjaxbch]

Hi All,

There is an existing well on the property that has been working fine for many years, however, last year it stopped working and a new submersible pump was installed. The well company and our irrigation company told us that we had to have the pump on manual instead of auto because the well wasn't producing enough water and the pump would run constantly. ???? Well, last month, the well stopped working, even though we had the well on manual.

The well waters, the horse arena, the sinks in the horse barn, the horse washing stall, the pool, and the lawns. The other well which is fine, supplies the house.

I don't understand why we wouldn't be able to use the same well? Why do we need a new one? And if we expand in the future will this new well be sufficient. This has become very costly.

The new well estimate is as follows:

One new 4" PVC well, up to 200' using rotary method
Stainless stell wire wound well screen
All brass pitless adapter with riser to grade
5 HP FRANKLIN submersible pump with 2" drop pipe and #10-3-C cu conductor
Excavation area at existing well site and connect new well to existing offset line and existing cu conductor

$13,500.00

The irrigation company said they needed 55GPM 70PSI push system.

Does this sound legit? And what important questions should I be asking?

Thank you for your time!!!
Kathi

 

[Reach4]

A 4-inch well would not seem like a good idea. That makes it a tight squeeze past any imperfections for a "4 inch pump", which may be 3.75 inches, but still, there is a concern about it fitting. Maybe they are planning to put a 3 inch Grundfos pump in there.

Your well controls should include something to shut down the pump for a while if the well goes dry.

There could be various things affecting price. They might have to drill through hard rock. You might be in California, where there is a shortage of well diggers. There could be a number of factors. I am not a pro, and I can't say if that is a good or bad price for your situation.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[beachloverjaxbch]

A 4-inch well would not seem like a good idea. That makes it a tight squeeze past any imperfections for a "4 inch pump", which may be 3.75 inches, but still, there is a concern about it fitting. Maybe they are planning to put a 3 inch Grundfos pump in there.

Your well controls should include something to shut down the pump for a while if the well goes dry.

There could be various things affecting price. They might have to drill through hard rock. You might be in California, where there is a shortage of well diggers. There could be a number of factors. I am not a pro, and I can't say if that is a good or bad price for your situation.

thank you! however, they told me there isn't anything that controls the pump if the well goes dry. it will continue to pump till it reaches the correct level. ugh

 

[Reach4]

The problem with continuing to pump from a dry well is that it can destroy the pump or melt the PVC pipe that the pump is hanging from.

The cheap way to protect the pump is to use a pressures switch that cuts off the pump if the pressure gets to some low level -- maybe 20 PSI. It is not perfect. You would have to manually push a lever at the pressure switch to start up again. But it is cheap.

There are devices that detect the change in current draw from the pump, and shut off the pump for a while. http://www.cyclestopvalves.com/prod_sensor.html is one made by the company of a contributor to this forum.

If you want some input from those with experience, you might say more, such as your location, and what it is they would be digging through. Looking for 55 GPM from a 4 inch well sounds ambitious, but maybe that is reasonable for your area.

 

[Craigpump]

You need a new well driller / pump man 'cause this guy is BULLSHITING you big time. Pump Teks, Coyotes, & Cycle Sensors are all run dry protection drvices, but they don't give him repeat business to change wiped out pumps.

In the old days, probes were hung in the well to shut pumps off when water levels dropped.

I don't know anyone who would hang a 5 hp pump capable of moving that amount of water on PVC.

BTW, we aren't well diggers.

 

[beachloverjaxbch]

Long island new york. Not sure what they are digging through.

 

[Craigpump]

Call Henry Boyd in Carmel NY 1-800-321-BOYD

 

[VAWellDriller]

Sounds cheap to me, but I don't know the local conditions...there is no reason a 4" well can't easily provide your flow especially with stainless screen. There should be lots of water in the coastal plain region up there....so you may not need any run dry protection. I rarely put any on, and regularly install 80 gpm 7.5HP pumps in 4.5" PVC wells....it's all about knowing the local conditions. You can always put on protection to make you feel better.

Craig....didn't sound like they were planning on using PVC drop pipe, but FYI there are good drop pipe options for high flow made from PVC. Shur Align SCH 120 makes 2" that's great...and certainteed makes certa-lock drop pipe thats' huge...not even sure how large it comes. I pulled a 15HP set on 340' of 3" certalock PVC last week.....google it...nice to trade the 36" pipe wrench for an little allen wrench.

 

[Craigpump]

Good info, thanks. I have see some samples of bigger diameter pipe, but around here steel pipe is the preferred choice. Change comes slowly.

 

[beachloverjaxbch]

Thank you so much for all the information!!! It has been really helpful. The well contractor told me to contact the electrician to install a cycle sensor. Do you think that is necessary to install one with the problems we had with the other well?
Also, he said that he was installing two check valve, one at the pump and one at the discharge. Am I correct that the less check valves you have the less problems in the future? And are two the norm?

 

[Valveman]

If there is a possibility of pumping the well dry the Cycle Sensor will save your pump. Two check valves in the line like that are OK for a while. Eventually the second check valve will start causing problems. I would only use the one check valve on the pump.

Needing an electrician to install a simple Cycle Sensor says a lot about the qualifications of the pump man.

 

[Craigpump]

The only reason a licensed and experienced pump tech would need an electrician to wire up a Cycle Sensor is if state law requires it. For example, unless the law has changed a pump tech can't splice wires at the top of the well in Massachusetts.

 

[Reach4]

He may not have wanted to make a trip back for just that installation.

 

[Craigpump]

Well that would dumb, you never want to give someone else the chance to do your job for you.

 

[Valveman]

state law requires it. For example, unless the law has changed a pump tech can't splice wires at the top of the well in Massachusetts.

OMG I don't even want to get started on that subject. Wiring up a Cycle Sensor is just like wiring a pressure switch. If I had to call an electrician to wire a pressure switch I think I would move out of that state.