How To Remove And Replace Pump In Well With Pitless Adapter

[Regis Tration]

Hello: I am going to need to remove the pump from my well so that I can try to cut away the corroded well casing (please see picture) and replace it with new casing. Can I just pull on the copper pipe that rises above the well casing to raise the pump? (please see picture) Will that damage the pitless adapter? Do I need a special tool to work with the pitless adapter? Also, how do I get the pitless adapter back together down there after I put the pump back down in the well? In case it's of any relevance, the pump is at a depth of approximately 350 feet. The well is in a very remote location that no plumber will visit - 10 miles out to sea. Thank you.

 

[Valveman]

Yeah just pull up. But it is going to be heavy. When you get it out you will see how easy it is to reinstall. You basically just have to line it up and let the weight pull it down for the o-ring to seal. The worst case is that you may need to replace the o-ring.

 

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[BrianK]

I pulled my pump out of my well a few days ago. Your pitless adapter is a pull up type and is easy to see so that will make reinstalling it easy. What I would recommend is that you install a T on the top pipe that comes up to the top of the casing. Remove the plug in the pipe and install a nipple with a T on it, then extend the T on each side so they extend beyond the casing. As previously posted what you are pulling will be heavy - assuming the check valve in the pump is still good and holding water in the pump dischharge pipe all the way up to the pitless adapter. Why so heavy - the pump probably weighs 20 pounds, 350 feet of 1 1/4" pipe full of water and 350 feet of electrical wire. Once the pitless adapter becomes loose, all the weight will be on what you are pulling on and if it is too heavy for you or it slips you could loose your pump down the well. You may need something to help you lift the pump and all the 350 feet of discharge hose out of the well. Good luck.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Unless you are a brute of a guy, you better have someone there to help you. Once the pitless clears the adapter everything is going to want to head south. Putting a tee with a couple handles longer than the casing will save your ass if you let it drop. Carefully inspect the O ring before you put the whole mess back in the hole. Personally, I would dig around the old case, wire brush the hell out of it and coat it with a rust proof paint and leave it alone.

 

[LLigetfa]

That copper pipe would make me nervous. Around here we use a length of steel pipe with a Tee as others mentioned.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Yep we do the same but if he takes that plug out and threads a steel tee in there it will probably be Ok. OR he can unwind that length of copper and get a pitless puller or make one

 

[BrianK]

I agree - the copper pipe would make me nervous too but it is there now. Unthreading it and replacing it with a steel pipe sounds like a good idea but if you can't rethread the new steel pipe, then you are SOL. Mine was steel and threaded into the pitless adapter and once I put my T on it, it lifted easily however I lifted my pump out with the help of my tractor with a front end loader. Vise grips and and length of chain made lifting the assembly out quite easy - lift and hold with the vise grips. Probably when the OP's pump was installed, there was no water in the discharge line so the copper pipe would be sufficient to lift it. Also - tie something onto the rope so if the copper pipe breaks you have some hope of retrieving the pump. Let us know how you make out with this.

 

[Regis Tration]

Thank you all for your great suggestions and advice. If I make a steel "T" to remove the pitless adapter, would it be 1" NPT or 1 1/4" NPT (or another size)?

 

[Valveman]

Looks like 1" to me.