Maintaing flow

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lardlad

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I have a very old hand driven shallow well on the shores of Lake Michigan.
It has given us enough water to run a one BR/kitchen set up until this year.
I always have trouble getting water first time I start it in the spring. We replaced the pump a few years ago and probably thought bigger was better as it's a 3/4 horse. We have 1.5 inch galvanized pipe down to water at roughly 21 feet. I am able to prime and get water up into the pump. I basically hold my thumb over the outlet to build pressure and slowly release a bit to let air out.
When I feel I have finally gotten some flow and I try to quickly shove the water line to the house over the outlet, the loss of pressure seems to lose my prime.
I know the well just doesn't have a lot of water to "give" but everything has eventually worked in the past. Would using a smaller pump (1/4) maybe be a better idea? Someone said it's sucking water faster than it could provide with the 3/4 horse.
Thanks in advance.
 

Speedbump

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Your well is most likely a screened well and the screen is probably plugged badly. Once you have the pump primed which is done by filling the pump with water until it won't take any more then replacing the prime plug loosley to let air out. With a plugged screen it might take a long time. I drilled a two inch well at a parcel of property we owned at Silver Lake Dunes in 1976 and it was screened, this is why I assume yours is also screened.

You may have to install a new well or, acid treat the screen with Nu-Well tablets.

bob...
 

lardlad

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low flow

I remember helping my grandpa drive the well (1981?) he owned a hardware store and we used a well point with a screen appropriate for the sandy area we drove it I'm assuming. I'll try the acid tablets again as it has been a few years since we've done that.
Thanks for your reply.
 

Speedbump

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After you put the tablets in the well (one at a time so they don't get stuck half way down) you will need a steady stream of water running down the well for as long a time as possible. Like overnight or longer. This may be only a cupfull an hour at first, but this is what dissolves the tablets and makes them work. Otherwise, your effert will be useless.

bob...
 
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