Need help replacing Ruth berry system

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RuthBerry

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This is what I have. It's wore out. It's giving me problems with kicking on and off. Sorry pressure. I need to put a submersible pump in I'm thinking but I don't know where to start. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
The tank on the right is not connected to anything. It's stuck in the concrete lol. We bought this place a few years ago. The local plumber wants 2500 for a submersible and tank install. Is that reasonable?

Also do they make similar set ups that aren't Ruth berry but would hook up to the existing pipes coming out of the well?

IMG_20220713_194959_HDR.jpg
 
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Valveman

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A blast from the past. Sold some Ruth Berry pumps in the 70's. Don't think it is a good idea to use the old drop pipe. Probably needs a new foot valve anyway. You can replace it with something like the PK1A, which will work with any shallow well jet pump.

Jet pump PK!A galv.jpeg
 

RuthBerry

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That is enough to work with a submersible if the casing ID is large enough?
I'm not sure what you mean by casing ID. The well itself about three feet across. It's a big structure not a small 6 inch well if that's what you mean
 

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OK, it s dug well. Should have plenty of room for a submersible and a flow inducer sleeve. The PK1A does not come with a pump but will control either the submersible or another jet pump. With such a shallow well you might try one of those Hallmark 1HP, 33 GPM pumps in 230V. The PK1A works well with those.



shroud 3 pics sized.jpg
 

RuthBerry

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OK, it s dug well. Should have plenty of room for a submersible and a flow inducer sleeve. The PK1A does not come with a pump but will control either the submersible or another jet pump. With such a shallow well you might try one of those Hallmark 1HP, 33 GPM pumps in 230V. The PK1A works well with those.



View attachment 85021
Ok great. I'm going to have a lot of dumb sounding questions lol. Would the same electric line running to my pump now be able to run that Hallmark pump you mentioned? Also, when putting a submersible pump in a dug well like mine, how do people keep it hanging and in the center? Knock a hole in the center of the concrete top? Lol
 

Reach4

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Is the hole tapered? If not, you could run the pump near the side.

Does the whole concrete top lift off?

One possibility is to bring a pipe thru the side wall and support a pitless adapter. The drop pipe would dangle from the pitless. You also have to provide for the wires, so maybe some groove at the top?
 

RuthBerry

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Is the hole tapered? If not, you could run the pump near the side.

Does the whole concrete top lift off?

One possibility is to bring a pipe thru the side wall and support a pitless adapter. The drop pipe would dangle from the pitless. You also have to provide for the wires, so maybe some groove at the top?
The whole top does come off. I could run a pipe through the well to hang the drop pipe from if I can break through the concrete casing.
 

Reach4

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There are coring drills that you could rent. How deep is that side wall?
 

Reach4

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HD probably has that available for rent-- bit and big special drill separately. You might be able to wangle a discount on the pair.

Are you thinking of using a pitless adapter? Would the hole be below ground?

There have been discussions, including a stainless steel nipple/ pipe to go through the well wall and supporting the pitless.
 

RuthBerry

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From my limited understanding the pitless adapters are down inside the tank and usually below ground aren't they? There's no way I could do that. The area surrounding my dug well is concrete. I need to hang the pump from something at the top of the well, then elbow over to the pk1a then connect to the water line going to the house. I think. I'm still educating myself on all this. I need to make sure that whatever pump I buy can be wired using the same electric line that is currently hooked up to my Ruth berry pump. I'm assuming that is a 110 connection, like a standard outlet? It seems to be. I also do not have a control box currently so I'm thinking I want to install one to run the power lines from the pump into it. I'm just thinking Outloud here trying to see where my greatest gaps in understanding in the process are before I begin doing any work.

I need:
A sub pump
A pk1a
A control box


I'm assuming the pumps don't come with the drop pipes so I need to know what size, type and how much drop pipe I'll need as well the what kind of fitting to go into the sub pump. I can probably find that on YouTube.

Anything I'm missing?
 

Reach4

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Voltage of current pump. If it is 230 volt, expect a 2-pole breaker in the panel.

Control box is only needed for a "3-wire" pump.

Submersible pumps normally have 1 inch FIP if less than 10 gpm. 10 gpm up to some number go to 1-1/4.

Pitless adapters were designed for below ground, but don't necessarily need to be below ground. Think of them as a quick-disconnect for well water.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index....o-greenhouse-through-unheated-building.69681/ talks of using a stainless steel nipple to carry the water and to be strong enough to hold up the pitless. Galvanized steel would be strong enough, but it rusts.

https://www.bakerwatersystems.com/p..._slide_adapters/campbell-brass-slide-adapters has some units that are marked "concrete". I am not sure what that really means. I suspect it means the pitless expect to be hung on a nipple that is going through a hole in the concrete. You could probably use a pitless that was not made with that in mind, but has an internal thread that could go on a nipple.

Without a pitless, you just hang the pump string from an elbow or tee. You might want to replace your cover.

A submersible does not need as much HP for a given amount of water flow and pressure. 1/2hp 10 gpm is common for shallow wells using submersibles.
 

RuthBerry

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Voltage of current pump. If it is 230 volt, expect a 2-pole breaker in the panel.

Control box is only needed for a "3-wire" pump.

Submersible pumps normally have 1 inch FIP if less than 10 gpm. 10 gpm up to some number go to 1-1/4.

Pitless adapters were designed for below ground, but don't necessarily need to be below ground. Think of them as a quick-disconnect for well water.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index....o-greenhouse-through-unheated-building.69681/ talks of using a stainless steel nipple to carry the water and to be strong enough to hold up the pitless. Galvanized steel would be strong enough, but it rusts.

https://www.bakerwatersystems.com/p..._slide_adapters/campbell-brass-slide-adapters has some units that are marked "concrete". I am not sure what that really means. I suspect it means the pitless expect to be hung on a nipple that is going through a hole in the concrete. You could probably use a pitless that was not made with that in mind, but has an internal thread that could go on a nipple.

Without a pitless, you just hang the pump string from an elbow or tee. You might want to replace your cover.

A submersible does not need as much HP for a given amount of water flow and pressure. 1/2hp 10 gpm is common for shallow wells using submersibles.
The current pump is 1/2 hp 230 volts but the pressure is weak. Should I go with 1 hp? Would it hurt? Also should I use 1/2 pipe from the pump? Should it be plastic or poly or metal?
 
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Reach4

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A 1/2 hp 10 gpm submersible will have a lot better pressure and flow than a 1/2 inch hp jet pump.

If the 240 wiring is already run, might as well do that for the new pump -- except for those really quiet Honda generators that only come in 120 in the US.
 
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