No Water NEED HELP

[jbaesl]

Lost power last night. Jet pump won’t prime back up. The water just goes back into the well. Hole in casing ? Bad foot valve ? I do not know much about wells and need some advice. 2 line jet pump in basement.

 

[Reach4]

I would think leaky foot valve is more likely. A foot valve is a check valve with a screen. It is down the well.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[jbaesl]

Is there any way of priming the pump again? It leaks out almost faster than I put water in.

thanks for the reply !

 

[Valveman]

Got to fix the foot valve so water doesn't run out faster than you put it in.

 

[jbaesl]

Alright. I’ll be trying to pull it out tonight. Being in the basement it will not be easy. Give you update tomorrow.

 

[jbaesl]

Got the flange off but the casing adapter is stuck on there. Is it threaded on there or just sitting there ? I can feel the drop pipe move around as I try pulling it up.

 

[Reach4]

It will take force to overcome the leathers against the casing. Put leathers into the search box, above.

You will want new leathers.

Can you get a shop crane or a hoist in there?

 

[jbaesl]

Pretty tight. Going to grab a 2 ton chain hoist and give it a try .

 

[jbaesl]

Got the chain hoist hooked up. Didn’t move an inch. The drop pipe does turn with a pipe wrench fairly easy. Lowered a string down, got caught up on something at 12ft. The house is from 1940. I can only assume that the well was put in around then. I dumped bleach down the casing hoping it will lose the leathers. I can hear it reacting so maybe it not too deep.

 

[Reach4]

You can get some all-thread. Put washers and nuts in place so that the top nuts push up on washer which pushes up on the thing you are trying to lift. The bottom nuts push down. Crank the nuts to try to separate the pieces.

Together with the hoist, the sum may be enough force to get that top piece rising.

Got a friend with a high-lift jack?

 

[Valveman]

1940's steel casing may just be too rusty to ever get the leathers out. Even if you get it out you probably don't have much to work with. Driving in some new casing maybe your best bet.

 

[Reach4]

It may be worth considering getting an outdoor well drilled. Submersible pump. Pitless adapter.

Big bucks, but a worthwhile investment. Some things are worth borrowing for. Some things, like a new car, are not.

 

[jbaesl]

No high lift jack I can use. Tried pounding the drop pipe down. Got it down around 8-10 inches then it started feeling a lot looser. Went to pull it back up and could only get it 2 inches from its original spot. I am heavily considering biting the bullet and buying a new well, just not a good time right now. I’d hate to give up but this is a challenge.

Thought about dumping in muriatic acid to try and break down the leathers. Not sure if it eat through the casing tho

 

[Valveman]

Acid will eat through the casing if left too long. But it will also turn the rust into foam and may help. If your giving up you got nothing to lose trying it. But be careful as acid reacts with things in the well and can make very toxic fumes.

 

[Reach4]

I would not use muriatic (HCl) for this. I might consider Iron Out. Yes, it has a smell, but not a lung-burning vapor.

Did you understand the all-thread idea? That would only work for a limited distance.

 

[jbaesl]

Yeah I understood it but I got a got a decent price for a new well and I’m going to go that route . Even if I did get the drop pipe out, there’s no guarantee of getting it back in. It’s very old, time for an update.

 

[Reach4]

Yeah I understood it but I got a got a decent price for a new well and I’m going to go that route . Even if I did get the drop pipe out, there’s no guarantee of getting it back in. It’s very old, time for an update.

It will be nice.