Pulled pump, line covered in rust

[ALusignan]

Hey guys, I bought a house (camp) in upstate NY several years ago and have been rebuilding it. The property was built in the mid 90s and Im assuming thats when the well was put in. The property was vacant several years and I didn't even attempt the well pump until last year, I figure it hadn't run in probably 6 years or so. I reconnected the wiring last fall and it immediately pumped water. Water looked clear and smelled fine, but when we filled clear jugs you could see it was slightly rusty with some chunks settling at the bottom.

Went back this spring and hit the power, and no water. Power was good so we pulled the pump yesterday by hand. The entire water line (1" poly)/wiring was covered in rusty water/flakes. We were covered head to toe in rust by the time we got it out. Didn't measure but I'd guess it was around 150' down.

I'm assuming all this rust is from the casing? Should I, or do I need to, do something with the casing before I throw another pump down there? Our plan was to put another pump down there and let it run for a long long time and hope it clears. Is there something else I should do? Not trying to spend a fortune as this is just a summer camp.

 

[SuperGreg]

My well casing is flaking off rust like crazy. A well guy told me that's just the way it is. Can you add a filter? A simple cartridge filter would remove any particles but you'd need a more substantial iron filter to get all the iron out (maybe not necessary depending on what you're using it for).

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

A simple mechanical filter can remove rust particles. It is harder to remove ferrous (dissolved) iron.

For your crazy amount of rust flakes, I might put a wye filter in front of the pressure tank. Do not let that clog. Usually you want no filter before the pressure tank. Then follow up with maybe a 5 micron filter cartridge downstream.

It is the ferrous iron that does the rust stains and give the iron taste. Getting rid of that is harder.

I don't know about anything you could do with the casing.

 

[RetiredInGueydan]

Beat the casing edge with a sledge hammer like you want to drive it down. Wait several days, install the pump and pump the $hit out of it unrestricted until it runs dry.

 

[Bannerman]

I'm assuming all this rust is from the casing?

Many wells contain iron in a Ferrous state, also called 'clear water iron' as it is fully dissolved in the water. When ferrous iron is exposed to oxygen such as contained in air or another oxidant, ferrous iron will become oxydized and converted to a Ferric state. It is the ferric iron that is visible as rust.

Ferrous iron can't be simply filtered out, but must be first oxidyzed, therby allowing the resulting solid rust particles to be removed by filtration.

While your steel casing maybe causing iron to accumulate on the drop pipe and wiring, it could also be a result of a build up of ferric iron as a result of ferrous iron conversion.

Suggest having a sample of your raw well water analyzed by a testing lab that specializes in water testing. One such testing lab is National Labs. Their Standard Well package will provide comprehensive results to determine what is present in your well water to determine which substances should be given treatment priority, and help to determine which treatment methods will be most effective.

When replacing the defective well pump, suggest initially developing the well by not connecting the drop pipe to the horizontal pipe supplying the building. This will allow the pump to discharge deliver water to the field surrouding the well casing. In this manner, the pump will deliver water at the fastest flow rate it is capable of delivering as the only pressure the pump will need to build, will be to lift the water vertically out from the well casing. The faster than usual flow rate will assist to eliminate solid debris from the bottom of the well., and will often increase the well's recovery rate.

Regardless of how deep the pump is located, it will only need to lift water the distance from the top of water up to the surface. Depending on the well's recovery rate, you maybe able to pump continuously for several hours or even several days, until the water discharge eventually clears and remains so for some time following.

If the well's recovery rate is slow, then you may need to develope in short burst to prevent the water level from dropping too much, thereby causing the pump to suck air and potentially overheat.

 

[Fitter30]

Wonder if the drop pipe could be lined like they do with sewer pipe. Worth a phone call to a local company.

 

[ALusignan]

When replacing the defective well pump, suggest initially developing the well by not connecting the drop pipe to the horizontal pipe supplying the building.

Thanks guys. Think I will make a combination of these suggestions. I'll probably clamp the pitless to the top of the casing and let the pump go for a long time and pump out everything I can. After looking at it, think I'll add a temporary wye filter in after that just so I don't clog up all the brand new plumbing I've run in the house. Filters are definitely an option but I'd like to clear it as much as I can as the amount of sediment and flakes coming up before would clog up a filter very quickly.

 

[RetiredInGueydan]

Wonder if the drop pipe could be lined like they do with sewer pipe. Worth a phone call to a local company.

He is "Not trying to spend a fortune as this is just a summer camp" and should just install the highly touted shroud. An extra long shroud would create bottom feeding and not the side suction along the casing wall. This would prevent rust flakes that form above the static water line from being picked up by the pump.

 

[Fitter30]

Have you called the manufacturer?