Refurbishing an Old Well

[Zach77]

I'm on a smart phone so I'll be as brief and descriptive as possible.

I know nothing about Well systems.

The well's water table is at 26 feet.

The well casing is 8 inches wide.

Two PVC lines come out of the casing and go into a steel reservoir that is pressurized. The Well pump fits onto the reservoir and slides over a piece of PVC pipe ; one of the two pipes that come out of the casing.

The tank holds pressure. I've had 25psi in it. The tank holds water. I've filled it with a hose in an attempt to prime my pump.

Both PVC pipes hold water ; I filled them with a water hose.

The pump turns on and churns the water in the reservoir.

I'm assuming this is a twin-jet system.

The PVC lines going into the Well will not lift up. They're stuck. If there is a CHK valve system at the bottom, what could be holding the pipes down? I don't want to break them.

This Well system is 40 years old, give or take.

 

[Zach77]

Here are some pics.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Craigpump]

If you can get the pipes out, that's a great place to put a submersible pump, new well seal, drop pipe & tank.

 

[Zach77]

I'm afraid I'll snap the pipes.

I want to know what's on the end of the pipes. As of now they won't budge.

 

[Valveman]

Like Craigpump said. Get a 1/2HP, 10 GPM submersible pump and one of these https://cpkits.com/collections/frontpage/products/custom-pk1a-pside-kick-kit

Biggest problem is removing all the old stuff. Ruth Berry? Are they still around? I am guessing circa 1965.

 

[Zach77]

Like Craigpump said. Get a 1/2HP, 10 GPM submersible pump and one of these https://cpkits.com/collections/frontpage/products/custom-pk1a-pside-kick-kit

Biggest problem is removing all the old stuff. Ruth Berry? Are they still around? I am guessing circa 1965.

Ruth Berry is still around, and that's about circa 1965. My grandfather put that in.

I eventually wanted to install a 20GPM pump for irrigation. This system was already installed so I was going to try and see if it would work.

The pipes won't lift out, and I'm afraid to try and force them since Ruth Berry's website has no diagrams I can go off of as to what is on the end of those pipes.

 

[Valveman]

I'm afraid I'll snap the pipes.

I want to know what's on the end of the pipes. As of now they won't budge.

Drop pipes are PVC, can't be that old. Take the unions loose at the tank and pull both pipes at the same time. Shouldn't be anything holding them down there except weight of the pipes. Depth will determine how heavy it is.

 

[Valveman]

Ruth Berry is still around, and that's about circa 1965. My grandfather put that in.

I eventually wanted to install a 20GPM pump for irrigation. This system was already installed so I was going to try and see if it would work.

The pipes won't lift out, and I'm afraid to try and force them since Ruth Berry's website has no diagrams I can go off of as to what is on the end of those pipes.

Should be just and ejector and foot valve, maybe a tailpipe. Take the unions loose and fill the two pipes with water. If they won't hold water the footvalve is not working and/or hole in the pipe, so it probably won't prime.

 

[Zach77]

It feels like the pipes are in concrete ; they won't budge. I was just afraid to pull on them too hard. But there may just be a lot of weight from the pipes.

The water sits 26 feet down. God only knows how deep the pipes go.

 

[Zach77]

Should be just and ejector and foot valve, maybe a tailpipe. Take the unions loose and fill the two pipes with water. If they won't hold water the footvalve is not working and/or hole in the pipe, so it probably won't prime.

I've already filled the pipes with water and they fill to the top.

I filled the tank up to the pump and put 25 pounds of air in it. Turned the pump on and it built no more pressure.

 

[Bgard]

drop an air hose down the pipes and blow the water out of them to make them lighter

 

[Craigpump]

I just looked at the Ruth Berry website, what a convoluted mess that is, luckily I've never seen one. Yet, but when I do I'll sell them an upgrade to something that will be easier to service.

 

[Valveman]

Don't try to make it start against pressure. Get it full of water and leave that plug out of the side of the tank when starting. Easier to prime if water has a place to go.

 

[Zach77]

Don't try to make it start against pressure. Get it full of water and leave that plug out of the side of the tank when starting. Easier to prime if water has a place to go.

Thank you. I'm going to bolt the pump back up and try that.

 

[LLigetfa]

Don't try to make it start against pressure

Really? I found that with deep well jet pumps they need pressure to make pressure.

 

[Valveman]

Really? I found that with deep well jet pumps they need pressure to make pressure.

You maybe right about that. But you still have to suck the air out of the inlet pipe and you have to let water out to do that. In this case the return line is common with the tank, so I don't know which way would prime easier.

 

[Zach77]

 

[Reach4]

How long is that assembly that you pulled out?

 

[Zach77]

About 36 feet. Took all my strength to get it out. The valve was jammed shut and th spring was busted. Fixing it now and we'll try again.

I had to get a hammer and a chisel to pop the valve open. I'm going through my shop now looking for a new spring.

 

[Reach4]

About 36 feet. Took all my strength to get it out. The valve was jammed shut and th spring was busted. Fixing it now and we'll try again.

Seriously, a submersible pump is a lot easier. No priming.