Seasonal Shallow Well Use

[Earle Kubat]

Good Evening Members,
I have a problem with low water volume,(approx 1 gallon per minute)coming from my shallow well. Since this well is only used on a seasonal basis to water my lawn and garden, I am guessing that the point is clogged with rust. The well point is 28 ft down. When I blew it out with my shop air compressor and a nozzle adapter to reach down to the point, a considerable amount of rust blew out with the water. I was getting approx 2 to 2 1/2 gal per minute at the end of last season and now only 1 gpm. I use a 1 HP Centrifical pump to pull water up through the 1-1/4 well casing in to my garage and out to my lawn and garden. I am trying to get a result of 2-1/2 to 3 gpm minimum to satisfy my need. Does anyone have any suggestions on what steps I should take to restore this well to better efficiency? Will a chemical work? Thanking you in advance,
Trollyman66

 

[Bob NH]

A 1 HP centrifugal pump is a bad choice for a shallow well point that produces less than 10 gallons per minute. If it's a multistage pump it might work ok.

You would get better performance with a 1/2 HP shallow well jet pump because it can produce more lift (more vacuum down the pipe).

The question of cleaning points comes up a lot. Since they are always shallow, it should be possible to put a pressure washer hose or pipe down with a radial nozzle. It is probably non-standard but should loosen up a lot of rust and scale. You could assemble something with 1/4" Schedule 40 steel pipe using steel (NOT IRON) couplings.

I think some dilute muriatic acid might help but it could also ruin the screen.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Earle Kubat]

Bob NH:
Thanks for the quick response.The steel pipe with high pressure
air is an idea I have had and tried with my garage compressor that gives me about 100 psi. I have put a chicago valve on the air line and dropped the air line and steel nozzle down to the point and then opened the valve. As expected plenty of water and loose rust shot out. I then hooked up my pitcher pump and pulled up water with that for about 20 minutes. Then I hooked my pump back up and had no improvement. Still about 1 gpm. However, your comment on the use of a 1/2 Hp Jet Pump is very interesting. I am going to give that a try. I guess I am not too knowledgeable on the selection of the best type pump for a shallow 1-1/4 well point. Thanks for the advice. I'll let you know how I make out.

 

[Speedbump]

If you want to clean the screen without having to pull it, you can try Nu_Well Tablets. They are designed for just that purpose.

Muriatic acid eats galvanizing like candy and can also kill you very quickly if you become overcome by the fumes. Or if your lucky, you may just end up brain dead.

Google Nu-Well Tablets and I'm sure you can find some on line.

Bob's idea about the 1/2hp jet is a good one. A centrifugal is not the right pump for the job.

bob...

 

[Earle Kubat]

Shallow Well Jet Pump Recommendation

Speedbump,
Purchased a one gallon container of Nu-Well product earlier this week and put half of the container in my 1-1/4 shallow well. It did a good job. I let it sit in the well casing for 48 hours, agitated the well point with a weighted steel rod, hooked up my pitcher pump and pumped out the well for about 20 minutes (until water started to clear up). Disconnected my pitcher pump and hooked up my 1 HP centrifical pump 2 hours ago and am still letting it run through my garden hose down my driveway and in to the road. Water is now running clear. Volume coming out of well has now "doubled" from 1 gpm to just shy of 2gpm. What do you recommend next? I am guessing a good quality half horse jet pump? What do you think and what kind and size of jet pump do you recommend for this 28 ft deep shallow well?
Thank you for the help so far. I am feeling a little better knowing that I can now water my lawn and garden. I would like to get the volume up to 2-1/2 to 3 gpm.

 

[Speedbump]

Use the other half of the jug, but this time put a hose in the top of the well and let water run down the casing as fast as it will allow. You may have to keep checking it every hour or so as the screen becomes cleaner then turn up the water flow a little more. It's the water flowing past the tablets that dissolves them and makes them react with the gunk on the screen. Without doing that simple step, your kind of spinning your wheels.

When you check it next time with the jet pump, use pipe, like 3/4" or bigger to get a full flow. The garden hose is just a large restriction to flow.

bob...

 

[Earle Kubat]

Seasonal Use Shallow Well

speedbump,
Once again will take your advice and do this today when I get home from work. I just purchased a 3/4 HP AY McDonald jet pump that I will hook up after I follow your recommendation with the balance of the Nu-Well product.
I am not going to install a tank on this new pump. The dealer stated that should get me about 8 gpm in volume vs. the centrifical pump I am now using.
What do you think?
Earle

 

[Speedbump]

A.Y. Mcdonald is a good pump and they haven't bowed down to the big conglomerates yet. Being a 3/4 hp I would think it could do more than just eight gallons per minute. I would look for more like 12 to 15 open discharge. This is how you want to clear the well, let her fly, no restrictions.

bob...