Tom Thompson
New Member
Hello,
First post here. My in-laws have had a shallow well in the same witched stream for about 40 years. it's a low producer, but has worked. We put one in and it worked for 10 years, but then we had problems. We now pounded a new 1 1/4" shallow well about 18 feet down. We can get good water and have tried to develop the well by running the system. However, we are having an issue with this new well. I am not sure of the exact terms, but when the water in the well casing is used up, and the water flow going into the casing can't keep up, the pump keeps running, but gets very hot. Water barely comes out of the faucets, then it will stop all together and the pump stays running. We then have to let the pump sit until it cools, and re-prime the pump to get it going again. Currently running a Menards Little Giant 3/4 hp pump with a 13 gallon attached pressure tank. Pressure switch is factory set at 30/50.
Let me know if you like my plan, or you think there is a better plan. My plan to solve this is to use a cycle stop valve. I believe what is happening is that the well is running dry with all the water use and having a pump trying to pump at 13 GPM. I am going to add a larger pressure tank to hold water so it can be used and not have the pump turn on as often. Then when the pump does come on the CSV will allow only 1 GPM (rather than the pumps 13 gpm) to slowly pull water back in to refill the pressure tank. This will allow the low yield well to keep up with the pump. Hopefully stopping it from taking too much water and then sitting running getting hot. I also plan on adding a Square D low pressure switch, in case the water does run out, the pump doesn't sit and run. I realize this requires going out and manually resetting the switch in the pump house, but it's better than having the pump get hot and having to re-prime it.
I am also thinking of pounding a second 1 1/4" well casing down and connecting the two before the pump to have an extra bit of water to draw from.
Another thought is to get a better pump, either a Gould 1/2 HP or a A.Y. McDonald 1/2 HP. any thoughts on if these may not have some of the same issues I'm experiencing with the Menards Little Giant pump?
What do you think of these ideas and do you have any other ideas that may help?
First post here. My in-laws have had a shallow well in the same witched stream for about 40 years. it's a low producer, but has worked. We put one in and it worked for 10 years, but then we had problems. We now pounded a new 1 1/4" shallow well about 18 feet down. We can get good water and have tried to develop the well by running the system. However, we are having an issue with this new well. I am not sure of the exact terms, but when the water in the well casing is used up, and the water flow going into the casing can't keep up, the pump keeps running, but gets very hot. Water barely comes out of the faucets, then it will stop all together and the pump stays running. We then have to let the pump sit until it cools, and re-prime the pump to get it going again. Currently running a Menards Little Giant 3/4 hp pump with a 13 gallon attached pressure tank. Pressure switch is factory set at 30/50.
Let me know if you like my plan, or you think there is a better plan. My plan to solve this is to use a cycle stop valve. I believe what is happening is that the well is running dry with all the water use and having a pump trying to pump at 13 GPM. I am going to add a larger pressure tank to hold water so it can be used and not have the pump turn on as often. Then when the pump does come on the CSV will allow only 1 GPM (rather than the pumps 13 gpm) to slowly pull water back in to refill the pressure tank. This will allow the low yield well to keep up with the pump. Hopefully stopping it from taking too much water and then sitting running getting hot. I also plan on adding a Square D low pressure switch, in case the water does run out, the pump doesn't sit and run. I realize this requires going out and manually resetting the switch in the pump house, but it's better than having the pump get hot and having to re-prime it.
I am also thinking of pounding a second 1 1/4" well casing down and connecting the two before the pump to have an extra bit of water to draw from.
Another thought is to get a better pump, either a Gould 1/2 HP or a A.Y. McDonald 1/2 HP. any thoughts on if these may not have some of the same issues I'm experiencing with the Menards Little Giant pump?
What do you think of these ideas and do you have any other ideas that may help?