Four Ringer
Member
Ok that makes sense now. I have a laundry list of things to discuss with the owner of the well company tomorrow.
They tell me I need to dig a new well!
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Four Ringer
Member
Perhaps that's what happened. I'm not too eager at this point to go ham on using a lot of water again. I'd rather have the tank/pump setup in place before I try taunting the dynamite monkey!
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Four Ringer
Member
Well, it's doing its thing now. For now, at least.
Four Ringer
Member
I dropped 4 ice cubes down into the well. They were all right around 2.3-2.4 seconds. Based on my research, that would make it 85-92' to the water surface. I can't recall exactly what depth the well is. It's either 90 or 100. I'll ask the guy tomorrow.
So what do we think?
So what do we think?
Bannerman
Well-Known Member
Since a submersible pump will typically be suspended some distance above the well bottom, it seems your well contains insufficient water to keep the pump submerged.
Is your well casing steel or plastic? If steel, the inlet screen through the sides of the casing maybe corroded closed, thereby limiting water entry into the casing. Similar may occur with a plastic inlet screen, but instead of corrosion, the screen maybe blocked by silt and sand that is surrounding the casing.
Is your well casing steel or plastic? If steel, the inlet screen through the sides of the casing maybe corroded closed, thereby limiting water entry into the casing. Similar may occur with a plastic inlet screen, but instead of corrosion, the screen maybe blocked by silt and sand that is surrounding the casing.
Four Ringer
Member
I need to confirm the exact well depth with the owner of the place that did it tomorrow. I'll also find out how far the intake is down, as well. They've done everything on this address going back to at least 2001 when they swapped out the jet pump for a submersible. That pump lasted us until 4 years ago. We've never had a volume problem with this well, ever. In fact, they told me on Friday that I'm the first in a while, especially considering that it's been fairly wet for the past 6 months.
The casing is plastic. I'll ask him about that, as well.
Four Ringer
Member
Met with the owner this morning. He didn't have anything new to add. He didn't feel that putting water into the well would always have it bleed down into the aquifer and he also didn't believe that it could've washed away any blockage on the screens down there. I asked about whether a bad check valve could cause this behavior and he said that I'd see air pockets from it constantly putting the water back into the well. Makes sense, I guess.
He did agree that installing the tank/jet pump solution would be a good idea and that it might just work for a very long time. I appreciated the fact that he didn't try to sell me on a new well at all. On to a new project!
He did agree that installing the tank/jet pump solution would be a good idea and that it might just work for a very long time. I appreciated the fact that he didn't try to sell me on a new well at all. On to a new project!
Four Ringer
Member
The static water level continues to rise. I checked it before and after 2 showers and a load of laundry and it was at about 2 seconds, which is about 64 feet. I'm building a DIY sounder that I'll use to check the level on a regular basis. This way, I'll have some good information on the health of the well.
Thanks for the help everyone.
Thanks for the help everyone.
You should get about 1.5 gallons of water stored in the well for every foot of water above the pump. 30 feet of submergence would mean you should get about 45 gallons before the pump runs dry.
2stupid2fixit
Active Member
without knowing how many amps your pump wants after 5 mins of running with no tank.... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Four Ringer
Member
Are you saying that my static water level is good? It has been steadily improving since I posted last. It is now at approximately 30 feet. All still seems to be back to normal. Fingers crossed, I guess.
Four Ringer
Member
Sorry, I'm not sure I follow what you're saying here.
As the level of water drops, the amps for the pump will go down (counter-intuitively). The amount of drop will vary with the pump. There are devices to detect the current drop, and will shut off the pump for a while when the water surface falls to the pump intake. The amps drop gradually as the water surface drops, and then drops more suddenly once the pump starts sucking air.
Four Ringer
Member
Gotcha. That was also explained to me by the well guy. It did seem odd at first but it makes sense now considering that the pump has to have a load to actually work.
30' of water above the pump will give you about 45 gallons before the pump runs dry. by spacing out the water uses to allow the well time to recover, 45 gallons of storage is probably enough to get by.
But you do need a Cycle Sensor to protect the pump when it does run dry.
Cycle Sensor Pump Monitor – Cycle Stop Valves, Inc
Buy It! Interactive Animation General Information Specifications Wiring Diagram Installation Instructions Installation Video Troubleshooting
cyclestopvalves.com
Four Ringer
Member
Are you saying that it still looks like my well is short on water? I never checked the level before now so I have no baseline to go by. My gut tells me that a static water level of 28' in a 100' well would be pretty darn good, no?30' of water above the pump will give you about 45 gallons before the pump runs dry. by spacing out the water uses to allow the well time to recover, 45 gallons of storage is probably enough to get by.
But you do need a Cycle Sensor to protect the pump when it does run dry.
Cycle Sensor Pump Monitor – Cycle Stop Valves, Inc
Buy It! Interactive Animation General Information Specifications Wiring Diagram Installation Instructions Installation Video Troubleshooting
LLigetfa
DIYer, not in the trades
It all depends on usage and recovery rate.
Four Ringer
Member
Well, we're back to our normal usage and I check the static level every day and it's consistently risen. It seems to have leveled off now at about 28'. I also try to check it before and after any significant water usage so I can see if the level dips down before it recovers. So far the readings have been just about the same before and after.
North Jersey
Member
If your problem recurs, you might want to talk with a company that performs hydrofracking on domestic wells. People with problematic geology in my area sometimes have their existing wells fracked to improve their yield. An Internet search for "hydrofracking well" will yield a lot of information on the process.
On a different note, I believe my new well cost under $5000 in northern NJ in 2014. That was with 50' of casing. I don't believe we went beyond 80'.
On a different note, I believe my new well cost under $5000 in northern NJ in 2014. That was with 50' of casing. I don't believe we went beyond 80'.
Four Ringer
Member
Thanks. It's common knowledge around here that the well companies are ripoff artists. My neighbor across the street was quoted 10k and paid around 16k when all was done. No access issues on the property, one day dig and 200' hole. They claimed that they needed to do a sleeve and that's what accounted for the extra 6k. This same company told me that they don't frack and that no one will in this area. At this point, I'm just glad that the well is back to normal. I'm fully convinced that the water they pumped in flushed away sediment and debris, even though they said that was impossible.
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