Submersible Well Pump

[whistlepig]

The plumber (the drillers may not have installed the pump) should have left you a manual for the pump. Maybe you still have it somewhere...of course, it's been 30 years!

Our place (and pump) was built in 1999. The couple we bought it from were going through a extremely nasty divorce. They started blaming us for taking their place from them when the deal was sealed. The previous owner left us nothing as far documentation on the house and anything in it.

 

[thatguy]

Our place (and pump) was built in 1999. The couple we bought it from were going through a extremely nasty divorce. They started blaming us for taking their place from them when the deal was sealed. The previous owner left us nothing as far documentation on the house and anything in it.

Another option would be to contact the city/county and see who drilled the well (it should be on file with the Health Dept????).. Then contact the well driller and maybe they can point you in the right direction of the pump person

Brian

 

[RoyJackson]

Our place (and pump) was built in 1999. The couple we bought it from were going through a extremely nasty divorce. They started blaming us for taking their place from them when the deal was sealed. The previous owner left us nothing as far documentation on the house and anything in it.

Boy, I bet that was a fun closing!!

 

[mmurphy]

Can't hurt to check the water depth...only takes 5-10 minutes and that neighbor might be pulling enough water off the aquifer to cause you problems. Aquifiers can be depleted.

BTW, as a bit of an addedum to my previous post. 2011 was the wettest year on record in the state of Pennsylvania. We had drought years (2002-2007) with occasional outages. I couldn't understand how we could lose a well after all the rain we had last year (and continuing into 2012).

Your well is probably a confined aquifer. An un-confined aquifer would replenish quite quickly. Confined aquifer would be replenished from along ways from where you live typically.
A aquifer that does not have good fractures or, that are plugging up from sediments, iron deposits, and clogged well screens can result in a problem with water yield.

 

[RoyJackson]

Your well is probably a confined aquifer. An un-confined aquifer would replenish quite quickly. Confined aquifer would be replenished from along ways from where you live typically.
A aquifer that does not have good fractures or, that are plugging up from sediments, iron deposits, and clogged well screens can result in a problem with water yield.

Could be...I wouldn't even know how to find out.
The old well (that went "dry") is still doing quite well....good flow and plenty of pressure.
My thoughts (with no way to prove it) is a neighbor is detailing cars (violating zoning here...it's residential/agricutural) in his new (3-4 months) pole building...and pulling off more water then he should be. Don't know yet, but we're keeping an eye out.
As far as the new well...we'll still tie into it. If our old well doesn't hold up, we'll tie in ASAP, otherwise, we'll wait until Spring.

 

[Willl]

Where are you seeing this pressure/flow drop ?, air bubbles also ?

Do you have a dump valve or faucet plumb directly off the tank plumbing area that you could compare ?

"The pressure tank is holding at 45 pounds."
Do you have good flow at outlets when tank is at this pressure ?

"Just no pressure or water volume when the pump is running."
I'm confused as how the tank makes it to 45 and curious as to how your measuring your volume.

Split the system in half at the tank and test each side separately.

Unless your really determined to replace that pump.

 

[scott_vt]

My thoughts (with no way to prove it) is a neighbor is detailing cars (violating zoning here...it's residential/agricutural) in his new (3-4 months) pole building...and pulling off more water then he should be. Don't know yet, but we're keeping an eye out.
.

Good Afternoon Roy,
I dont doubt your word for a minute, but how could someone be using more water to detail some cars, than possibly an agricultural operation ? Just curious what you mean by that...

Have a good afternoon !

 

[RoyJackson]

Good Afternoon Roy,
I dont doubt your word for a minute, but how could someone be using more water to detail some cars, than possibly an agricultural operation ? Just curious what you mean by that...

Have a good afternoon !

We do have a farmer behind us.,..and we expect (and experience) shortages in the September/October timeframe. Might need to shut the pump down overnight. However, those shortages lasted a day or so, a few times during that Sept/Oct time.
The pressure and volumes drop we've been experiencing started about Christmas up to last week.
While the plumbers were pulling the pump, there was a guy watching us on the neighboring right-of-way...too far to see who it was.
I'll grant you, I am not a trusting person (runs in the family)...but considering what the water problems, and all of a sudden, it's fine...well, I have my suspicions.

 

[jpm1]

In my last house i had a Gould submersible and it lasted 18 years. It quit working one day so instead of making a dozen trips to the local hardware store 8 miles away I bought a Myers submersible, same size, new wire and brass fittings. Only time i had to change it was at night. Night work makes things harder. A couple of hours later the water was flowing. Several weeks later i looked closer at the pump and found the problem, one wire rotted off the motor and the feed wire to the pump rubbed the steel casing and wore thru creating a short. This summer i am going to cap my well above ground and install a submersible. My old Gould is going back in service. Talked to my well driller, he's a Gould pump sales man, and he said that pump will go for many many years. I'm going to do it!. Good luck . . .John

 

[whistlepig]

Where are you seeing this pressure/flow drop ?, air bubbles also ?

Do you have a dump valve or faucet plumb directly off the tank plumbing area that you could compare ?

"The pressure tank is holding at 45 pounds."
Do you have good flow at outlets when tank is at this pressure ?

"Just no pressure or water volume when the pump is running."
I'm confused as how the tank makes it to 45 and curious as to how your measuring your volume.

Split the system in half at the tank and test each side separately.

Unless your really determined to replace that pump.

It holds 45 pounds when the pump shuts off. When the water starts running the pressure and volume isn't there like it was four years ago. It's a good well. I have no suspicions about the well.

 

[Soundguy]

...and keep your back to the wall, and don't bend over...

 

[psdx]

I don't see anything here that says the pump has failed....yet. Run the water while you watch the pressure gauge at the pressure tank. Make note of the lowest pressure when the pump comes on and the highest pressure when it turns off. Compare these measurements to the range specified on the pressure switch. If a pressure switch fails it can narrow the operating pressure causing your pump to cycle more frequently. If the high/low pressures compare favorably with the pressure switch rating, take the next step.

The pressure tank is X gallons. It either has a bladder or it doesn't. The drawdown volume of water between cycles is a function of the pressure range for your pressure switch (20-40 psi, 30-50 psi, etc.), the size of the tank, whether or not it has a bladder, and if it has a bladder - what the static air pressure is when the tank is full. Each of these variables has an impact on the drawdown capacity of your pressure tank. You can use about any pressure tank manufacturer's website to figure this out for your setup. Once you know the number of gallons that can be withdrawn from the tank between pump cycles, measure the amount of time it takes to go from low pressure (pump on) to high pressure (pump off) and calculate the gallons per minute you're getting from your well.

If you don't have the driller's report for your well, contact the driller (most keep permanent records for historical purposes), or contact the local agency that grants well drilling permits. They should also have a copy. You can then compare the original well output with what you measured above to quantify the difference. If the water production is low, there can be a few things - a blockage, a leak (check the pitless adapter), a failed bladder in your pressure tank, low static water level in your well.....or a lazy, tired pump.

My point is that there are lots of things to do before spending money on a pump. Good luck with your investigation.

 

[heehaw]

i always used gould pumps, until recently, and now i use whatever Lowes is selling: price is usually ok: i do have one submersible i am going to put in this spring, that i bought off ebay: saved quite a bit of money, and it was new in the box..Lowes or ebay, either way, the pumps have been less than $300: my well is 200ft deep...
heehaw

 

[Cat_Driver]

Depends on your environment. In my area the water has a lot of sand in it so it will chew up a plastic propeller in months.

I replaced it with a stainless gould and that lasted 5 years. I took out the Gould and replaced it with a Grundfos.

There's a Company in Texas that makes OEM pumps for Grundfos and sells then for about 1/2 the price of the Grundfos. All stainless steel etc.

I just put it in a year ago so no real history on it, but it is really putting out the water.

 

[Doppelgangar]

Your problem sounds like a restriction in the line from the pump. this will slow down the flow but when the flow is not required the preasure will build up.

Your pump can get jamed in the casing and depending on the iron in the water it could be this that is your problem.

When doing bores one of the jobs was to service pumps this was recomended every 5 or so years. Pulling the screen and reaming the caseing was just part of the this.

Servicing the pump consists of looking at the impellers (usually rubber) and checking the non return vaulve.

Another thing that all should do is at least once a year lift the pump about 3 feet and let it down again. this stops the crud from building up.

Good luck with restoring you water flow.preasure.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Where are you seeing this pressure/flow drop ?, air bubbles also ?

Do you have a dump valve or faucet plumb directly off the tank plumbing area that you could compare ?

"The pressure tank is holding at 45 pounds."
Do you have good flow at outlets when tank is at this pressure ?
"Just no pressure or water volume when the pump is running."
I'm confused as how the tank makes it to 45 and curious as to how your measuring your volume.

Split the system in half at the tank and test each side separately.

Unless your really determined to replace that pump.

It holds 45 pounds when the pump shuts off. When the water starts running the pressure and volume isn't there like it was four years ago. It's a good well. I have no suspicions about the well.

A question not directly answered here could be key to the issue. If you do not have reliably good flow when the tank is at pressure, it may be that the bladder in the tank has ruptured and part of it is obstructing outflow. If the tank was ever waterlogged the bladder may have popped due to being over extended.
larry

 

[TheGoose]

Why is everybody calling a plumber for a well problem? Do you call an electrician for a plugged toilet?

Get rid of the plumbers and call a real well-man, not a plumber who sometimes puts a well pump in.

Either the pump is bad or not, very little in between. I would be very, very wary of a new pump installed for $675.

 

[tommu56]

Can't hurt to check the water depth...only takes 5-10 minutes and that neighbor might be pulling enough water off the aquifer to cause you problems. Aquifiers can be depleted.

BTW, as a bit of an addedum to my previous post. 2011 was the wettest year on record in the state of Pennsylvania. We had drought years (2002-2007) with occasional outages. I couldn't understand how we could lose a well after all the rain we had last year (and continuing into 2012).

Roy don't let the ANTI's hear your well went dry they will blame it on the fracking and try and light your faucet up:laughing:

 

[RoyJackson]

Roy don't let the ANTI's hear your well went dry they will blame it on the fracking and try and light your faucet up:laughing:

Fracking is about 100 miles north of my location.
I'll admit, I've heard some real horror stories about it.