How to Recover a Lost Submersible Well Pump

[bdhsfz6]

I suddenly lost all pressure and water began collecting around the well head. The well is +/- 500' deep with a 3/4 hp. submersible pump in a 6" casing. I dug out and exposed the pipe where it connects to the casing and found water spraying out around the pit-less adapter. I removed the pipe from the adapter and found it was loose where it connects to the well casing. Like a bone head, I pulled the loose adapter from the casing without first securing the pump pipe at the well head. Yeah, the pipe, pump & wiring went for a swim. As I recall, the pump was set about 30' above the well point so the iron supply pipe & broken adapter should be 30 to 35' below the well head. Unfortunately, I can't see it with a flashlight and the steel recovery cable has long since rotted away.

Since I lack any special equipment, I called the local well service company but they are still backed up due to the pandemic. They say it could be a month before they can get out here. Luckily, the well serves just the barn and I'm carrying water up from the house for the livestock.

I could put the system back together myself if I could recover the pump. I don't have to pull it completely from the well, just enough to install a new pit-less adapter. I know the weight of the pump and 400+' of pipe will be excessive. Assuming I can grapple the pipe somehow, I'll have to rig a tripod & winch to lift it. Well drillers use a camera, special grapple and winch rig to recover pumps. Should I just keep hauling water and wait for the experts?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[workinonit]

Is the well cased all the way to the bottom? My well is 180' deep but is cased to 150'. If it's PVC casing and the casing doesn't go all the way to the bottom it is conceivable the pump and pipe broke through the casing and is actually a lot further down than you are expecting. Then you have the issue of how to grab th supply pipe to pull it all out and what you are going to pull it with. Quite a few trip traps. My 2 HP pump was swinging on 105' of 2" galvanized, I got the pump man to pull it. It's now a 1.5 HP on black plastic.

 

[seville009]

Age and life learning lessons lead me to suggest that you wait for the experts…..they presumably have the knowledge, expertise, and equipment to do it. They should also be able to tell you if it’s not possible too. May be cheaper and less of a headache for you in the end.

That’s my thinking at least……

 

[ponytug]

I'm sorry for your problems. I have to say that I'm impressed that you were able to get 500' pipe and pump off of the pitiless adapter, even if it ended poorly.

Much as I suspect that you are talented enough to retrieve the pump and well pipe yourself, I would also vote to leave this one to the experts. You have 500' of pipe in the well that may or may not still be in one piece, a safety cable that has rotten out and needs retrieving, plus, I assume a power cable somewhere. The experts should have a "BTDT" wealth of experience to get you sorted out, along with the tools to be able to purge your well of debris.

If you have a mess of debris at the bottom of your well, you don't want to be firing up your pump with it still there.

If it were me, I would probably go ahead and replace the pump at this point on the assumption that being dropped, with 500' of pipe on top of it won't have done anything great for its longevity, or the longevity of its check valve. So, I would be having the well drillers pull everything anyway.

All the best,

Peter

 

[bdhsfz6]

Is the well cased all the way to the bottom? My well is 180' deep but is cased to 150'. If it's PVC casing and the casing doesn't go all the way to the bottom it is conceivable the pump and pipe broke through the casing and is actually a lot further down than you are expecting. Then you have the issue of how to grab th supply pipe to pull it all out and what you are going to pull it with. Quite a few trip traps. My 2 HP pump was swinging on 105' of 2" galvanized, I got the pump man to pull it. It's now a 1.5 HP on black plastic.

There is only 60' of casing, the minimum required around here. At least 200' of the well is through solid red shale ledge. That's why it's so deep.

The pump is 25 years old and I'm leaning toward doing what you did. Throw some $$ at the problem and let the experts put in a new pump on poly pipe. Might be cheaper in the long run and a lot less work for me.

 

[JasperFrank]

I'm thinking you could weld a funnel to the end of a length of new pipe. Funnel would act as a guide. Think like aerial refueling. You might get lucky enough to re-thread the pipe enough to lift it. Are your wires still connected?

 

[bdhsfz6]

I'm thinking you could weld a funnel to the end of a length of new pipe. Funnel would act as a guide. Think like aerial refueling. You might get lucky enough to re-thread the pipe enough to lift it. Are your wires still connected?

The 10/3 cable pulled out of the junction box on the well head when the pump fell. I can see the end of it with a flashlight about 10 feet down. I might be able to grab it but I'm not sure the electrical cable will support the weight if I try to use it to pull the pump.

 

[Raul-02]

The well is +/- 500' deep with a 3/4 hp. submersible pump in a 6" casing. [and 60 feet of casing]

That's so easy. I could do that with my eyes closed, but I'd need to open them to write the check to the well pump recovery guys.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I'm sorry for your problems. I have to say that I'm impressed that you were able to get 500' pipe and pump off of the pitiless adapter, even if it ended poorly.

I would be having the well drillers pull everything anyway.

All the best,

Peter

The pitless adapter was partially rotted away, that's why it was leaking. It didn't take much effort on my part to shear it off completely.

I'm thinking the same thing about having the experts replace everything.

 

[bdhsfz6]

That's so easy. I could do that with my eyes closed, but I'd need to open them to write the check to the well pump recovery guys.

Maybe if I put on my sailor suit and ate a can of spinach?

 

[stumblinhorse]

If you have never done a pump replacement I would say leave it till you can get help.

If you have replaced a pump before then you know the steps. Pull the pipe sections 1 at a time and get it out with a boom and pipe adapter and blocking/lift plate on the head. Once all the pipe is out you can get some cable and try to fish out the pump. Might take 1 try might take 1000 but you can get it out.

second option is to just install a new pump and leave the old one in the bottom…

just takes time and money….

 

[duffer]

My Dad always told me to try to fix it myself before calling in the experts, because they won't charge you any more if you muck it up trying to fix it yourself.

I'd certainly give it a try, if you can get a winch and other tools to try to capture it. I checked on YT and there are a couple of videos on raising a well pump. Might want to watch them to see if you get any ideas before trying.

Good luck !

 

[kf4uda]

A camera like this could give you eyes to help snare the pipe:

https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Lens-Borescope-Endoscope-Waterproof-Inspection/dp/B08QCMT89N/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2P546H14HDJWI&keywords=endoscope+camera+with+light+50ft&qid=1661267507&s=industrial&sprefix=Endoscope+Camera%2Cindustrial%2C129&sr=1-4

 

[JasperFrank]

This will let you quessimate the weight of the pipe. Motor is probably 10-15 lbs? 10/3 can lift quite a bit.
Good luck!

Pipe Weight Calculator - Pipe Weight Calculation Formula | Worldwide Pipe & Supply

Worldwide Pipe & Supply's pipe weight formula calculator can be used to determine the weight per foot for any size pipe & wall thickness. Calculate today!

www.worldwidepipe.com

 

[LouNY]

I wouldn't be afraid to go fishing for the pipe, a piece of 3/8 rod bent to a fish hook shape then bent to have an offset.
Especially with the camera mentioned above. Loader with a pulley some good rope on the hook and some mechanical help to pull on the rope after catching it.
What are you going to be out?

 

[stumblinhorse]

Did I miss something? Is the 500’ of pipe already out? That is the hardest part. 20-25 years ago means there probably will be 20’ sections of pvc down 500’. So 25 pieces to pull. If the pump is broken off the at the bottom it won’t weight much. When you do it normally, the pipe is filled with water and the pump is on the end. So 500’ would be a lot of weight. But if you pull the pipe without something to support it out of the hole it will break. So you need something to support each piece as it comes out and gets unscrewed from the next piece of pipe. Or just factor in getting new pipe.

 

[LouNY]

Mine was done with heavy wall poly pipe, no joints.

 

[newbury]

I suddenly lost all pressure and water began collecting around the well head. The well is +/- 500' deep with a 3/4 hp. submersible pump in a 6" casing. I dug out and exposed the pipe where it connects to the casing and found water spraying out around the pit-less adapter. I removed the pipe from the adapter and found it was loose where it connects to the well casing. Like a bone head, I pulled the loose adapter from the casing without first securing the pump pipe at the well head. Yeah, the pipe, pump & wiring went for a swim. As I recall, the pump was set about 30' above the well point so the iron supply pipe & broken adapter should be 30 to 35' below the well head.

10/3 cable pulled out of the junction box on the well head when the pump fell. I can see the end of it with a flashlight about 10 feet down.

A camera like this could give you eyes to help snare the pipe:

<snip>

So you've got a 10/3 cable about 10' down. And you figure the supply pipe and broken adapter to be about 35' down.

It seems you've got little to lose if you can get ahold of the 10/3 cable and GENTLY & SLOWLY haul it up so you can get attached to the supply pipe.
If you get the wire try using that as a guide to run a grapple down.

IF you can do that you may succeed.

Unless you have a suitable grapple I'd suggest calling the supply company and see if they could recommend a grapple.

Don't worry about the tripod etc. for hauling up all the pipe until you get ahold of it.

Good luck!

 

[MossRoad]

Our well went out. Ours was done with 20’ sections of some type of white plastic pipe. They brought out a little stand with driven rubber wheels on it, set it over the well, pulled enough pipe up through it, clamped the wheels around the pipe, and turned on a little motor that turned one of the wheels. It drove the pipe right up out of the well, and as it came up, they just walked the pipe up, let it bend over to the ground, and walked it into the neighbor’s yard. Never disassembled anything. Replaced the pump, and walked it all back down the well.

Now the OP has the task of getting to the first section of pipe and seeing if he can grip it with something that has enough grip to support 500’ of pipe + pump + wiring.

Google up well retrieval tools. There’s a bunch of videos about homemade and commercial tools that seem to work fine.

Then you have to ask yourself if you want to attempt it or get the pros to do it.

If the pump and hardware and wiring is 25 years old, it might be a good time to just consider having them do it and be done with it VS trying to do it yourself and finding out you need all the new stuff anyway, or worse yet, getting a tool stuck in the well casing.

Good luck in your project.

 

[mrmikey]

If you get the wire try using that as a guide to run a grapple down.

What I was thinking too, if you're willing to try it, what have you got to lose?
You could try lowering a good flashlight down the well, it'll probably work better than shining it from above and you'd get a better idea exactly how far down the pipe is.
As someone also said, try grabbing the wire and pulling on that...