Pulling well pump
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Damifino
Gold Member
As others have stated, 500' is alot of pipe plus weight of pump and water in pipe, would I attempt it? yes, I would buy or rent a chain vise raise loader to full height, putting chain vise securely around discharge pipe and I do mean securely.
As soon as I had a coupling in view, would raise about 2' above top of well casing, set chain vise again around pipe and let rest on top of casing, before releasing loader from pipe allow small amount of slack and shake h*** out of pipe to make sure you have a good bite.
Take 2 -18" - 24" pipe wrenches and use one to prevent turning of pipe still in well and remove 21' section, I would also have a towel ect, wrapped around coupling joint as a 21' head of water is about to expose itself.
Keep repeating until you see the pump, will this be a job? yes, is it going to take some time? yes, will you save any money? yes as long as you are not missing any work and a paycheck. Just my 2 sense.
As soon as I had a coupling in view, would raise about 2' above top of well casing, set chain vise again around pipe and let rest on top of casing, before releasing loader from pipe allow small amount of slack and shake h*** out of pipe to make sure you have a good bite.
Take 2 -18" - 24" pipe wrenches and use one to prevent turning of pipe still in well and remove 21' section, I would also have a towel ect, wrapped around coupling joint as a 21' head of water is about to expose itself.
Keep repeating until you see the pump, will this be a job? yes, is it going to take some time? yes, will you save any money? yes as long as you are not missing any work and a paycheck. Just my 2 sense.
bironacad
Platinum Member
Tall tripod, chain hoist, pipe clamp, something solid to rest the clamp on, pipe wrenches, two sledge hammers, pipe cutters and helpers.
It is preferable you supervise and the helpers work.:thumbsup:
Man Egon you are good:thumbsup:
Cat_Driver
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Egon
Epic Contributor
you'll need to choke the pipe (in the well) as well as the pipe to be unscrewed. That's a challenge. /QUOTE]
Not really. You put the pipe clamp or ??? below a coupling and set it down, usually on the casing. Then pipe wrenches to unscrew the top section which is then laid down. The hammers are for couplings that are reluctant to let the top pipe go.
The height of the tripod usually denotes how long the sections pulled will be. With rigs they are sometimes denoted by how many sections of drill stem can be pulled at one time.eg single,double triple.
QRTRHRS
Elite Member
Many years ago while working for an excavating contractor, we assisted a plumber pulling a pump with 20 foot sections of galvanized pipe. The plumber has some sort of clamping device setting on the well head.
We used a backhoe with a pretty good reach to pull the pipe but it has been too many years to recall if we used a chain or what on the pipe.
Some plumbers will have a puller that has three rubber tires under hydraulic pressure to grip against the pipe. They work really great with plastic pipe and I would expect the same for galvanized.
Regardless, I don't see this particular job as being much fun solo.
We used a backhoe with a pretty good reach to pull the pipe but it has been too many years to recall if we used a chain or what on the pipe.
Some plumbers will have a puller that has three rubber tires under hydraulic pressure to grip against the pipe. They work really great with plastic pipe and I would expect the same for galvanized.
Regardless, I don't see this particular job as being much fun solo.
cmyoung2
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Pulled my mom's pump last month, been in 35+ years. 200', 1" black plastic pipe. Has stabilizers to keep it from rotating from torque. The plumber had one of the three wheel lift things QRTRHRS mentioned. Really cool, Made a hard job easy, but I still would not want to do it by my self. At least two people needed. 500' iron pipe will be a job 21' at a time. If you rep;ace with plastic, make sure to add a safety rope, just in case
adjusterr
Silver Member
If installed properly, black plastic well pipe lasts a long time. The key is to install spacers that fit on the pipe and take up the space between the pipe and the well casing. The spacers keep the pipe from "whipping" caused by the torque of the well pump. I think I'd spring for some professional help in pulling that much galvanized pipe. If you lose the pipe down the well during the removal process, you will have a big job ahead of you. Good luck.
Qapla
Veteran Member
Our well has 4 sections of 1.25" galvanize pipe. We used the front bucket and chain to do the pulling and pipe wrenches to guide/hold the pipe. A "chain vise" works good for holding the pipe at the top of the well casing in order to remove sections, but a pipe wrench will work - you just have to take your time and pay attention so you do not drop pump back down the well.
Galvanize pipe is rigid enough that it will stand up while it is removed/replaced - you just have to be careful when lowering/raising the sections as it gets heavy during the process.
An alternative to a tripod is to erect scaffolding next to or around the well and use the to help guide the pipe and to stand on to help lifting and setting the sections.
If this is a submersible pump you also have to deal with the wires. You need to keep them from being under foot while working. Try to put the pipe and the wires somewhere relatively clean - remember, they are going back down the well and you do not want to contaminate the well.
When I use plastic, I use schedule 80 PVC with threads. They make it for this purpose and it comes with threaded bell on one end and male threads on the other end.
I have never used pipe stabilizers on the pipe, but then I have never done one as deep as you are saying.
Are you sure that the drop pipe is actually 500' or is the well that deep with drop pipe only extending to about 20' below the water line? (Just a thought)
Galvanize pipe is rigid enough that it will stand up while it is removed/replaced - you just have to be careful when lowering/raising the sections as it gets heavy during the process.
An alternative to a tripod is to erect scaffolding next to or around the well and use the to help guide the pipe and to stand on to help lifting and setting the sections.
If this is a submersible pump you also have to deal with the wires. You need to keep them from being under foot while working. Try to put the pipe and the wires somewhere relatively clean - remember, they are going back down the well and you do not want to contaminate the well.
When I use plastic, I use schedule 80 PVC with threads. They make it for this purpose and it comes with threaded bell on one end and male threads on the other end.
I have never used pipe stabilizers on the pipe, but then I have never done one as deep as you are saying.
Are you sure that the drop pipe is actually 500' or is the well that deep with drop pipe only extending to about 20' below the water line? (Just a thought)
Artisan
Veteran Member
Here ya go. Just get this machine. It is a one man job.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB_jzeU1Xgw]Pul-A-Pump well pump replacement - YouTube[/ame]
There is NO WAY "I" would ever allow to be built a submersable pump
with PVC pipe. NO WAY JOSE! Steel is just fine thank you.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB_jzeU1Xgw]Pul-A-Pump well pump replacement - YouTube[/ame]
There is NO WAY "I" would ever allow to be built a submersable pump
with PVC pipe. NO WAY JOSE! Steel is just fine thank you.
