WSHP: Supply well and return well spacing?

slippy · 02-18-17, 10:39 AM

Hello. I've been drilling away for groundwater to supply a water-source heat pump. Frankly, I don't really know what I'm doing, aside from a significant amount of reading online.

I'm at 25' right now, and FINALLY drilling is smooth-sailing, going through white coarse sand... one hell of a lot easier than the red clay so prominent here in NC. I ended the day yesterday out of pipe (and out of daylight) just as the drilling got really easy.

I'm using the drillyourownwell.com technique, which is basically using PVC as drill pipe, with a steel nipple as a bit, and a trash pump to flow a lot of water down the pipe.

I will be aiming to "pump and dump." But, I don't know how far I should locate the return well from the source well. I surely don't want a short-circuit, but I also don't want to have to trench really far away. Are there any guidelines for this sort of thing? Similarly, would it be a better idea to use multiple shorter wells for the return, instead of a single?

All thoughts are welcomed!

02-18-17, 10:39 AM	#1
slippy Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Charlotte NC USA Posts: 37 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	WSHP: Supply well and return well spacing? Hello. I've been drilling away for groundwater to supply a water-source heat pump. Frankly, I don't really know what I'm doing, aside from a significant amount of reading online. I'm at 25' right now, and FINALLY drilling is smooth-sailing, going through white coarse sand... one hell of a lot easier than the red clay so prominent here in NC. I ended the day yesterday out of pipe (and out of daylight) just as the drilling got really easy. I'm using the drillyourownwell.com technique, which is basically using PVC as drill pipe, with a steel nipple as a bit, and a trash pump to flow a lot of water down the pipe. I will be aiming to "pump and dump." But, I don't know how far I should locate the return well from the source well. I surely don't want a short-circuit, but I also don't want to have to trench really far away. Are there any guidelines for this sort of thing? Similarly, would it be a better idea to use multiple shorter wells for the return, instead of a single? All thoughts are welcomed!