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01-29-18, 06:32 PM | #1 |
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Cleaning silt from a bored well
The well is 30 years old, 24 inch casing, supposedly 70 feet deep with water about 35 feet below the surface. We are in Georgia dead clay and the well is getting to the point where any amount of rain turns the water red.
I watched a few tube videos on building an airlift pump. Not much info on how high the device will lift above the water table. They aren't expensive to build but I really don't want to waste time on something that won't work. One thought I had was to buy the head of a trash pump and fit it with a 2HP electric motor. Lower it down the well so that lift isn't a problem and let it work. Another thought was to sacrifice a jet pump in the hope it would last long enough to remove the silt. Still another option is to pay a well company some ridiculous sum of money for doing a lousy job of it. Any suggestions? Doug |
02-04-18, 07:48 AM | #2 |
Andy
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You could rent a large compressor and blow out the well from the bottom. This is sometimes done by drillers as "well development".
More here: Section 10: Well Development |
06-10-18, 09:08 AM | #3 |
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You could sacrifice a $100 submersible pump to get the silt out. The well guys usually use old worn out pumps to get gunk out of wells.
As to your red is it clay or is is rust? Also how is the well sealed. 24" is a big hole and not as easy to purchase well seals for as you would have to weld one together. |
06-12-18, 08:03 AM | #4 | |
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Quote:
24" bored wells were popular here for decades. After eight years of low rainfall well companies stopped servicing them and started pushing deep wells which are more drought tolerant and don't fill with silt. I agree that pumping out the silt is the only practical solution. I found an old jet pump that should last long enough for the job. It will have to wait until fall when cool weather arrives. |
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06-12-18, 10:22 AM | #5 |
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Gotcha. Have seen a few of those in Misissippi where my relatives have land they grow trees on.
Funny coincidence... I just got done pulling the pipe out of our well. 100' of pipe and a jet at the bottom. I thought the foot valve was leaking but it turned out to be the supposed stainless nipple rusted out over 6 years... Before pulling it out I blew as much water out with the air hose that I could. Then after pulling about 40' out and taking a break I blew it out again. This time I blew a hole in the fitting and it was much lighter as the water was gushing out as I pulled it out. Headed to pick up a piece of pipe to extend the well casing and drop in a submersible pump. Not playing with inefficient, noisy and maintenance hog jet pumps anymore. Oh and my water has allot of rust in it from the casing and there is some from the iron oxide in the soil. However the iron oxide is in sand instead of clay here. Looking at local drill records we have sand down to around 150'. Once I run the pump for a while every spring it clears up and it's crystal clear unless I don't pump water for a few months or so. Looking forward to watering the trees and grass again... |
06-12-18, 04:20 PM | #6 | |
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I considered a submersible. But they are more expensive than a jet pump and my wife won't bother to turn off the pump when she runs it dry. The permanent solution is going to be a timer on the well pump. If time permits I am going to pick up two IBC's and use them as a buffer between the well pump and a separate house pump. The house pump will be below the IBC's. I can put a level switch in one to shut the house pump off automatically if the tanks get too low. The well is fine - the problem is a "loose nut" at the garden hose. |
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06-14-18, 07:49 AM | #7 |
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What went on mine was the 1" drive pipe nipple on the jet.
My well is just for irrigation and I will see what the output is with the new pump before I redo the watering system. With the jet pump I was planning to get several ibc totes and let the pump fill them and then use another pump to water with. With no back pressure on the well pump it produces more water. The current water level is 34' and the lowest after a really bad summer was 45'. That was a bad summer where we had over 100 days at or above 100* and much of it was 105*+ with a week at 117* every day with lows of 85*. So the lakes were low etc... I'm going submersible as the pump cost is pretty much the same and they move allot more water and less hassle and my well is 100' which a jet pump is not very efficient for deeper wells. |
06-18-18, 10:34 PM | #8 | |
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Pumptec Family | Residential/Light Commercial | Drives & Protection | North America Water | Franklin Electric |
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The Following User Says Thank You to sunspot For This Useful Post: | CrankyDoug (06-19-18) |
06-19-18, 05:01 PM | #9 |
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Since we are on the subject of pumps, has anyone tried the cheap submersibles on ebay? They are half the price of those in the box stores (which are also made in China).
The ebay jet pumps are considerably less expensive as well, even for identical brands. Home Depot knows when someone comes in for a well pump it is because that person is out of water. There is a 1/2HP pump for $32.99 with free shipping. If it lasted one day I could probably get most of the silt out of my well. Then I could install a better pump. |
06-20-18, 02:38 PM | #10 |
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I ended up going with a hallmark pump. Its an import like all the others but at least it has some backing here in the US. Since I needed a 3.5" pump my choices were severely limited to it or pumps starting at $400. Will see how it lasts. My water ace jet pump did just fine till the fitting at the jet sprung a leak and had been in service for 4 years or so.
I should have mine running in a week or so. Gotta collect a few more bits and pieces before I drop it in the well. Hopefully I can get 15gpm or so but will see. Measured the static level and its 33'... Oh and try to get a pump that has 100' of wire on it already. The wire is pricey. Locally its about .80 a foot but online its cheaper at aquascience.com. |
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