Water Pump Problem

[Jimbo47]

Hi

This forum is really helpful . We were planning on buying a new double wide til the financing estimates came in at over 100,000 dollars so I guess we are going to fix up this old single wide . I downloaded Marks book and it really looks good now if it warms up I may be able to do somthing.

But my problem right now is the well pump I woke up the other night and heard the pump going off and on about every 15-20 minutes, I figured it was another leaky pipe underneith check it out hmmmm no leaks so I shut off water to house and it still was leaking so I figure its the footvalve in the pump so do I have to pull the pump or is there a check valve I can use above ground

Thanks
Jim

[Harry]

Hi

Do you have a tank? How old is it?

What you discribe can happen if the tank fails. There is a bladder inside that fails. If this is the case you'll need a new tank.

Harry

[Demolition]

The Water is different is every place. It could be minerals built up on the internal components, or just the thing is worn out, causing leakage.

[Kyle]

We had the same thing happen, & had to have it replaced, turns out the old one was over 50 yrs. old Sounds like it may be just old.

[steve]

It sounds like a holding tank bladder issue to me too. Try bleeding off air from tank if you can or bypass tank and see if pump keeps running,

[oldfart]

Jimbo I'd bet it's the foot-valve. Seems about every 7 years I had to replace mine. Sludge would build up in it or it rusts out. If I recall..the last time I installed a premium one that was stainless steel. Haven't had a problem with it since. That was about 10yrs ago. Now Jimbo I didn't know if a foot-valve/check-valve could be installed "inline" where it'd be easy to reach so I called Zargers Plumbing in Greencastle, Pa. and asked Barry Zarger..the owner. Here's his statement...."Yes you can but I don't like to do that. It puts a turrible strain on the pipe going down into the well as the weight of the water is pulling on the valve, instead of pushing on it the way it was designed to operate. It racks/jolts the pipe/pump and wiring every time the pressure switch calls for & comes up to pressure. If there is an ouside draw on the water line..such as an outside line for the garage or an outside "hydrant" style faucet..it won't work. The pressure switch won't know you're drawing water and won't kick the pump on." Well Jimbo there is a bright side to this. If the foot-valve/check-valve is bad just shut the elec. off and let the water drain back down into the well and pull the pump. It'll be a lot easier to lift without all that water filling up the line to the pump..eh! I pull most pumps manually if they're under 200ft. deep. And I'm a wretched old geezer with arms like spagettii....it helps to have 4 helpers. One to spell me when my arms git tired, 2 to lay out the pipe as I reef it from the well and 1 to make a beer run. While the pump is out is the time to check for frayed wires, loose fittings, loose crimps in wires, replace the O-rings where the line goes into the saddle and any torn torgue-fittings. If theres any place where the pipe is pieced together... install a whole new one piece pipe from well-cap to pump. Now...replace that old rotted rope..the one that you're gonn'a use to yank the pump out of the hole. The plastic rope stuff lasts almost forever! Nylon doth-sucketh! Now...heeeve!...haul!...heeve! Gitter done! Audie..the longwinded Oldfart.

[Jimbo47]

Thanks for all your help. I checked the the pressure tank and it has about 30 lbs empty so I believe it is ok.
So I guess ill be heven and hoen the pump up out of the well i figure its about 80 feet using the old 1/2 inch socket tied to a string and lowered down til it quit lowerin. There is a plastic rope tied to the pull bar i hope this means plastic pipe , about 20 yrs ago I pulled a pump at another place I had and it had 75 feet of iron pipe talk about fun!!!!!!!!!!
Ive gotta have my sinus's scraped out (ewwwww) thursday so it will be about a week but Ill let ya know what I find (the pump not the sinus's)

Jimbo

[oldfart]

80ft. Jimbo.....80ft.!! Jimbo if that's all the deeper that well is this is a "6-pack" pull!! No need fer a beer run. Heck I could pull an 80ft. well with just my teeth..an I only got 2 of em! Anyways here's some things yer gonn'a probably need. First you need a good flashlight..take the cap off the well-pipe an peer down in there. How far is it down to the fitting where the plastic pipe fits into the saddle? Look'a down yonder and you'll see the plastic pipe terminates in a brass thingy..and it's got threads pointed right at ya. If possible reach down there with a tape measure and figger out how far it is. Now go buy a piece of pipe..galv./iron..doesn't matter...that length plus a smidgion. Normally it's a 1in. pipe. Also buy a "T" fitting and 2 (two)12in. pipe nipples of the same size. What yer gonn'a do is make a big "T-wrench" out of the assembled parts. Lay the long pipe flat out on the ground...thread the "T" fitting on to one end and screw the 2 (two) 12in. pipe-nipples into the other ends of the "T" fitting. Now you got a tool to pull a well pump. Guide the long end of the tool into the well-casing and carefully thread it into that brass saddle and heave up on it whilst one of yer buddies takes up the slack on the rope and begins to hoist the pump/wiring and pipe from the hole. Use the rope as much as possible to lift! Once the new tool clears the well-casing unscrew it and set it aside and raise the pump/wiring/pipe slowly and lay it out in a nice neat line. Wear gloves at all times! Them rusty pipe-clamps will cut like a knife and unless ya enjoy tetnas shots (sp.?) be careful. You did shut the electricity off to this...right? Okey-Dokey. Now ya got 80ft. of pipe...assordid wires and plastic pipe laying out in yer yard...and a pump. Eh? Good. Take a break. Sip a brew...look over the pipe and wiring. Any chaffed wires? Did ya kink the pipe anywhere? If plastic pipe kinks..it leaks or breaks. Pipe is cheap. Just replace it. Wire is cheap too...it should be one piece..no splices, crimps or duct-taped ends. Now..grab the big pipe-wrenches..time to fix this bad boy. To make life easier snatch up The Missus hair dryer. Heat up the plastic pipe with the hair dryer and that plastic pipe will git soft enough to slide right off the various fittings! Replace the offending foot-valve/check-valve. A dab of Never-Sieze from yer local auto-supply store will make this job easier in the (hopefully) distant future. (Use this little tip on spark-plugs on yer truck/car/lawn mower/generator/ weed-whacker/chain-saw etc. as well.) Now..we're ready to re-install the pump. Jimbo..stand before the well-casing as though a common urinal. (This is no joke!) One foot braced on either side...the pump in your hands and directed at the well-casing. The plastic pipe should be well braced and laying over your right shoulder....(assuming you are right handed).. and your friends feeding the plastic pipe to you as the pump and entrails slip down into the well slowly and securely. Once the pump, etc. nears the bottom of the well you may feel some resistance..this is normal. Procede slowly until the fitting for the saddle comes to your grasp. Now stop and thread the tool we devised earlier and carefully seat the brass saddle into the seat. You did put in a new O-ring...right? Okey-Dokey. Now twist the wires together and tighten up the new wire-nuts and cap the well. All that's left is to turn on the electricity and toast your friends. YMHS of course...udie the longwinded one...