Messages

1

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Re: What are the chances of Brush & Bailing well, increasing wells GPM?

« on: October 03, 2023, 09:59:14 AM »

Thanks Cary,
Yes, you did answer this question on another website.
I posted here the morning of Sat. Sept 30 and I posted on the other site that afternoon before you answered here.

I agree with you on 1.25 gpm being considered a dry well. Unfortunately common sense on the left coast is not as common as it is in Texas and the county I live in has an alternate sense of reality.

I will check again with the well drillers to see if there has been any changes, for the better, in my county.

What is the average percent of gpm increase that you have experienced with a brush and bail?

 Would it usually be worth spending $1,000 and removing a new roof from a 12' tall pump house?

Thanks again
Ken

2

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / What are the chances of Brush & Bailing well, increasing wells GPM?

« on: September 30, 2023, 08:55:24 AM »

I have a nearly 60 year old, 1.250 GPM well. I have no way to prove it, but I am guessing that when the well was new, it had to have been producing more than 1.250 GPM.

I was talking with a local Well drilling company and they said that for just shy of $1,000 they could Brush my 65 foot well casing and Bail out the sediment from the bottom of the well.
In order to do the Brush & Bail, I will need to remove a portion of my pump house's new roof and cut a hole in the ceiling above my well casing to allow access to the well.

What are the odds of Brush & Bailing the well making any improvement in my GPM?
Is it usually successful or more than likely a bust?

If I get the Brush & Bail done, would there be any advantage in getting a plastic casing liner installed?

I have checked into getting a new well put in, but the County I live in is not exactly easy to work with when it comes to new wells, especially if there is already a producing well on the property. One well driller instructed me to tell the County that the well runs dry in the summer and technically it does run dry, but it doesn't stay dry and the well will usually have enough water to start up the pump in a few minutes.

Thank you for any help you can provide
Ken

3

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Re: Pump suggestions for low yield well.

« on: September 29, 2021, 07:55:52 AM »

Cary, thank you for the the clarification on the PVC pump stand. I believe that it will fit my needs very well.

Scratch the 2 GPM below. I had to pick up a 1 micron filter this morning and the person that had checked my well yesterday said that after doing the calculations this morning, my well is yielding 1.25 GPM. He did add that this is a dry season and during winter and it will yield more GPM, but, that isn't much help to me in the summer.

Well Test is finished.
I should have a paper copy in a few days, but, my well is yielding a steady 2 GPM, well depth 60', water level a little over 20' below ground.
He did point out that we are still in the "dry" season and the GPM may increase during the wet season.

He says that my 22 year old pump is still good and does not require replacement, so, at this point, my only reason to replace the pump is to go with the generator friendly 115v.
Considering that my well is yielding 2 GPM, is the 10 GPM series pump still the best for me?

Well Health
Could I get your opinion on the following?
Some time ago, a person told me it is much better for the well if, while the pump cycle is running, I can keep the the water level fluctuation to a few feet, vs having the water level go up and down 30'-40'.

I can see his point in respects to water going up and down the casing being able to remove flakes of rust from the casing and thus filling the bottom of the well with rust flakes, but can you see any other problems that this could cause for me, considering that I have less than 40' of water in my casing?

Since the well is yielding 2 GPM and the pump can be running hours at a time (when I add the water tank) should I use a 2 GPM Dole valve and keep the water fairly steady or should I use a higher GPM Dole valve?

Thanks again
Ken

4

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Re: Pump suggestions for low yield well.

« on: September 28, 2021, 09:05:00 AM »

Thank you for the pictures Cary.
The horizontal mount with PVC pipe is much simpler than I had imagined and looks like it will work very well.

I am guessing that the PVC pipe should be filled with some type of ballast, such as wet sand or is that even necessary?

Looking at the pumps you suggested, do you recommend CSIR or RSIR motor?


For my well pump, due to power outages that can go on for days, I am considering going with a 120v pump for the well. I have a couple Honda EU2200i generators, one of which will easily power the well pump if needed and it is miserly on fuel consumption.   

For the tank pump I will be using 120v and for power outages, I will also plumb in a 5GPM/60PSI 12v RV water pump to keep water flowing in the house.

5

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Re: Pump suggestions for low yield well.

« on: September 28, 2021, 07:28:42 AM »

Thank you for your help.
I'll look for these pumps.

I live near the Cascades and temps in the teens and single digits are very common here, so the idea of using a submersible in the 3,000 gal tank is appealing to me. I am thinking that a submersible pump in the tank will be easier to keep from freezing.

Can a submersible pump be mounted horizontally, 6" above the bottom of the tank or is it required to mount it vertically?
Horizontally would make it easy to hook up to the large bulkhead fitting, but, whether Horz or Vert, I need to figure out a way to keep the pump from moving around inside the tank.
Do you know if there is such a thing as in tank pump mounts?

Thanks again for your help
Ken

6

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Re: Pump suggestions for low yield well.

« on: September 27, 2021, 01:45:23 PM »

I just re-read your article "Choking the flow from a pump makes it work easier".

In the article it says that reducing the flow on a centrifugal makes the pump work easier.

Does this have the same effect on a fixed displacement pump?

I am guessing that the pump in my well is fixed displacement (I really don't know for sure) , but, if I can reduce the volume of water coming from my pump with a ball valve to match the volume that my well produces and not hurt my pump, this would be good.

If this only works with centrifugal pumps, then I need to make sure what type of pump I now have.

7

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Re: Pump sugestions for low yield well.

« on: September 27, 2021, 01:02:14 PM »

Thank you, I will look for one with a stainless impeller and order a Cycle Sensor when I order the CSV.

Off hand, do you know a model number for a well pump that is less than 5 GPM?

For my 3,000 gallon tank to my house, The shower head is 10'-12' higher than the ground that the tank will be sitting on. I am wanting 25 GPM for house and outside watering. Water from tank will be going through the CSV.

Do you have a recommended type pump (In tank or External) and model number?

Thanks again
ken

8

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Pump suggestions for low yield well.

« on: September 25, 2021, 01:22:14 PM »

I need suggestions for excellent quality pumps for a low yield well.

There are no County records that the well exists, so, going off hand written notes on the wall of a 12' tall pump house, there were some repairs done in 1966 and it mentions a 1,710 gallon tank that is no longer on the property.

My well depth (from memory, 3 decades ago) is somewhere in the 50'-60' range with 6" steel case.
Current 1HP pump (replacement for a failed Sears 1 HP) was installed over 20 years ago and as of yesterday, from a faucet at the well head, it pumped 5 gallons every 68 seconds well ran dry and pump shut off @ 13 minutes 20 seconds @ this rate.

Pressure tank holds 6.5 gal @ 60 psi and goes from 40psi to 60psi in 48 seconds, well is drained in 11 cycles.

Static water level varies drastically. In 1994, I had static water level 25' below ground and 1 month later, 6' below ground level.
 
The water will be pumped up 8' above ground to fill 3,000 gal tank.
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I will be installing a 3,000 gallon, above ground tank, running low volume submersible in well & 20-25 GPM (Submersible???) pump for tank to CSV to house & outdoor faucets.
I have a mutli-tank filter system (before the 3,000 gal tank) that that requires 1-22 GPM and 28-80 PSI to function.

This Tuesday I will have more accurate information on the well and it's flow rates when a well and pump company tests the well, but, at this point, I would be very happy if the well could support a continuous 3 GPM, but guessing it will be somewhere closer to 1-2 GPM.

At this point, I feel that this 22 year old, 1HP, 5 GPM pump is over kill for my well.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is there a good quality pump for my well that could run non stop for many hours a day at 2-3 GPM while staying in the 28-80 psi range?

For the 3,000 gallon above ground tank, should I use a Jet pump or go with submersible for 20-25 GPM to the house & any pump in particular that you would recommend?

Thank you for your time and consideration
Ken

9

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Re: Time to replace worn out system and want to make it right this time.

« on: July 14, 2019, 08:03:28 PM »

I did not realize that I could get by with only running a ball valve and Cycle Sensor between the pump and filter system without using a pressure tank and switch, that would save me some money.

I am thinking that the holding tank would need a high volume pump and PK1A to feed the house, gardens and yard.

Thank you again for your help.
Ken

10

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Re: Time to replace worn out system and want to make it right this time.

« on: July 14, 2019, 05:21:44 PM »

Thank you Cary,
I will definitely need a booster pump and CSV between the holding tank and the house, but between the submersible pump in the well and the filter system that will go to the holding tank, I will need something that is easily adjustable to control the volume of water.

Do you think that a gate valve before a CSV would work well for adjusting the volume? I want to get as much volume as possible out of the well and into the holding tank without overwhelming the replenishment of the well. I’m thinking that I can keep closing a gate valve until the Cycle Sensor no longer turns off the pump.

Thanks again
Ken

11

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Re: Time to replace worn out system and want to make it right this time.

« on: July 13, 2019, 03:49:32 PM »

Thank you TKB4,
I must be missing something, because I’m having trouble understanding how this can be.

Is the CSV only maintaining the pressure between the pump and the CSV and not the pressure between the CSV and the house?

Without a CSV, when my pump shuts off at 60psi, my volume of water in the house is higher than when my tank pressure is 40psi. Without a pressure switch shutting off the pump, my pump is capable of producing more than 60psi and I would guess a higher volume of water.

Let’s say I had a pump that produces 10gpm at the faucet in my house and it is capable of exceeding 60psi. Now let’s say I change nothing but adding a CSV that is set at 30psi. How many gpm will I now have at the faucet in the house and what psi would I have in the house?

I thank you for your time and help. I really appreciate it.
Ken

12

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Re: Time to replace worn out system and want to make it right this time.

« on: July 12, 2019, 05:28:10 PM »

Can I reduce the volume of water being pumped  out of the well by adjusting the CSV?
 Thanks
Ken

13

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Re: Time to replace worn out system and want to make it right this time.

« on: July 10, 2019, 05:19:43 PM »

Trying to educate myself on pumps, so I went to Lowe’s where they had 1/2hp, 3/4hp and 1hp pumps, all rated at 10gpm. Granted, information was scant and showed at what depth each pump would pump 10gpm, but gave no indication of what gpm at shallower depths. Looks like I need more education.

Let’s say that a 1/2hp pump can pump more gpm than the well can produce, is there any benefit, such as pump life, amperage draw, etc in going with a larger pump?

Am I correct in thinking that as long as my well is producing 1gpm or more, I can dial the CSV down until my well will keep up with the pump?

My desire is to have as many gpm as is safely possible in the house. Am I wrong in thinking that psi is the determining factor in what the plumbing will safely handle?

What psi would you recommend for copper plumbing?

Thanks again
Ken

14

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Re: Time to replace worn out system and want to make it right this time.

« on: July 10, 2019, 11:32:26 AM »

Cary, I want to thank you for your help.

I have been thinking about what you’ve said and I believe that I have come up with a remedy for when the power goes off.
I believe that a 12v RV type water pump could easily keep up with bathroom and hand washing needs and I could just keep a deep cycle battery on a Battery Tender charger in the pump house.

I have spent the last few hours reading about your products and I believe that this will be the best way for me to go.

Some more information about my situation.
My water table fluctuates quite a bit between summer and winter. Twenty+ years ago when I was monitoring my well much closer, I noticed that my water level in the winter was as high as 6 feet from ground level and in the summer I saw it drop to 20 feet from ground level, but it is quite possible that it even went much lower.

Because of tannin and iron in my well, I have a Water Doctor filter system that has been working amazingly well for me. Yesterday I talked to Water Doctor about the possibility of changing from the pressure tanks to a 500-1200 gallon holding tank and wanted to have the unfiltered Water go directly to the holding tank and from there have 1 line going to the filter system and then the house and another line dedicated unfiltered line going outside faucets for watering yard and gardens.
Water Doctor recommends that the water should be filtered before going to the holding tank, which should greatly reduce the need for cleaning the holding tank.

Other than the extra cost of filtering the water used for lawn and gardens, do you see any problem in filtering all of the water? I imagine that there would be a benefit in having any restrictions in the filtering process before going to the holding tank instead of between the holding tank and the house.

I really do not know exactly what Tom my well produces, but I have reason to believe that it fluctuates from season to season and unfortunately the lowest volume appears to be when I need the greatest amount of water.

I read that the CSV back pressure actually reduces amperage draw and I assume gpm.
Would there be any benefit in staying with a 1hp pump and adjusting the CSV to assure that I do not overwhelm my wells gpm or would it be better to drop to a 1/2hp pump?

Thanks
Ken

15

Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls / Time to replace worn out system and want to make it right this time.

« on: July 09, 2019, 10:55:01 PM »

A little over 20 years ago I replaced my old pump with a larger 1hp pump and added an extra pressure tank and it worked much better except for draining the well and shutting off the pump in 15-20 minutes when watering the yard.

My well is, or was 65 feet deep when I last changed the pump. At present time I'm getting 4 gallons per minute at the outside faucet and cannot take a shower if someone is using the hose outside. At 4 gallons per minute I can still drain the well in the summer, but since the pump is worn out it takes 20-30 minutes now.

My goal is to get at least 10 gpm but 20 gpm would be fantastic for watering the gardens, 20 fruit trees, an acre of lawn and still being able to wash clothes and dishes etc in the house.

I'm guessing that I should drop the pump to 1/2 hp so the well can keep up and use a 500 gallon or larger holding tank and then have a larger pump in the holding tank to feed the house.

I love the idea of the CSV, pump and small pressure tank, but in the winter we have been known to lose power for 2 or 3 days and the two large pressure tanks have been able to keep the toilet working while the power is out. Is a larger pressure tank out of the question for me?

My land is level, all water is on ground floor, house is about 100' from pump house and is being fed by 2" PVC line.

What do I need to buy to get this right the first time? I do like the idea of fairly constant water pressure no matter how much water is being used.

Thank you for your time and consideration.
Ken