Well, deep subject 4 a shallow mind

[stra8up3]

I'm on a well, ever since 1989. I had just had electrical problems with the entire house breaker box after fixing that. The next morning I woke up to hear a loud sound from the control panel on the well. I found a burnt connection so I replaced the whole plastic strip of connections. Then after plugging it all back in, I'm only able to at the beginning hear a little sound for a short time. So, I tested for power at all components & connections and everthing is getting juice. Does this mean that I need a new pump? If so, how do I lift it out? Because it is real heavy, though, I am strong I am a female and I am only able to lift it a few inches. PLEASE NEED HELP

[HayZee518]

get a few male bodies to help you. the upper end of the pump and piping is hung on a keyed fixture on the side of the well casing. the inlet line is screwed into the top of the pump body.

[stra8up3]

I surely am relieved to get your response

But I am having difficulty trying to imagine exacly what it is that you are saying. I understand about getting help, I would assume that would be for lifting it up. how far would it might go down? Or have to lift up?and when you say that the upper end of the pump and piping is hung on a keyed fixture on the side of the well casing. Does that mean it has to be turned a certain way to un hook it? THANK YOU VERY MUCH for your time and info

[HayZee518]

Well pump

well pumps are two, three, four, five and six stage pumps depending on the depth it has to go. Each stage will pump up to a certain height called "head." shallow well pumps are two stage and go to about 75 feet. deeper wells need a higher head pump. say, a 400 foot well would be a six stage pump. Physically its about a three inch diameter and about 6 feet long. Now to answer your question. If the well is 400 foot depth, there will be about 390 feet of well or pump outlet pipe connected to it with the keyed output fitting at its upper end. This is what I've drawn on the jpg diagram. it merely hooks onto the side fitting [inside] the casing. No turning is necessary just lift straight up. Two rubber "o" rings mate up with each other to provide a seal. use a strong rope to fasten to the pipe fitting and lift up. Once you have the plastic pipe up above the casing, this will be what you lift up on to get the pump out of the casing. like I said it could be rather long, again because of the depth of the well. The wires that go down to the pump will also be connected to the pump through a water-tight connector. Wires are black, red and yellow for a 240 volt pump.

[stra8up3]

so basically this thing must come out by going straight up a long ways correct? It sure seems heavy. Any ideas of how to support it through the proccess so as to prevent it from slipping or falling back down? THANK YOU

[HayZee518]

yeah, you make up a clamping bracket that will span the well casing. two pieces of 3/8 inch steel about two inches wide. form a shallow V in the center of the steel and use two bolts with wing nuts so you can clamp and un-clamp as you proceed to pull up the pump.

[stra8up3]

I've been sitting here trying to imagine the whole thing in my mind. getting an idea, but would it be at all possible to draw or make some illustration showing the shallow V and where the bolts with wing nuts would be exactly? THANKS AGAIN

[HayZee518]

well pump riser bracket

as per your request

[stra8up3]

got the thing out finally. it was about 90 feet deep. now I have to find another one. I have an idea where there might be one

[HayZee518]

go to anyplace local to you that sells well pumps. ITT Gould is a good brand. Did that steel clamp help you?

[stra8up3]

ended up using a cherry picker and a chain hoist

[delthorconstruction]

well pumps

You guys do it hard there. Over here in washington State we call a pump repair person. Atlease I do as my well has several 21 foot peices of pipe connected as well as submursable pump wire and the pump on the end. Oh an my well is over 350 foot deep. They bring a crane looking rig here and have everything. In a couple of hours they can have it pulled and repaired and put back in.We use a length of pipe to attach into the top of the wedge socket the whole key way thing you talked about and then pull it up that way. Alsoyou do not want the pump to be on the very bottom as it will pump dirt and ruin the impeller. Check evry section of pipe to make sure there is no rust holes at the couplings. And every 60 feet should have a check valve. Make sure it is allowing the water to be pumped up. The check valve makes it safer as so if the pump fails it will not allor contaminates to floe back into the well.