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I think my well pump just died?

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I have no water.

Water pressure dropped to nothing and I can't find any reason inside the house for there to be no water. Circuit breaker was not tripped. Pressure tank is only a few years old, there was no short cycling or other symptoms.

Anyone have any ideas other than the well pump being dead?

Anything I can check to confirm the pump has gone out?

Both of the well service companies close for the weekend. My friend, who owns a plumbing company, does work on wells.

BTW, I have a separate well at the garage, so I can still take my morning poop tomorrow.
 

NorthernRedneck

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Mine did that last week. Lost pressure and kicked out. I tried repriming it with no luck. Called the well company to come out in the morning. I tried it again in the morning and it reprimed. I called the well company and they said sometimes there's a safety feature built into the pumps that won't let you just reprime it. Wait a couple hours and try it again. Worked for me.
 

Jim_S

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
I have no water.

Water pressure dropped to nothing and I can't find any reason inside the house for there to be no water. Circuit breaker was not tripped. Pressure tank is only a few years old, there was no short cycling or other symptoms.

Anyone have any ideas other than the well pump being dead?

Anything I can check to confirm the pump has gone out?

Both of the well service companies close for the weekend. My friend, who owns a plumbing company, does work on wells.

BTW, I have a separate well at the garage, so I can still take my morning poop tomorrow.

The pressure switch or the controller that turns the pump on and off.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Its been off for a few hours, so I'm guessing its not a repriming issue?

I banged on the pressure switch, sometimes the contacts corrode and banging on it can loosen it up a bit and get it restarted until the switch is replaced. It didn't work.

On the bright side, the well service returned my call, a service guy will be out here tomorrow around lunchtime.
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
The pressure switch or the controller that turns the pump on and off.

That pressure switch is generally located at the bottom of the pressure tank. You can take off the cover and see the contact points that come together to put juice to the pump. Some times a screw driver with an electrically insulated handle, you can push the contacts together and the pump will run ok till you replace the switch..

Also some pump manufacturers like Goulds will have a control box the has the start capacitors in it, and usually it is in the top of the well casing that is above the ground. You have to remove the cover to get into it, and with out a new one, your dead in the water till you get one..

Good luck

Regards, Kirk
 

Jim_S

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
Also some pump manufacturers like Goulds will have a control box the has the start capacitors in it, and usually it is in the top of the well casing that is above the ground. You have to remove the cover to get into it, and with out a new one, your dead in the water till you get one..

Good luck

Regards, Kirk

My controllers are mounted inside on the wall beside the pressure tank
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
My controllers are mounted inside on the wall beside the pressure tank

Yes I have seen them in both places. I figured Bob would notice the box if wall mounted next to the pressure tank. Back in a former single mans life I worked winters for a well driller. It was an education for sure.

Regards, Kirk
 

NorthernRedneck

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I have a switch box inside the house with a shutoff valve beside it. I shut the valve off and let it sit overnight in the morning I flipped the switch and opened the valve and it pressurized.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
...

Also some pump manufacturers like Goulds will have a control box the has the start capacitors in it, and usually it is in the top of the well casing that is above the ground. You have to remove the cover to get into it, and with out a new one, your dead in the water till you get one...

No box on the wall, mine is on the top of the well casing. No clue how to mess with it or what to do with it.

I'm going wait for the repair guy to show up tomorrow rather than dig through the Hosta bed in the dark trying to figure it out tonight. In the mean time the lovely Mrs_Bob will have to walk to the garage bathroom across the yard.
 

JimVT

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
from what i learned is if it isn't blowing fuses it is a good sign. you may try a new capacitator.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
$932 later I have a brand new pump.

The 25.5 year old pump failed. In fact it failed in rather spectacular fashion. If there had been a lightning storm I'd have bet it was hit by lightning. There was a spot on the side of the pump where something inside the pump shorted out and essentially welded itself to the pump housing.

Pump was replaced a few hours ago.
 

pixie

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
My well pump seems to be losing it.

Is that a deep well pump ? How many feet ?

I've been putting off doing anything about it cause the only pumps I found on line were $1500 !!
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
$932 later I have a brand new pump.

The 25.5 year old pump failed. In fact it failed in rather spectacular fashion. If there had been a lightning storm I'd have bet it was hit by lightning. There was a spot on the side of the pump where something inside the pump shorted out and essentially welded itself to the pump housing.

Pump was replaced a few hours ago.

$37.28 dollars per year for a pump charge... Not bad at all when you consider the value of the water it has pumped for you over the years.

If you divide it out it makes the pump seem quite reasonable in price. I tend to look at these types of expenses as "back rent" as you got the benefit, now it is time to pay your dues when you purchase the new one.. Hope it lasts as long as the old one.

Regards, Kirk
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
My well pump seems to be losing it.

Is that a deep well pump ? How many feet ?

I've been putting off doing anything about it cause the only pumps I found on line were $1500 !!

As a person with some experience with wells, tell us about yours..

How deep, is you well?
The deeper the well, the more expensive it is, as a pump must be selected to over come the head, or the pressure that exists at the top of the pump in the case of a submersible. It is unreal how much that static pressure can be down at the pump. This all means that the pump will require much larger and more powerful motor to over come this static head pressure, just to get the water moving up the casing..

Describe what you are seeing to get to the place were you state your pump must be loosing it. Does it run for a long time before it shuts off?

Sand getting through the bottom screen can really play hell with a pump. Replacing the screen is big $$$$. I hope it is not that.

Regards, Kirk
 

pixie

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
The well is 425 deep. Pump was moved up to around 400. It's 20years old, I'm due !

There is lots of sand ( teaspoon) in the filter when I change it every month... the well has never been good. I was told the casing was probably dislodged from the ledge when they fracked it. The water is red. Usually not noticeable but sometimes intense.
I don't drink it.

It has less volume and it does seem to take longer to fill stuff. I have recently replaced the pressure switch, pressure tank and water heater the last two were definately bad.

What is this screen you mention ? Down at the bottom ?

Thanks
 

NorthernRedneck

Well-known member
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Ours is at 285 ft. Before we bought it last year, the previous owner was getting less than 2 gallons a minute return. He had another 30 feet of pipe drilled then they fracked it. I'm now getting close to 5 gallons a minute return. And the water was tested after drilling and came back as having 0 contaminants. It's crystal clear and like spring water.
 

m1west

Well-known member
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My pump is 345 feet, after the last time it went out I added a 2500 gallon water tank. Best thing I ever did with the well, The pressure pump that is a couple hundred bucks takes all of the cycling abuse ( and is on the slab next to the tank not in the hole ) while the deep well pump comes on after 1000 gallons are are used up. Cycles are what kills your pump. As a side benefit the pressure is better and more consistent.
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
The well is 425 deep. Pump was moved up to around 400. It's 20years old, I'm due !

There is lots of sand ( teaspoon) in the filter when I change it every month... the well has never been good. I was told the casing was probably dislodged from the ledge when they fracked it. The water is red. Usually not noticeable but sometimes intense.
I don't drink it.

It has less volume and it does seem to take longer to fill stuff. I have recently replaced the pressure switch, pressure tank and water heater the last two were definately bad.

What is this screen you mention ? Down at the bottom ?

Thanks

Yes the screen is at the bottom of the outer casing. 425 ft deep is indeed on the deep end of things, and would require a powerful higher HP pump than say a 200 ft. well does. It could be the pump was raised to help keep sand out of the pump. Red water could mean iron bacteria, some thing quite common in the scheme of things. This is much better than black lining your pipes, an indication of manganese. This would mean your water would smell, and a glass full left out a day would turn a cloudy grey/black color. Much better to have the iron as a good softener would take care of that.

At it's age your probably nearing the end of the pumps life. The turbine blades are probably worn a good bit, and this will effect pump performance.

Regards, Kirk
 

pixie

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
Thanks, Kirk. Yes, the pump is probably just wearing out from all the sand in the water. One well co. my plumber friend talked to said they could probably fix the displaced casing so the ground water would stop running in. I guess I should look into that more.
Does iron bacteria fill up filters ? I have to change the regular household type filter every month or so or the water stops cause the filter is plugged up.
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Thanks, Kirk. Yes, the pump is probably just wearing out from all the sand in the water. One well co. my plumber friend talked to said they could probably fix the displaced casing so the ground water would stop running in. I guess I should look into that more.
Does iron bacteria fill up filters ? I have to change the regular household type filter every month or so or the water stops cause the filter is plugged up.

I have a well at another farm house rental like that, and it has to have the filter changed regularly. It digests a bit of sand as well, but since it is a stroke pump, all it does is cause the upper leathers to be changed out from time to time. Did you casing get struck by something on the above ground casing? How come it is displaced? This part is above the well casing and separate from it, but the should be connected in a water tight fashion..

I have seen this happen when some one backed into the well head. Having surface ground water getting in is not a good thing at all. No wonder you don't drink it.. How are your neighbors wells? You can some times tell how yours is by asking some one with a well near by. Do your neighbors drink from theirs? Also you can deal with rust some what by having your well shocked with chlorine. Your pump man pulls up the pit less unit and exposes the inside of the casing and puts chlorine tablets right down the bore of the casing. Then you run an outside tap with a hose for an hour a day later. I try and do this every several years to the well here at my home. It will help for a while.

Regards, Kirk
 

pixie

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
Kirk, the part above ground hasn't been hit. From the symptoms ( and it has been like this since new) a well company said that the fracking might have pushed the casing out of the bedrock or whatever the upper section of casing sits in. This is from 20 years ago and I had never heard of fracking at the time. I figured the drillers might have been new at it and used too much pressure or something.

I did not hire the well drillers and the contractor that did kept telling me the water would clear up but it never did.

Right across the street maybe 200 feet from my well, they went down 850 feet and gave up. Another neighbor has a dug well. I don't remember about the others. I'll have to ask at the 3 new houses that have drilled wells.

I put regular bleach in it when brand new, also ran the water til it was dry. Kind of interesting that in March or April it's often the worst. One year I ran the hose on a snowbank and had red snowpiles !!
 
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Jim_S

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
Pixie, I had to replace the pump a few years ago. Well is 540’ with pump at 500’

It was about $1,300 for pump and labor.

Jim
 

JimVT

Bronze Member
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105' on mine and the last time i pulled it i cut 3 long poles and made a pyramid over it with a pulley.
time before i used the tractor bucket. it didn't lift straight.
i also replaced the heavy iron pipe with a thick schedule plastic. much easier putting in. i assembled it on the lawn and two of us just lifted it in. plastic bends so it wasn't bad. i think my pump is 4ft from bottom.
 

NorthernRedneck

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Ours kicked out again last week. It took a couple days to figure out as it would reprime but lose pressure every few hours. What happened was one of the toilets upstairs was fd and kept running so that drained the well and kicked up sediment which plugged up my 2 filters. Filters changed. Toilet fixed. Been good.
 
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