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An early morning BANG from the basement

OhioTC18

Gone But Not Forgotten
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Sitting enjoying my coffee this morning, I hear what sounds like the well pump cycling off and on. A trip down to the basement revealed just as I suspected. It was cycling way too often. Not knowing much about them, I let it go for now and went back upstairs. Wife has to go to work so she jumps in the shower. About two minutes later BANG!!!! Back downstairs I go. Not hard to find the source if you follow the smoke and the smell. The well pump control box no longer has a cover. It's laying in the floor. The control box is smoking and a capacitor inside just spit it's guts all over the place. I shut the power off. Remember the wife is in the shower. About two minutes later an angry , pissed and soapy wife comes out of the bathroom wanting water. Can't help ya right now. Well pump's not working. I figured I could change the controller they're not that expensive. But wait, I know nothing about these things or WHY it blew. Could be a defective part in the controller, but could it be the pump instead? If I have to pull the pump, how hard will that be? It's only 60' in the ground. Yeah but the pipe is full of water too. The reasonable side of my brain finally kicked in and said No dumbass, call someone who knows what he's doing. Called the well pump guy. Called off work. Well pump guy shows up, looks at the situation and then proceeds to get ready to pull the pump.
 

OhioTC18

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Well pump guy can't get his 1" pipe threaded on the pitless adapter because the previous owner didn't have 1" pipe so he used an adapter to 3/4" and left it on the pitless fitting. Well pump guy has to rummage through his truck to find a reducing coupling and a nipple to get it all screwed on to pull the pump. With the two of us we pull the pump. It's been in the ground since 1987, that's 23-24 years. The motor is all discolored it's been so hot form being locked up. "You need a new one". Since he has a new one and I don't I said go ahead. Connect new pump and he lower it down just until the pitless adapter is at the top of the casing. He hooked it over the edge of the casing. Went inside to change wiring from a 3 wire pump to a wire pump. Flipped power back on to let it flush out the crud you stir up when you pull a pump. He went to his truck while I watched it pump black, orange and then grey water. Now it's clear. Probably pumping 15 gallons a minute right now on wet ground. Wife yells out the back door there is water pouring in the basement. The well is only 3' from the house. The water seeped in the the soft soggy ground and was following the water line inside. I turn the power off and go get the well pump guy. Told him it had gone clear, but now I had a flooded utility room. Not much harm done, sump pump will take care of most of it.
 

OhioTC18

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Finish dropping pump down the casing and reconnect pitless adapter minus the 3/4" reducer the previous owner used. Turn power back on, no water. All connections in basement good. All connections at casing good. Voltage tests good. Motor not working. We pull the pump again. Motor locked up tight. Well pump guy gets new pump out of the truck, his last one. Connect it and lower it back down. Let it flush again, this time him holding a 6' scrap piece of 6" PVC I had to run the water away from the house. This time things went better. I now have water, wife got another shower and the basement floor is drying. Oh yeah my bank account is slightly lower. Glad I didn't try this myself.
 

OhioTC18

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Sounds like a Big Al thread doesn't it?

This not what the guts of a healthy working well pump control box looks like. Picture quality is poor, sorry.
 

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muleman

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60 ft. is too damn easy. Try 310 and it is heavy as hell. Had to pull more than one that were deeper than mine already. 300 is about the limit without a puller to grab the pipe and help lift it. If it was cycling a lot did you check to see if the bladder blew in the extrol tank?
 

snow dog

New member
You got pretty good service out of that old pump. I think you did the right thing - called a pump guy for pump service.:biggrin:
 

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
SUPER Site Supporter
Sounds like a Big Al thread doesn't it?

This not what the guts of a healthy working well pump control box looks like. Picture quality is poor, sorry.


What the hell is that suppose to mean ??? I have good days ! I just can't remember the last one . You guys are mean !:ermm:
 

OhioTC18

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She turns on the lights down there with the switch up here 10 minutes before she'll go down. That way the spiders will all run and hide. And you think I'll get lucky down there?
 

tommu56

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
60 ft. is too damn easy. Try 310 and it is heavy as hell. Had to pull more than one that were deeper than mine already. 300 is about the limit without a puller to grab the pipe and help lift it. If it was cycling a lot did you check to see if the bladder blew in the extrol tank?


I got you beat 450 ft I pull it with the back hoe rigged to a capstan on the back tire.

tom
 

XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Master of Distraction
Staff member
SUPER Site Supporter
I think mine's pretty deep but I can't remember the exact number.

Knock on wood but my well has been running OK for at least a year. I've done a lot of repairs on it though and expect the pump to go at any time.
 

DaveNay

Klaatu barada nikto
SUPER Site Supporter
I think mine's pretty deep but I can't remember the exact number.

Knock on wood but my well has been running OK for at least a year. I've done a lot of repairs on it though and expect the pump to go at any time.

Doesn't yours go all the way down to the river?
 

Big Dog

Large Member
Staff member
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My well pump is 13 years old, 135' down . and started doing double duty since putting up the garage ........... I'm sure I'm doomed after reading this thread ........... :glare:

If it makes you feel better Jerry, by 9AM this morn I was minus #18 molar and plus 1cc of bone culture and 2 stitches in my jaw, oh and my account went down substantively too ....... :mellow:
 

EastTexFrank

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
My well isn't used on the house, just for the yard and veggie gardens. The pump has been down there for 14 years but at 760', I ain't even thinking of pulling the sucker. :hammer::hammer::hammer:

Edit: the bottom of the casing is at 760', I don't actually know where the pump is at. Doesn't make any difference, I still ain't doing it.
 
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