Trouble removing pump from well

Tibulus

In a spot of trouble this weekend. Had an issue with the water supply to the house and farm loosing pressure. Isolated to probelm to be either a problem with the pump or the pipe connecting pump to pressure valve.

Anyway thats the easy part!!.

When I went to remove the pump it was not coming easy, myself and the broteher applied steady pressure lifting about 1ft a minute. So we definately had problems.

Then the pipe came loose!

Disconnected from a joint!

Lifted up the pipe to find that there was a connector about 7m below ground level. Definately one of those cheap jobs at the time that end up costing more later that others are famous for.

After this we made a call to bring in an excavator. The pipe has lifted 2m so joint is 5m below ground level. So should get to it quite easily.

If anybody has experience or advice of this please dont hold back, you can apreciate the tight spot at the moment.

vanderbadger

Tibulus wrote: »

In a spot of trouble this weekend. Had an issue with the water supply to the house and farm loosing pressure. Isolated to probelm to be either a problem with the pump or the pipe connecting pump to pressure valve.

Anyway thats the easy part!!.

When I went to remove the pump it was not coming easy, myself and the broteher applied steady pressure lifting about 1ft a minute. So we definately had problems.

Then the pipe came loose!

Disconnected from a joint!

Lifted up the pipe to find that there was a connector about 7m below ground level. Definately one of those cheap jobs at the time that end up costing more later that others are famous for.

After this we made a call to bring in an excavator. The pipe has lifted 2m so joint is 5m below ground level. So should get to it quite easily.

If anybody has experience or advice of this please dont hold back, you can apreciate the tight spot at the moment.

were you trying to lift the pump by the pipe or have you a rope going down to pump, if you have no rope then it was deffo a bad job
what can you do except dig down to joint now if thats the case or else lower down rope and try and snap connector and pull it up, awkward one now

I said

My advise get somebody who knows what there are at or ya ll make ****e of the well,unless ye know what yer doing

Tibulus

Was pulling by the robe but its only an 8mm ageing rope so not going to stand up to too much tension. Break that and we are in serious trouble.

Definately something holding the pump back, hopefully it is the joint in the pipe.

Its a nice taught to get somebody that knows what they are doing but who exactly do you call? Get somebody to drill a new well and supply and new pump but who want to know about a ball of sh1t like this!

dodod

Get steel bar and tie barred wire on to it drop bar down the well when you think it is down well below broken pipe start turning wire it will wrap around the pipe and grip it Pull gently

freedominacup

Tibulus wrote: »

Was pulling by the robe but its only an 8mm ageing rope so not going to stand up to too much tension. Break that and we are in serious trouble.

Definately something holding the pump back, hopefully it is the joint in the pipe.

Its a nice taught to get somebody that knows what they are doing but who exactly do you call? Get somebody to drill a new well and supply and new pump but who want to know about a ball of sh1t like this!

I'd have more regard for the rope than you. It's different to one that's out in sunlight, there's nothing to denature it. That said it's 8mm and you have some sort of obstruction in the bore. Would one of those cameras they use for checking ducts/pipework be a help. Digging before you know what's facing you might not be the best plan.

And digging a 5m deep hole has some serious h&s issues esp if you don't want to have a hole a half an acre in area. I wouldn't be rushing to jump down into it without at least a trench box and tbh I'm not sure a trench box is up to spec for that depth.

Nekarsulm

How deep is this well? If you are only up a few feet in a 200 foot well, it's a long road.

agriman27

I know your probably under pressure to get the water back on asap but you could get one of those environmental companies with the little remote control camera to go down into the well and see what the obstruction is.

I said

What make is pump or who fitted it they are people to call

blue5000

agriman27 wrote: »

I know your probably under pressure to get the water back on asap but you could get one of those environmental companies with the little remote control camera to go down into the well and see what the obstruction is.

The lads that un-block drains have them cameras, not cheap though and I'd be pumping a lot of water before drinking any......

freedominacup

blue5000 wrote: »

The lads that un-block drains have them cameras, not cheap though and I'd be pumping a lot of water before drinking any......

If they do work for the main contractor on sewage treatment plants they would have to have gear that's food grade clean for pre commissioning inspection.

moy83

If you go digging now you are sure to let spoil or stones down on top of the pump and damage it . Alot of plumbers have those cameras now if you know one maybe ask them the check it out first .
Is the pump stuck on something now ? If not I would keep trying to pull on the rope . Gently

longgonesilver

Hi if you are in a limestone area and this I assume is a submersible pump, lime can build up on the outside of the pump and form a lump and make the pump too big to pull up. In these areas pumps should be pulled up every couple of years and cleaned and inspected, as inlet filters can also block.
Sometimes a stone or lump of rock can fall from the inside of the well and get lodged on top of the pump and make it difficult to pull out, or the well could have collapsed. If you drop in a small pepple can you hear it hitting water?
It is possible to hang a narrow torch from a rope and lower it down, cover yourself and the well to exclude daylight and give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness.
How deep is this well? Have you an alternative water supply, a house can be kept going drawing water for a few days but a farm is more difficult, can you connect your pipe network to a neighbours for a few days?

foxy farmer

Is the well lined with plastic pipe or just steel down to the bed rock?

sandydan

if that well was drilled 6inch for deep well pump pre submersible pump days usually those wells are lined with sewer pipes with holes drilled, i suspect that its done pre single coil lining of wells,if sewer pipe is used some fitters put pipes in with wide side up very handy for dropping down pipes but a bitch for pipe end catching pump as its being pulled up , if that was done properly the junction would be at lower end with an extra rope in well to pull them up.if pipes are in wide side junction up pump will get caught at almost every 20foot mark.as some suggest get a camera to investigate , in all cases my friendly plumber has seen the pipes that are fitted wrong had to be lifted up and refitted wide end down . i know cause i had problem with pump and his first question was what way were pipes fitted,. to remove pump water pipe provided you can see end of pipe ,some used a pipe with slot cut in side to allow flat iron on edge hinging on bolt through pipe fitted in such a way that it push fits into pipe and grips pipe when pulled other wise try dodods trick you could substitute a loop down over joiner outside of of rope by carefully pushing down with 25ft length of say half inch galv pipe , but i suspect that may come away as wel. where is the plumber who fitted well pump has someone collared him yet

keep going

If the well is lined it sometimes helps to tap the lining with a hammer but I think you are gone beyond that now

Reggie.

keep going wrote: »

If the well is lined it sometimes helps to tap the lining with a hammer but I think you are gone beyond that now

Ya can't beat a lined well

gctest50

If its not too deep you could make up a camera for a look

bullet cam & a bit of hydrodare & light

http://cpcireland.farnell.com/defender-security/lbwbs/camera-bullet-3-6mm-420tvl/dp/SR08001

http://www.goodwins.ie/p-1654-hydrodare-n-g-1-inch-150metre-roll.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3_VNzV-6r0

sandydan

remember a neighbour dug well by digger 20ft dug out 12 ft deep first then another 8 in half section took fair bit of ground,can be done but you certainly would not want to touch ground around pipe with digger that is for pick and shovel and depends on ground stability. will get you to connection but be careful

satstheway

Get some cctv guy to make up a cam to drip down he prob. Whhere in country are you.