leaky foot valve in well?
millinghill
I think the foot valve at the bottom of my well is leaking. I slowly
lose pressure even when I shut down the main on the house side of the
pressure tank. I've read that installing a check valve on the suction
line of my jet pump may be able to solve this without pulling the foot
valve out. My well is 140ft deep. My well is in my basement, so
pulling the pipes may be difficult. Not sure of depth of foot valve,
but water table is about 15ft down. There are two pipes (suction and
supply) that come out of the pump and go down the well. The well is
about 3ft away from the pump. I'm skeptical about this "solution."
How can just a few inches or feet of water in the suction pipe hold
enough prime to make the pump work if it loses all remaining water in
the column?
Advice appreciated.
Theodore.
Harry K
Unless the pump is a "self priming" one, which is doubtful, you are
correct. It would lose prime. Even a self priming pump would require
that the static level of the well be no more than about 26 feet below
the pump (at sea level, less at higher elevations)
Harry K
Larry Fishel
> My well is 140ft deep. My well is in my basement, so
> pulling the pipes may be difficult. Not sure of depth of foot valve,
> but water table is about 15ft down.
Am I missing something...or is there maybe a typo here? Why would
someone bother to dig a 140 foot deep well if the water table is only
15 feet down?
millinghill
> someone bother to dig a 140 foot deep well if the water table is only
> 15 feet down?
The well was dug 40+years ago. I have no reason why so deep, given
the water table.
millinghill
> correct. It would lose prime. Even a self priming pump would require
> that the static level of the well be no more than about 26 feet below
> the pump (at sea level, less at higher elevations)
>
> Harry K
It's definitely not a self-priming pump.
So, if I added a check valve on the suction side, it's doubtful the
prime will hold, right?
Bob F
If the water table is only down 15 ft, that is the farthest you need to need to
draw the water up. As long as there are no leaks between the water table and the
pump. the check valve at the pump should be able to support that water column.
Obviously, the foot valve is the better way to do it, as it avoids the
possibility of drawing air into tiny leaks that could exist and cause problems
with the valve at the pump. If the water column gets drawn down and stays below
25 or more feet down between pump cycles, you could have a problem.
If it's easy to do, it's certainly worth a try.
I have built a system for my shallow well sprinkler system that traps and
removes the air resulting from small leaks in the water line prior to the check
valve that is just before the pump. I could provide more detail if this is
neeeded, but it is maybe a bit of a kluge for a house water system. Again, only
useful if you are dealing with a water table not much further down than 15 ft.
Harry K
Perhaps they didn't hit water until 140 ft and it filled to that level
after.
My well is about 70 ft but he static level is only about 10 ft. No
water until they hit the aquifer down there.
Harry K
Bob F
It would certainly help make sure there is plenty of water, and it shouldn't
ever suck air.
Larry Fishel
I hadn't considered that. You mean the whole county isn't built on
porous limestone like here in Florida? :) Duh...
Larry Fishel
True, but what are the chances of the water table dropping even 20
feet without some mass extinction event? :) (Unless he lives
downstream of a new dam.)
tra...@optonline.net
What the water table level is and what level you have
to go to in order to get the desired volume and
quality of water are two different things. Around this
part of NJ for example, the water table is also around
20 ft. But to get acceptable volume you need to go
to 50ft. And for really good volume you need to go
to 110ft. That's where the acquifers are.
The bizarre thing is that people here call up to have
wells drilled for sprinkler systems and almost every
time the well drillers go right to 110 ft without
discussing any options. Problem is that the
acquifer at that level is loaded with iron. Within
a year their sidewalks, patios, pool decks, and
even siding is stained brown. If you stop at
50ft there is a very good chance you will have
15gpm and no iron.
As for the OP's question, whether a check valve
at the pump works or not depends on the level
of water in the well. If the water is 25ft or less
below the pump then it should work. If deeper
then it will not.
millinghill
I finally pulled the pipes and foot valve assembly and measured all:
well is 140ft deep, pipes are 100ft long, water level is 20ft down.
Lousy foot valve was caked with rust and was leaking water out as we
laid it outside. Obviously that's how I was losing prime on the
pump.
New foot valve assembly from Home Depot did not impress me. It was
$44 and had plastic check valve parts and pipes.
New foot valve assembly, all brass, set me back $120, but it's been
solid ever since we installed it.
Thanks for advice from all.
Regards,
Theodore.
Andy
Why do you feel that the plastic foot valve will not last as long
as the brass foot valve ?
It seems to me that the plastic won't corrode, nor have any sort
of galvanic deterioration with the pipe it is connected to . The
only
part that could oxidize is the internal spring, which is probably the
same as the one in the brass valve....
I'd really like to hear some opinion on this, since the plastic
valve is always significantly cheaper.......
I use plastic in my irrigation system, and have seen no
deterioration in the housing after several years.....
Andy in Eureka, Texas
Andy
> I have built a system for my shallow well sprinkler system that traps and
> removes the air resulting from small leaks in the water line prior to the check
> valve that is just before the pump. I could provide more detail if this is
> neeeded, but it is maybe a bit of a kluge for a house water system. Again, only
> useful if you are dealing with a water table not much further down than 15 ft.
Bob, I have done the same thing for my irrigation system..... I'd
really like to
know how you did yours. If you like, we could exchange photos or
diagrams by Email......
Thanks,
Andy in Eureka, Texas
Email: jungl...@hotmail.com
Andy
The extra 125 feet is to insure that you will get enough volume
from
the well. The pump only has to work against 15 feet for adequate
suction,
but you want to make sure the pipe fills up faster than you can pull
water
out, or the pump will cavitate. The water gas formed will have the
same
effect as air, and the impeller won't pump any more...
It depends a LOT on the composition of the strata..... I
punched
a well in lower central Florida once and only went down 20 feet,
pumped
it out for a day to build a pocket, and got plenty of water after
that.....
Not good to drink, but just fine for flushing toilets and watering
bushes....
Water table there was maybe 5 feet down....
Andy in Eureka, Texas
Andy
Bob, as I looked later at my post, it seems the Email
address was masked by whatever ISP I used...
I will send it here, on different lines, that you can
string together.... this will probably defeat the scanner..
jungleandy1 8888888
@ 8888888
hotmail 8888888
.com 8888888
andy in Texas , P.E.
mikecro...@gmail.com
?
djkot...@gmail.com
Could you please be so kind and describe the method and tools you used to pull up your well pipes -- (mine has two pipes entering the well) I have the same issue is you -- Well company want $900 to replace foot valve
Dirk
kjo...@gmail.com
trader_4
> How too pull 2 line deep well galvinized pipe?
hoist or come along to lift it. And two suitable heavy duty pipe clamps
that can be tightened securely to the pipe and that have appendages that
the hoist can attach to, eg similar to a heavy duty pipe hanger. You pull
it with one, then use the other to secure it, while you loosen and lower
the first clamp, then repeat, until you get to a coupling or the end.
Or call a well service company to pull it fast and easy.