Another well water question re submersible pumps

The installation manual said that I could either use the pitless adapter or the well seal. I’m not trying to argue, especially since I’m the one asking for help, but it clearly says in the manual for my pump that you can choose the pitless adapter setup, or go with the well seal and elbow.

I wouldn’t even know how to begin to put a pitless adapter in..

from your description i can’t tell if you’ve done things according to instructions and regulations or not. your mention of being in a pit was late in the thread.

the pitless adapter lets you bring water out of the well without being in a pit. my point was that systems seals the well from contamination.

you may have the materials to do this properly in a pit. you may have followed instructions and regulations.

if you see the outlet pipe move then that won’t stay sealed good for long.

I’ve a shallow well with an above ground pump. I’ve seen submerged pumps, but never seen an install. Please fight my ignorance. What is pit?

a pit is a hole in the ground.

in the past when windmills (windpumps) were used with a reciprocating pump they might have been placed in a well pit, so there would be a pit 8 feet deep maybe which contained the pump.

this put the pump below the frost level so the water in it didn’t freeze. this was necessary in freezing winter climates. if the pump was outdoors it was in a pit.

when jet pumps replaced these reciprocating pumps, the jet pump and pressure tank would be placed in the pit.

Since you have disturbed the well, I would pour a gallon of bleach in it. That’s what I did when I replaced our submersible pump last year.

pouring bleach into your well casing (of a submersible pump) is not a good method to disinfect your well. you don’t know the concentration of chlorine produced which is important to have an effective treatment and having it too strong can also risk damage to your pump.

to disinfect your well

put any water filtration and softener units to bypass (water not flowing through them). attach a garden hose to a hose bib (faucet) as close to the pump system as you can.

calculate the volume of water standing (water table depth minus the well depth) in the well casing (e.g. 8" casing is 2.5 gallons per foot of depth). using uncontaminated water make a bleach solution (in a clean plastic garbage can) equal to or greater than the volume of standing water in the well. you want a solution of 100 to 300 ppm (parts per million) of chlorine which is made by adding 3/4 to 2 quarts of bleach (5% store bought) to 100 gallons of water. the 5% store bought bleach can damage clothes and eyeballs so protect them.

drain your pressure tank. drain your water heater also if you want to disinfect your house plumbing (after you have pumped contaminated water into your house).

pour or siphon the bleach solution into the top of the well casing. turn on the hose, turn on the pump, when you smell chlorine in the water stream away from the well casing then rinse the sides of the well casing recirculating this bleach water. do that for a while.

if you want to disinfect you house plumbing then run hot and cold faucets until you smell bleach coming from each of them.

let the system sit for 24 hours.

discharge the chlorine solution with an outdoor hose spreading the spray around to not kill vegetation. don’t drain it into your septic system, it is bad for that.

in the USA university extension programs and state natural resources agencies will have information on care of wells and septic systems.

I’ve studied this for a week now and just realized that a “pitless” adapter was for when you do not have a pit. Yeah, I know. It’s been a long week. :slight_smile:

So far so good. Water pressure could take the paint off of a '53 Ford. Awesome. I will get a water testing kit later today and check for any abnormalities. Or just let the dog drink it and see if he vomits :wink:

But as I think about it, wouldn’t a jet pump HAVE to be in a pit (assuming a cold winter climate)? If not, wouldn’t the water freeze solid in it on cold days damaging the pump?

Remember, I said I know enough to be dangerous. I’m just counting the days until a pro will have to come out here and fix my amateur screw up. :wink:

states will have water testing either through a state agency or university program to do a bacterial test for maybe $25 or so. tests for toxic metals or toxic chemicals might be about the same cost.

I’ve always used the one from Lowes. It’s about $20 and it tests for bacteria, Ph, hardness, iron level, and a couple of other things. Probably wouldn’t hurt to have it professionally tested just to make sure.

if the jet pump is outdoors in a freezing climate it needs to be in a pit below the frost depth.

I have a pumphouse in zone 7. Hence my ignorance of pits. :slight_smile: