The "Well"

Started by StinkerBell, May 04, 2006, 12:27:54 PM

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deertracks

Stinkerbell...
I know how great only 100 feet is in that area. We will be using the nice folks at Fogle Pump in a few weeks once we receive our septic approval. What is your elevation?? We are about 9 mi. south of Colville and are just less than 1800 ft. The neighbors wells there run from 200 to 500 ft. deep. We are certainly praying for 200 or less!! Good luck with your project.
deertracks

Amanda_931

#26
Well, it could, if you had pipe size back of it, and the resulting water pressure to do that.

First and second places I lived in in Nashville, I could start water for a bath, take the dogs for a walk all around the kind of longish block, come back and still not have quite enough water for a comfortable bath.  No, the landlords were not going to fix this, sell the house to someone who wanted to put up condominiums maybe.

With all the plumbing problems with the house I owned, it had all newish pipes, and good water pressure.

Glenn's probably got a pretty good sized tank to store enough water so he's not just using pumped water.  You can get by without a big one--pressure tanks do, I gather, save wear and tear on your pump(s).


StinkerBell

QuoteStinkerbell...
I know how great only 100 feet is in that area. We will be using the nice folks at Fogle Pump in a few weeks once we receive our septic approval. What is your elevation?? We are about 9 mi. south of Colville and are just less than 1800 ft. The neighbors wells there run from 200 to 500 ft. deep. We are certainly praying for 200 or less!! Good luck with your project.
deertracks

Our property is up pass Orient  on the Stevens County side hence the Kettle Falls Addy.
We actualy have 120 of the kettle River as our front yard. I believe we are about 1500 above sea level.
My billtoday is 6,800 plus tax (this does not include pump or anything external this was just for drilling, sand screen-that was 1500 alone-).

Dave our well driller is a nice guy :D


bil2054

That is really great news. Not too far down, and really good recovery rate.
Congrats! [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

glenn-k

My pump is on solar - standard 220v  1.5 hp running on inverters --- set deep - I can pump the well down to 320' as it is now -675 feet deep total.  Water stands at 169' and I get about 400 gallons before pumping it dry.  I have a safety shutdown on the well, and use a timer to pump about 15 minutes 4 times per day.  Pump does 10 gpm appx and goes to a 2600 gallon tank up the hill about 80 feet elevation above the cabin so we get about 30 psi.  I use a 2 hour break for recovery between pumping.  This also keeps my batteries from overcharging so I don't have to waste as much of the solar power I collect and save. I use about 500 to 600 gallons on the garden per day in the summer.


Amanda_931

Thanks, Glenn.  Since I know nothing about wells, that tells me a lot about strategy in dealing with them--and generating systems.  

I know enough to know that gravity feed from a big tank 80 feet above the house is to be envied!  I do have friends who manage on a lot less than that, but they use 1" pipes to the house.  And cannot use a demand water heater or a spray on the kitchen faucet or a massage type shower head even though they have plenty of water flowing--to both a washing machine and dishwasher in one case.  But none of them have wells, but springs above the house elevation or ram pumps from a spring.

glenn-k

If your friends have power they can put a booster on the line to bring the water up to the desired pressure.

We have a 2" line from the well to the tank at the top of the hill --- useable for a fire hose that way.  The pressure fill and gravity down   are both the same 2" line plumbed into the bottom of the tank with a shutoff valve in case I do something stupid with my Bobcat like catch a hose with the bucket teeth and rip the line loose from the well head. :-/

I put a shutoff halfway down the hill in case of such a problem, however when I got there I found that gophers had entirely filled the box above the valve with dirt---- sbout 2 feet of it ----so run up the hill I did.  It just got worse from there.  Stores were closed so I couldnt get fittings or glue.  I decided to mickey mouse it so we would have water for the evening.  Made a 2" pipe plug from a 1/8 bend ABS fittting and a few PVC fittings put together.  I sat a railroad tie over this mess and drove the Bobcat the 600 foot distance up the hill to the tank to turn on the water.  Turned it on --went down  to check the temporary plug ---2" stream of water was shooting 4 feet into the air.  After a couple failed attempts to push the fitting over the gusher I was 100% wet and uttering a few obscenities.  No time for the Bobcat to the top of the hill to shut the valve off and save some of the water so I ran the 600 feet - 75 to 80' elevation rise over a rough trail and rocks.  Imagine a fat old man with sopping wet pants and boots full of water trying to accomplish this new track and field record.  It wasn't a pretty sight.  I rested --tried to catch my breath and give the impending heart attack a few moments to ease off (not a real one --just extremely winded).

I gathered up what little energy I had left --kind of walked ---kind of stumbled down the hill and told Kathy there would be no water for the night.

In the morning things were better - hardware store was open -parts available and things were fixed in about an hour.

Amanda_931

I hate doing plumbing repairs!

StinkerBell

QuoteI hate doing plumbing repairs!
Septic is next, I hate doing the end of the plumbing. ;)


bil2054

I don't mind repairing plumbing. if I installed it.  At least I know where everything is, and why things were done a certain way.
My pet peeve is why some people don't install shutoffs?  Economy, I suppose, and that old feeling of "Well, I'll never have to work on it again; let the next sucker worry about it".
I try to do every plumbing installation and repair as though I were the landlord, and lived sixty miles away; or my storage tank were 600 feet uphill [smiley=wink.gif].
Even the best laid plans, eh, Glenn?  I'm not laughing.... not sure I would have survived the sprint.

glenn-k

I had to at least give myself credit fo putting the valve there.  I guess I should go finish cleaning the box out now --- but then again--- I don't have a problem right now. :-/

StinkerBell

Ug! Why didnt anyone mention the cost of the pump to me? I just cant believe that I had a oversight on it.

So Power, phone and pump for Well at the end of the week.

deertracks

Stinkerbell... Think good thoughts with each nice drink of water you take!! And remember, you won't be paying monthly charges to any municipalities for the water. It was really hard for me to swallow (no pun intended) when we first got a bid for our well. We sent our deposit in last week to Fogel so I will let you know how deep we have to go!! Are you able to build without a permit in the area where you are?

StinkerBell

I think I need to permit everything........Even if I am just thinking of an idea I need a permit just to do that!  ;D


glenn-k

How much does it cost for a thinking permit, Stinkerbell?

Rough guess but $1500 to 2500 for the pump- tank etc.--lots of help now, eh?  Was I close?

StinkerBell

The pump cost 3,300.00. Its 1.5 horse power motor that provides a constant pressure water flow. It also has a 2 gallon in-well tank. That first glass of water is going to cost about 10,000  :o it better taste good!

glenn-k

Sounds high tech.  Things have changed a lot in the last few years.  They also have some now that pump directly from solar panels with a voltage range of around 24 volts clear up to about 240 - they take care of compensating for it.