Water Well

[Dave]

Going to try and use water pressure to sink a two inch pipe for a water well (much like putting your garden hose on the ground to blow a hole open). I've seen it done, read a lot and asked friends about it but was wondering if anyone else has any "tricks" for sinking a two inch pipe for a well.

[Shack]

Years ago, we just dig down a couple feet and cut off the pipe. Then filled the pipe with as much concrete as we could and back filled area.

Never have tried it this way yet. Will be interested in what people say!

[Dave]

shack,

I'm not covering an old well, I'm using water pressure to put in a new well pipe.

[Powerstroke]

You've pretty much got the idea. I would get a trash pump or some sort of water pump that you can use the generate enough pressure. Get a hose long enough to hit your depth and attach some sort of metal tip to the end to push down your hole.

Thats what we use to clean out valve holes that have filled with dirt and rocks. Enough pressure will flush out rocks and dirt.

[Dave]

I used a trash pump, not the most pressure and the hose kept collapsing. I'll try to find a rigid hose like a fire hose I guess.

[Surface Tension]

Are you trying to sink the hose? I don't think that'll work. For one it'll collapse like you said, secondly it won't travel down in a straight line and could even end up traveling toward the surface. Attach the hose to the top of the pipe and sink the pipe not the hose.

[sparcebag]

I've tried it with posts,Your gonna need a high pressure pump,I've never found one as a rental and there even hard to find buying new unless you want to spend big bucks for a onetime job.I'd pound it in.

[MIKE IN lINO III]

Rent a jack hammer. They have an attachment that will fit on the pipe.

We used one up at the lake, it works great..... until you hit a rock.

Mike

[backlash 1]

I second the jackhammer. For a shallow well this is the ticket.

[Dave]

Frank,

Oh no, I'm not sinking the hose. I have the hose connected to the pipe, as you noted.

Jackhammer works huh......hmmmmm, thanks for the suggestion

[Powerstroke]

I'm not quite sure how much pressure you need. We use directly off the fire hydrant and we have 65 psi at most. 1 1/4" hose to a pipe, turn on and sink the pipe. The hose does fold a little, but with enough pressure it should work.

[goldenwalleye]

I would get a steel fence post hammer and pound it in. If you are looking at drawing any water up in GPH you are going to need a sand point on the end, otherwise you'll get dirt and sand up. Put the sand point on the end, and just keep driving it down till you get water.

[Enids Hubby]

My father-in-law has done what you are trying to do. He put in three shallow wells that way , his and 2 neighbors all at a lake . The way he did it was he had a trash pump and sucked out of the lake with a rigid suction hose on the output end he adapted the line down to a 3/4 pipe . Basically made a high vulume high pressure washer .and slowly worked his way down to 20 feet . The pipe would plug up in the clay a few times , just need to lift it up and clean it out . He did these 20 years ago. Last year I had to replace the sand point and I jacked up 1 20 foot length section of pipe. He must of just been able to slide it right in the hole .

[Dave]

All good suggestions, thanks. The trash pump I used only had maybe 30psi. Hard to locate a higher pressure unit. And, I was going to sink the pipe, pull it up and then put the sandpoint on it.

[Roofer]

Let me know how this works Dave. I hear there is a type of a drill that will work to see if there are any obstacles in your way before you smash a $50 sand point into it.??... Does anyone know if there are smaller sections of pipe for a sandpoint well rather than 10 ft. sections? Is it just steel pipe?

[Dave]

Menards and Home Depot carry 60-inch sections of galvanized pipe.

[3pronghook]

what type of soil are you dealing with, sand or clay?

[Dave]

A mixture of clay with smaller rocks. No sand, that's for sure.

[3pronghook]

It might be pretty tough trying to wash or jet a hole in clay even with a pressure pump. you might have the best luck digging or augering a small hole as deep as possible then getting a pounder or jackhammer and just drive the pipe in. keep the pipes full of water as this will help keep the screen from plugging up. keep the pipe level and turn the pipe 1/4 turn every few blows. have a pitcher pump handy so when you feel you have the point in some sand, should pound easier in sand, attach the pump to the pipe and see if you can pump water. if you have any neighbors with driven wells check with them to see how deep they are. it always a good idea to know a little about the geology but more important the static water table. for most applications the 1 1/4" pipe is sufficient, cheaper and easier to drive than 2".

[hoggs222]

Dave, how far down is your water table? I'm in Andover also and our well is at 27' or 28' (off of 140th Ln and Round Lake Blvd.) They are nice to have. My lawn and my neighbor's lawn are the only green lawns on the block!

[Dave]

Thanks for the great info, 3prong.

[sparcebag]

If your going to Jackhammer,You may consider a Jackleg.Their for boring holes they hammer while turning the bit,pipe? Looks just like a jackhammer.

[Dave]

Great options you guys are making me think about. Thanks.