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Dug well- electric *and* pitcher pump?

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Dug well- electric *and* pitcher pump? Jim Elbrecht 07-20-2008
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Posted by Jim Elbrecht on July 20, 2008, 12:01 pm


I've got a dug well that I would like to put a working pitcher pump on
for mostly aesthetic/conversation purposes. . . and would also like
to put a working shallow well pump on to wash cars & such.

The well is about 3' in diameter, and the water is 8' below grade- 15
feet or so water in the well. I've drained it several times with a
sump pump and it refills fairly fast.

Can I just drop a 1 1/4 plastic pipe into the well with a check valve
on the end, then 'T' it to the 2 pumps?

My inclination is to drop 16' of pipe- that will keep me 7-8 feet
above the bottom of the well, but give me plenty of water to work
with.

It is currently covered with a 4" slab of concrete with a 3" PVC plug
in the middle for access. I could drop 2 pipes through the hole if
there is an advantage to keeping things separate, but a single pipe
just seems easier.
Thanks,
Jim

Posted by Eric in North TX on July 20, 2008, 1:08 pm


> I've got a dug well that I would like to put a working pitcher pump on
> for mostly aesthetic/conversation purposes. . . =A0and would also like
> to put a working shallow well pump on to wash cars & such.
>
> The well is about 3' in diameter, and the water is 8' below grade- 15
> feet or so water in the well. =A0I've drained it several times with a
> sump pump and it refills fairly fast.
>
> Can I just drop a 1 1/4 plastic pipe into the well with a check valve
> on the end, then 'T' it to the 2 pumps?
>
> My inclination is to drop 16' of pipe- that will keep me 7-8 feet
> above the bottom of the well, but give me plenty of water to work
> with.
>
> It is currently covered with a 4" slab of concrete with a 3" PVC plug
> in the middle for access. =A0 =A0I could drop 2 pipes through the hole if
> there is an advantage to keeping things separate, but a single pipe
> just seems easier.
> Thanks,
> Jim

A shallow well pump should pull that ok, but the pitcher pump teed
into the line would likely be a huge vacuum leak.
If you could put a valve between the pitcher pump and the tee, it
should be fine. If having to turn a valve to use the pitcher pump
would be a bother, you could use an electric valve, normally open,
wired to close when the electric pump came on it would be automatic.
If you could give up a little aesthetic value, a hydrant would work on
the pressure side.

Posted by Jim Elbrecht on July 20, 2008, 5:06 pm



-snip-
>> Can I just drop a 1 1/4 plastic pipe into the well with a check valve
>> on the end, then 'T' it to the 2 pumps?
-snip-
>
>A shallow well pump should pull that ok, but the pitcher pump teed
>into the line would likely be a huge vacuum leak.
>If you could put a valve between the pitcher pump and the tee, it
>should be fine. If having to turn a valve to use the pitcher pump
>would be a bother, you could use an electric valve, normally open,
>wired to close when the electric pump came on it would be automatic.
>If you could give up a little aesthetic value, a hydrant would work on
>the pressure side.

Wonder if a second check valve would work? Or would I actually need
3- one to protect each pump, and one to keep the pipe full.. . . by
then I might better just drop two lines into the well.

Or is the pitcher pump unlikely to draw a vacuum on the electric?

Jim

Posted by Eric in North TX on July 20, 2008, 5:48 pm


>
>
>
> -snip-
> >> Can I just drop a 1 1/4 plastic pipe into the well with a check valve
> >> on the end, then 'T' it to the 2 pumps?
> -snip-
>
> >A shallow well pump should pull that ok, but the pitcher pump teed
> >into the line would likely be a huge vacuum leak.
> >If you could put a valve between the pitcher pump and the tee, it
> >should be fine. If having to turn a valve to use the pitcher pump
> >would be a bother, you could use an electric valve, normally open,
> >wired to close when the electric pump came on it would be automatic.
> >If you could give up a little aesthetic value, a hydrant would work on
> >the pressure side.
>
> Wonder if a second check valve would work? =A0Or would I actually need
> 3- one to protect each pump, and one to keep the pipe full.. =A0. . =A0by
> then I might better just drop two lines into the well.
>
> Or is the pitcher pump unlikely to draw a vacuum on the electric?
>
> Jim

Thinking that through further; a check valve isolating each pump
should do it.

Posted by Harry K on July 20, 2008, 10:45 pm


>
>
>
>
>
>
> > -snip-
> > >> Can I just drop a 1 1/4 plastic pipe into the well with a check valv=
e
> > >> on the end, then 'T' it to the 2 pumps?
> > -snip-
>
> > >A shallow well pump should pull that ok, but the pitcher pump teed
> > >into the line would likely be a huge vacuum leak.
> > >If you could put a valve between the pitcher pump and the tee, it
> > >should be fine. If having to turn a valve to use the pitcher pump
> > >would be a bother, you could use an electric valve, normally open,
> > >wired to close when the electric pump came on it would be automatic.
> > >If you could give up a little aesthetic value, a hydrant would work on
> > >the pressure side.
>
> > Wonder if a second check valve would work? =A0Or would I actually need
> > 3- one to protect each pump, and one to keep the pipe full.. =A0. . =A0=
by
> > then I might better just drop two lines into the well.
>
> > Or is the pitcher pump unlikely to draw a vacuum on the electric?
>
> > Jim
>
> Thinking that through further; a check valve isolating each pump
> should do it.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Agree. Don't forget to allow for draiing the system if you are in a
cold climate though. Probably just pull the suction pipe to do it.

Harry K

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