Frozen well pump

OK, now we're getting some where. The pump is way down in the well,
and will not freeze. The thing you are talking about is a riser
spigot, or I call them a hydrant. I have dealt with these things
freezing several times. Here's the easy method, but only if this
hydrant is outdoors and is not near any flammable materials. In other
words, if it outdoors and there is no building, trees, or other
flammables near it for at least 10 feet. OK, dig away any snow around
the hydrant and take some cardboard boxes, paper, and some small twigs
and or wood and build a pile around the hydrant. Set this pile on
fire. Your hydrant should begin to flow after a few minutes (have the
pump on). Yeah, this might sound dangerous to some people, but
remember, you can ONLY do this if there are no flammables nearby. The
hydrant itself is metal and wont burn. I have done this a few times
and it works great.

If the hydrant is indoors or near flammables, buy several propane
torches. Get the ones called TURBO TORCH. They are hotter. Put one
in each hand, get a friend with one or two also. Each torch does 1/3
or 1/4th of the stand pipe.

If you are really handy, start by shutting off the pump. Then take
off the handle, then you can put the torch where the head (top part of
the hydrant where the handle goes - usually painted). Right below
that painted head are threads. With two pipe wrenches you can remove
the head, but be sure not to turn the pipe where it enters the ground.
Remove the head. There will be a metal rod in the center. Start
pouring table salt into that pipe around the rod. Then heat the top
of that pipe till the water boils and keep adding more salt. The
water will boil out of the top of the pipe a little at a time. Once
you get down a few inches, the boiling water will react with the salt
and melt downward quite quickly. Just keep applying the torch or
torches further down the pipe. You will likely hear the water evel
drop when the salt melts thru, or just turn on the pump for a few
seconds, but stay away.

This salt method works well, but you need to know how to disassemble
the head.

The fire around the hydrant is the easiest method.

Once fixed, always be sure to remove the hose immediately when you are
finished and turn off the hydrant. I think you know that by now,,,,

Good Luck
Let us know what works.

NOTE: You may likely have a cracked head. That cast iron is the first
thing to break. You can get replacements for most models.

Posted by Jack on February 4, 2007, 9:27 am

wrote:

> Bear with me here, I might have some of the terminology wrong:

> I water my horses from an outside well that's powered by an electric pump

> down in the well. The "pump" that's frozen is the pump unit that's at

> ground level, not the electric one down in the well. At least I HOPE it's

> not the one down in the well...

> Normally, when using the water, I hook up the hose to the ground level

> "pump" (I don't know what else to call this part), lift the handle up and

> then flip the switch to start the electric pump and pump the water.

> After I'm done filling the troughs, I put the "pump" handle down and shut

> off the electric.

> Yesterday, there was an ice block in the hose so I shut off the electric,

> detached the hose BUT I FORGOT TO PUT THE PUMP HANDLE DOWN. An hour

> later, when I got back with the thawed hose, everything at the "pump" was

> frozen solid. The handle is frozen in the up position and won't budge.

> No water will come out when the electric pump is on.

> I did try to thaw the ground level pump with a small propane torch for

> almost an 45 minutes. I thought the only block must be in the top of the

> ground level pump since no water would have been pushing upward from the

> well without the electric running, right? But I had no luck. It did

> cross my mind that parts that weren't receiving direct heat were

> refreezing faster than I could keep them thawed. What do I need to do to

> thaw this out? We're due to be in a deep freeze here for another week at

> least. Do I need to call in professional help? Who do I call? A

> plumber?

> Thanks for any help and suggestions.

> Giselle (obviously a city girl gone bad)

You apparently have a submersible pump with a ground level antifreeze
spigot, Which drains when you put the handle down, which you forgotand
therefor it froze. You need to just thraw the pipes out in however
manner you can. An electric heater wire made for just such , might do
the trick. But just thaw it out and then remember to drain that spigot
each time you use it, DO YOU HEAR????
Jack

Posted by FragileWarrior on February 4, 2007, 11:48 am

> wrote:

>> Bear with me here, I might have some of the terminology wrong:

>> I water my horses from an outside well that's powered by an electric

>> pump down in the well. The "pump" that's frozen is the pump unit

>> that's at ground level, not the electric one down in the well. At

>> least I HOPE it's not the one down in the well...

>> Normally, when using the water, I hook up the hose to the ground

>> level "pump" (I don't know what else to call this part), lift the

>> handle up and then flip the switch to start the electric pump and

>> pump the water. After I'm done filling the troughs, I put the "pump"

>> handle down and shut off the electric.

>> Yesterday, there was an ice block in the hose so I shut off the

>> electric, detached the hose BUT I FORGOT TO PUT THE PUMP HANDLE DOWN.

>> An hour later, when I got back with the thawed hose, everything at

>> the "pump" was frozen solid. The handle is frozen in the up position

>> and won't budge. No water will come out when the electric pump is on.

>> I did try to thaw the ground level pump with a small propane torch

>> for almost an 45 minutes. I thought the only block must be in the

>> top of the ground level pump since no water would have been pushing

>> upward from the well without the electric running, right? But I had

>> no luck. It did cross my mind that parts that weren't receiving

>> direct heat were refreezing faster than I could keep them thawed.

>> What do I need to do to thaw this out? We're due to be in a deep

>> freeze here for another week at least. Do I need to call in

>> professional help? Who do I call? A plumber?

>> Thanks for any help and suggestions.

>> Giselle (obviously a city girl gone bad)

> You apparently have a submersible pump with a ground level antifreeze

> spigot, Which drains when you put the handle down, which you forgotand

> therefor it froze. You need to just thraw the pipes out in however

> manner you can. An electric heater wire made for just such , might do

> the trick. But just thaw it out and then remember to drain that spigot

> each time you use it, DO YOU HEAR????

> Jack

If I *EVER* forget to put that handle down again someone should just take
me out and shoot me because my brain has obviously seen better days and
has turned completely to mush.

Here's the latest: I schlepped into town (30 miles round trip) and got
two heat lamps. I set up the tent, plugged them in and one didn't work.
(I must have broken a mirror recently or something...) I could tell
pretty quick that this set-up wasn't going to do much -- especially with
one lamp -- so when I schlepped back to town, I bought heat tape. I put
that on -- six foot of it, spiral around the pipe but not touching itself
-- and covered it with two huge pieces of R30 insulation. I taped it the
best I could (the tape is freezing and not sticking) and then I jammed a
plastic garbage can down over the whole set up. I figure I will leave it
until tomorrow without undoing it.

Thanks to everyone who is replying and trying to suggest ways to help.
Strength-wise, I don't have what it takes to remove spigots/piping or
other heavy-duty stuff. Until this thaws out, I'll be running out with
buckets of water every hour.

Thanks everyone.

Posted by Gerry Atrick on February 4, 2007, 6:55 pm

On Sun, 4 Feb 2007 16:48:31 +0000 (UTC), FragileWarrior

>> wrote:

>>> Bear with me here, I might have some of the terminology wrong:

>>>

>>> I water my horses from an outside well that's powered by an electric

>>> pump down in the well. The "pump" that's frozen is the pump unit

>>> that's at ground level, not the electric one down in the well. At

>>> least I HOPE it's not the one down in the well...

>>>

>>> Normally, when using the water, I hook up the hose to the ground

>>> level "pump" (I don't know what else to call this part), lift the

>>> handle up and then flip the switch to start the electric pump and

>>> pump the water. After I'm done filling the troughs, I put the "pump"

>>> handle down and shut off the electric.

>>>

>>> Yesterday, there was an ice block in the hose so I shut off the

>>> electric, detached the hose BUT I FORGOT TO PUT THE PUMP HANDLE DOWN.

>>> An hour later, when I got back with the thawed hose, everything at

>>> the "pump" was frozen solid. The handle is frozen in the up position

>>> and won't budge. No water will come out when the electric pump is on.

>>>

>>> I did try to thaw the ground level pump with a small propane torch

>>> for almost an 45 minutes. I thought the only block must be in the

>>> top of the ground level pump since no water would have been pushing

>>> upward from the well without the electric running, right? But I had

>>> no luck. It did cross my mind that parts that weren't receiving

>>> direct heat were refreezing faster than I could keep them thawed.

>>> What do I need to do to thaw this out? We're due to be in a deep

>>> freeze here for another week at least. Do I need to call in

>>> professional help? Who do I call? A plumber?

>>>

>>> Thanks for any help and suggestions.

>>>

>>> Giselle (obviously a city girl gone bad)

>> You apparently have a submersible pump with a ground level antifreeze

>> spigot, Which drains when you put the handle down, which you forgotand

>> therefor it froze. You need to just thraw the pipes out in however

>> manner you can. An electric heater wire made for just such , might do

>> the trick. But just thaw it out and then remember to drain that spigot

>> each time you use it, DO YOU HEAR????

>> Jack

>If I *EVER* forget to put that handle down again someone should just take

>me out and shoot me because my brain has obviously seen better days and

>has turned completely to mush.

>Here's the latest: I schlepped into town (30 miles round trip) and got

>two heat lamps. I set up the tent, plugged them in and one didn't work.

>(I must have broken a mirror recently or something...) I could tell

>pretty quick that this set-up wasn't going to do much -- especially with

>one lamp -- so when I schlepped back to town, I bought heat tape. I put

>that on -- six foot of it, spiral around the pipe but not touching itself

>-- and covered it with two huge pieces of R30 insulation. I taped it the

>best I could (the tape is freezing and not sticking) and then I jammed a

>plastic garbage can down over the whole set up. I figure I will leave it

>until tomorrow without undoing it.

>Thanks to everyone who is replying and trying to suggest ways to help.

>Strength-wise, I don't have what it takes to remove spigots/piping or

>other heavy-duty stuff. Until this thaws out, I'll be running out with

>buckets of water every hour.

>Thanks everyone.

Be prepared to blast a torch at the soil at the base of the hydrant
after the top thaws. (Remove heat tape first). Its likely frozen
under the soil, If you can, take a turkey baster and make a thick
paste of table salt and water. See if you can inject that into the
part where the hose connects.

By the way, what state are you in? This midwest cold spell is horrid.

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