Well Pumps

[David006]

...have two well pumps in the concrete ring type wells..trouble is every few months one or other gets the non return on the suction side clogged with debris ...plant matter, tadpoles mud and whatever. While I realise that a lot of the problem is surface runoff into the wells and the answer is to seal the ring joints and cover the wells .... not something I relish...

So is there any clever sod out there that can suggest either how to make the rotary type pumps self priming or some other solution..

I have tried additional mesh filters on the end of the suction pipe but they just get clogged too...

I thought of building strum boxes as in a boat bilge pump intake but seem to remember those pumps are actually self priming diaphragm pumps anyways!

[Artisi]

If you have problems with the inlet clogging with rubbish, whatever pump style / type you install you will still have the same problem unless of course you install a solids handling pump without an inlet strainer but then you will just fill your pipework with the rubbish currently chocking your inlet.

Solution - exclude the rubbish from the well.

]

[David006]

If you have problems with the inlet clogging with rubbish, whatever pump style / type you install you will still have the same problem unless of course you install a solids handling pump without an inlet strainer but then you will just fill your pipework with the rubbish currently chocking your inlet.

Solution - exclude the rubbish from the well.

]

Perhaps I did not make it clear....the issue is that just the tiniest strand of grass or little bit of slime/grit whatever will unseat the rubber seal on the non return valve, it will leak and hence the pump will lose prime...what is really needed is a better non clogging or self cleaning non return valve...maybe I will just put two in series.for redundancy and reduce the maintenance cycle atleast...

[Lantern]

what is really needed is a better non clogging or self cleaning non return valve

Never heard of these.

maybe I will just put two in series. For redundancy and reduce the maintenance cycle at least.

This sounds like it would work.

Any chance of making a large (say dustbin) sized filter from shade-cloth or something similar, and housing the NR valves in this.

[David006]

what is really needed is a better non clogging or self cleaning non return valve

Never heard of these.

maybe I will just put two in series. For redundancy and reduce the maintenance cycle at least.

This sounds like it would work.

Any chance of making a large (say dustbin) sized filter from shade-cloth or something similar, and housing the NR valves in this.

I maybe think that trouble maybe ... the filter would need to be fine and the dustbin would empty quicker than the ingress..result no prime again

[Boksida]

A deep well jet pump might work for you. Have a look at the attached link and check the jet pump with the double drop pipe. They can be run without a foot valve and are available locally.

[Crossy]

I reckon that with a bit of experimentation with PVC pipe you could make your existing pumps self-priming. The secret is to keep the pump full of water when the suction pipe is empty.

Try some Google searches, at least one manufacturer makes an add-on unit (although it seems to have taps so it won't be fully automatic).

[Boksida]

Another method that will work is to replace your foot valve with one of the plastic submergible sump pumps sold everywhere. If you connect it to your pump suction with PVC suction hose (the one with the blue worm in it) you can lower it on a rope to below water level and remove it easily if the screen needs cleaning. Put it on the same circuit breaker as your pump and they will start simultaneously. No more priming problems but it will cost you a couple of thousand baht.

[David006]

Another method that will work is to replace your foot valve with one of the plastic submergible sump pumps sold everywhere. If you connect it to your pump suction with PVC suction hose (the one with the blue worm in it) you can lower it on a rope to below water level and remove it easily if the screen needs cleaning. Put it on the same circuit breaker as your pump and they will start simultaneously. No more priming problems but it will cost you a couple of thousand baht.

hey thanks guys...Crossy that was what I was thinking over a beer yesterday.. will google...thought of a system of ball valves etc...sometimes I think we are too dam_n smart for our own good...lol

..one of my pumps IS a jet pump with the two pipes...bloody nuisance to cut and disconnect when clogged ..the pump does have an option for a bolted manifold connection but did not come with it. on the other single pipe pump I put a screw compression joint/coupling on the intake pipe so its easy to remove.

....I also tried to get some of that flexible PVC suction hose to fit the pipes and maybe connect using pipe clamps ..but could not find any with the internal diameter to match the blue PVC pipe...bugger.....

The submersible pump is a good idea too but getting a bit over the top with more things to go wrong...I used one of those pumps with a float in my basement bathroom in Canada as a <deleted> pump as the sewer pipe was at ground level...fricking thing was a pain in the arse to say the least the float burned out twice...and it was a good one too.my secretary's husband was in that business...supposedly he got me the best ???

Thanks again guys...

[Boksida]

....I also tried to get some of that flexible PVC suction hose to fit the pipes and maybe connect using pipe clamps ..but could not find any with the internal diameter to match the blue PVC pipe...bugger.....

David, you will need to get hose nipples for the suction hose connections. The hardware store will most likely call them "hahn pla" (fish tail). They are made to be compatible with the hose.

[thunder30101]

Due to the crap quality of check valves (like everything else I buy here) what i did was cut in a tee from my tank to my pump supply line with a valve, so when I want to start my pump I open the valve from the tank which floods my pump and primes it immediately, then shut it off and pump my tank full. I only have to make sure that the tank level doesnt drop below my pump height.

[David006]

Due to the crap quality of check valves (like everything else I buy here) what i did was cut in a tee from my tank to my pump supply line with a valve, so when I want to start my pump I open the valve from the tank which floods my pump and primes it immediately, then shut it off and pump my tank full. I only have to make sure that the tank level doesnt drop below my pump height.

lol... yes do that with one pump to the other ...works okay...thx

david

[David006]

....I also tried to get some of that flexible PVC suction hose to fit the pipes and maybe connect using pipe clamps ..but could not find any with the internal diameter to match the blue PVC pipe...bugger.....

David, you will need to get hose nipples for the suction hose connections. The hardware store will most likely call them "hahn pla" (fish tail). They are made to be compatible with the hose.

yup thought of that too...christ this is getting all too hard eh..time for another Archer...

thx

again..

david

[David006]

Okay ....latest "Archer driven" brain fart..

....install ball valve at pump exit side to seal .... then use trusty shop vac on suck at priming filler...should draw water into intake pipe and hopefully washing out NR valve seat ....and voila!

.. Will install ball valve on one pump and ascertain if I get water into intake pipe soon as I can get to the hardware store...will advise about flushing effect when next we have a problem...cheers guys

david

[BillyBobThai]

Back in the states I have set up 6 different well systems over the years at different houses. I always used a submersable pump for just the reason the OP is stating.

Only problem I ever had, was once lightning blew out a pump.