How to Clean a PVC Well
Over time the screen or screens at the bottom of your well casing will begin to clog up with debris such as iron deposits and other dirt particles. There are a few different methods to cleaning wells and many different types of wells that we could get into here. but I want to stick to your average lawn sprinkler pumps.
Centrifugal / Horizontal Pumps: With this pump, your well casing comes up about 1 foot and 90 degrees over in a check valve. 5" to 1' from the check valve cut the PVC so that you can move the pump out of the way of the well.
Purchase any brand of "Well Cleaner" at your local irrigation wholesale store. You will usually have to get and pour one to two gallons of this cleaner down your well (the 2" well casing). Let the cleaner sit at least 8 - 24 hours.
Next Use some big 18" pipe wrenches or channel locks and grip the outside of the well casing. Try to twist the well casing back and forth. This will help wipe the screens at the bottom off. You may have to put some forth, but don't stress too hard. If it will not turn, do not worry because the well cleaner most likely cleaned off the majority of the debris.
Hook the well back up to your pump, usually done with a 2" PVC coupling. Now I would recommend cutting the discharge line. The discharge line your mainline and the line that leads to your back flow, master valve, valves, and or index valve. Cut this discharge line, usually 1&1/2" and use your pipe wrench to slightly twist the discharge to the left side.
Make sure the pump is primed back up (make sure the volute or housing is full of water.)
Now turn the pump back on and let it prime back up. Depending on the distance to water it could take up to 10 minutes to prime. Once it catches a prime, let the water flow out for 2 -3 minutes. You want a lot of that debris to flow out and not into your valves, heads, and whole system!
Once you can see that the water is clear (or as clear as it gets) without debris than you should be safe to hook your pump back up. Turn the pump off and use your pipe wrench and 1&1/2" coupling to connect the discharge side of the pump back to the mainline. Measure your Gallons per Minute now. You should notice a vast improvement! If not than you could have a deeper problem with your well or pump. Most people notice a 5 -10 gallon per minute increase using this method.
Scott
Centrifugal / Horizontal Pumps: With this pump, your well casing comes up about 1 foot and 90 degrees over in a check valve. 5" to 1' from the check valve cut the PVC so that you can move the pump out of the way of the well.
Purchase any brand of "Well Cleaner" at your local irrigation wholesale store. You will usually have to get and pour one to two gallons of this cleaner down your well (the 2" well casing). Let the cleaner sit at least 8 - 24 hours.
Next Use some big 18" pipe wrenches or channel locks and grip the outside of the well casing. Try to twist the well casing back and forth. This will help wipe the screens at the bottom off. You may have to put some forth, but don't stress too hard. If it will not turn, do not worry because the well cleaner most likely cleaned off the majority of the debris.
Hook the well back up to your pump, usually done with a 2" PVC coupling. Now I would recommend cutting the discharge line. The discharge line your mainline and the line that leads to your back flow, master valve, valves, and or index valve. Cut this discharge line, usually 1&1/2" and use your pipe wrench to slightly twist the discharge to the left side.
Make sure the pump is primed back up (make sure the volute or housing is full of water.)
Now turn the pump back on and let it prime back up. Depending on the distance to water it could take up to 10 minutes to prime. Once it catches a prime, let the water flow out for 2 -3 minutes. You want a lot of that debris to flow out and not into your valves, heads, and whole system!
Once you can see that the water is clear (or as clear as it gets) without debris than you should be safe to hook your pump back up. Turn the pump off and use your pipe wrench and 1&1/2" coupling to connect the discharge side of the pump back to the mainline. Measure your Gallons per Minute now. You should notice a vast improvement! If not than you could have a deeper problem with your well or pump. Most people notice a 5 -10 gallon per minute increase using this method.
Scott
posted by Irrigationman at
9:55 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home