Hi,
I have a well pump that I use to pump water from the creek for irrigation. It's 230 volt with a 12 amp pump. In the winter, I turn the breaker off and take apart all of the wiring because it floods.

Now that it's Spring, I want to get it going again. I was recommended to get 1" galvanized pipe to use as a conduit in hopes that I didn't need to take apart all of the wiring again next winter. The pipe would be underwater in the winter. Is it possible to make the galv conduit water tight?

Ideally I'd trench up to the creek, but my creek is weird. There are two parallel branches and in the winter the closest branch is flooded, in the Summer is dry. At the bottom of the closest branch there is bedrock. So the conduit would need to run across it.

Should I not try to make this a permanent solution if a large portion of the conduit will be underwater in the winter? When we moved into the house, it was hooked up with a plastic conduit with the understanding that it would be removed in the winter (which I did).

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

Doesn't galvanized pipe rust? What about PVC?

 

PVC will get destroyed when the creek floods. It's what was there when we moved in. I can set that up again, but I'd have to take it down next winter.

 

There has to be some type of underwater cable or conduit that will work. Have you tried an electrical supply house?

 

I would say bury regular PVC to within say 15' of the flood plain, bring it above ground for a junction, then use liquid-tight flexible PVC (the kind you see connecting the A/C unit to the disconnect) from there to the pump. That can be buried and if needed anchored to the bedrock.

 

Gavanized pipe should never be used as conduit. If you want conduit use IMC or RMC do not use EMT. It won't hold up and will eventually rust out.

 

I haven't tried an electrical supply house. Good tip on the flexible PVC though. I'll research that.

 

All underground/underwater conduits will eventually get water in them.