I'm in a hell of a bind here. We ran out of money to finish our house/property because a nasty contractor took off with what little I had left and did NOT finish the job! We need to get our water lines in from the well to the house, but I have absolutely no idea how to even start. I was told to use 1" black poly (friend and the guy at Lowes both said this) but that's about as far as I've gotten. Complete newbie--definitely not the sort of thing I thought I'd ever be doing.

Single mom, non-existant budget. Help?

Well is installed about 300 ft from the house. Trench is in. House is a doublewide mobile (1984)

1: submersible pump or jet pump. : Submersible pump: Shop Utilitech 3/4-HP 10-GPM 3-Wire 230-Volt Submersible Well Pump at Lowes.com

2: age of well if known. Less than 2 months.

3: depth of well if known. 70 ft.

4: diameter of well if known. Unknown

5: voltage of pump if known. 3/4-HP 10-GPM 3-Wire 230-Volt

6: brand of pump/controller if known. Utilitech 3/4-HP 230-Volt Control Box (not installed yet, don't know how!)

7: size of tank if known. None yet, but plan to get 86 gal.

 

Yes, you want to use black poly (PETE) pipe. Make sure it's NSF certified (printed on the outside of the pipe). I think that's all the big box stores sell, but better to check. (NSF certified means that it's made to carry drinking water). You'll probably want at least 1 1/4", since that's the outlet of the pump, but I'll let one of the pros chime in.

You'll need to also bury the wire to run the pipe. You'll need 14ga UF wire. Some people will bury a second PETE pipe (3/4" or 1") for the wire to help protect it and make it easy to replace in the future if needed. You'll want to go to an electrical supply house to get the full 300' length (or a bit more) since you really don't want any underground splices.

You'll need the pressure tank, filter, and pressure switch, and all the associated fittings. Also, do you know if the well water was ever tested?

Sounds like you're on the right track. Good luck... I hope it all works out!

 

Thanks for the detailed reply! I really appreciate it. I'm worried I'm going to really mess this thing up =/

Yes, the water was tested already. It's a requirement in our county before the well gets approved.

So, a filter? Where should that be placed? Any suggestions on what would be best but affordable?

 

Hi,

Are you going to attempt this all yourself? This is not a DIY friendy job. Most likely there is a pitless adapter that you need to tie the line into. You need to set the depth of the pump properly. Sodering of copper, elctrical, etc....

A lot of things need to be considered.

Mike NJ

 

Charity - If you have any friends that are handy it may be time to call in some markers. If the pump is in place it's not too difficult for a DIYer. Zorfdt had most of the answers. We also have some well pros on the board that can help walk you through it.

On hte up side, the well is sunk and the trench is dug so the tough part is done. You might want to rethink the size of your pressure tank. I suggest doing a little Googling and contact some of the pressure tank companies for guidance on size. You can probably get by fine with a 30 gallon or less.

One question - why is the well so far away from the house?

 

The well is already in place (professionally done) all I need to do is run the power and water lines to the house, thank goodness. The well people said it should be easy enough, pretty straight forward. . . then again, they've been doing it for 20 years!

 

Well is so far away because the plot is long and narrow, and we have wetlands to deal with. The septic and drain field are just down the hill form the house, then the well is down further still. It has to be all in a line like that or it won't fit. The county requires x-amount of feet between each thing and it was the only spot available. Had to get a waiver for it, even =(

 

Just my 2 cents.

I would take a weekend and do it for you at no charge if I lived near you. As long as your getting the material I would offer my labor. Feed me a few brews after and thats payment enough in my book.

Those well people could spare thier time and do it for you. Tap into thier profit they made digging the well and do something charitable.

It always irks me that businesses always need to make a dime and dont give back to the community. This is what America has become it seems.

But dont know the circumstances. You know the old adage that there are three sides to the story, Thiers, yours, and the truth.

There are some fellows on here out your way. Possibly they will chime in.

Post some pics and we can better guide you. Any areas of concern. Visuals are always better.

Mike NJ

 

Thank you, Lawrisa. That's very sweet! I share your philosophy, too. I try and help everyone I can whenever possible. There have been a few really nice folks in this whole process, but a few real stinkers, too. Always looking out for their pockets. That's okay--we'll keep trudging forward like we always do! And soon (I hope) we'll get to move in, and nobody can take our home from us again!

 

You ever own a business? Why should the business do something for free when they don't get it for free neither. Trenchers run about $30K new, labor about $15-20 per hour per person, fuel $50-100....and then god forbid if you hit an unknown line (sewer, power, gas, etc). Then you're doing the job for free.

 

I know you were speaking to Lawrosa, but I'm going to answer, too.

Actually, I do own a business. Two. For one, I do freebies and sliding scale every day for people who can't afford the regular prices. And the other is 100% non-profit every moment of every day. I'm not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but what I get back in kindness is well worth all the effort I put into helping others.

As I said to Lawrosa, I share his philosophy in helping when you can. And I've met a few very kind people in this journey to getting a home for my children. Each of those kind people took an extra 30 minutes and a little bit of effort and made a HUGE difference in the short life of one special little girl. I appreciate each of them for their generosity, and I will repay them someday. . . but that isn't why they did it. They chose to help us because it felt good to do so and it made a sick little girl smile.

Money doesn't make the world go round, despite what the old saying tries to make us believe. Kindness begets kindness.

I understand your stance, Texas Wellman, whether I agree with it or not. But I think you may not understand what Lawrosa was trying to say.

I'm not here to argue. I'm not here to discuss right and wrong in business or what constitutes fair vs. unscrupulous business practice. . . I just want to get my children into a home so they can finally feel safe. Right now, we need power and water.

 

For this reason, what Zorfdt said earlier and seems to have been overlooked:

Makes a LOT of sense to me.

 

What Lawrosa doesn't know is that people like myself help people like yourself every day. When you own a business, you not only give back to the community in terms of taxes and business transactions but you also find yourself giving little things all the time.

Like using your pump hoist to lift the lights at the little league field because a crane would be too expensive, or helping an elderly man get his water back on even though you know he has no way to repay you.

The comment of "Business should give back" just rubs me the wrong way. Nothing is free, and as a business owner you have to decide on things like this almost every day.

Business DO give back a lot more than you think. I guarantee you my vendors don't give away anything for free, and the taxman doesn't give me any breaks either.

 

To answer your reply:

Get the cheap black poly pipe at Lowe's and #12 UF wire. UF wire is grey and is rated for direct burial. Somebody above listed #14 wire but that is too small, use #12.

Put them in the same ditch, run the water line/power line to their respective destinations. Get help with the burial, it takes almost as much work to bury as to dig. Connect the power to the circuit breaker on one end and the pressure switch located at the well. Connect wire to pressure switch first, then from the pressure switch to the control box.

Connect pump to tank, and then tank to water line running to the house. Your pressure switch needs to be as close to the tank as possible.

 

Thanks everyone =) I'm taking detailed notes. I need to budget this carefully!

 

Still, nobody seems to have confirmed or denied that 1" pipe should be used, so I'll ask Tex directly what he thinks about that:

Tex, do you believe that there would be any benefit to up-sizing to 1-1/4" pipe given the fact that it has to run 300' ?

When you say 'cheap black poly pipe' are you suggesting that she use that junk that the guys use for lawn sprinkler systems? I think it might be a good idea to make specific recommendations as to exactly what type of pipe Charity should be using, no? Before she drops some cash on something that might not be NSF rated, or might only last a few years...

One more question if I may: Charity, are there any local building codes that specify what type and schedule of pipe must be used in your locale? Be aware that there may be plumbing, electrical, and health inspections required. Check with your code enforcement folks.

 

I'm not 100% certain what specifics the county has. Trying to get someone to answer their phone has been a heck of a chore. If I can finally get a human being on the horn, what should I ask specifically?

Again, THANK YOU to everyone!

 

Look, I don't have any charts in front of me...but 1" should be fine.....of course 1-1/4 would be better....but also more expensive......

Just go with 1" and get the cheap stuff if you're on a budget....it should be good for at least 3-4 years.....that's my experience....and when it breaks..you just fix the break and roll on...no big deal.

 

Wellman would'nt you keep it the same size that is down in the well? 300 ft is along way, but thats pushing not. pulling. Its only a 10 gpm pump. I dont have the charts either but I would say get the volume with the bigger pipe or at least the same size thats in the well. Reduce the friction loss.

Kudos to you for giving back to the community wellman. Here on the east cost it does not seem like that anymore. Everyone want something these days. But this is a different demographic area also.

I got some good friends living in the southern states, and those good old boys go out thar way to raise barns, and I reckon anything else they can find to do. Lifes alittle slower down them parts. This area is fast paced mayhem.

Possibly the west coast is similiar.

I was talking about her well people anyway and not all well people in general. Or all businesses for that matter. You should not be offended.

They say " Every thing is bigger in Texas"

Mike NJ

 

ok charity, i will chime in here and try to help some.

first off, 300' is the absolute max a 14 gauge wire should be used to run a 230v 3/4hp submersible pump... and thats total distance including down to the pump. so with the 300' run + 70' down to the pump, #14 is undersized.... you need #12 wire from the home to the well head.

as far as pipe sizing. with the pump and tank at the well.... unless i'm off here which is possible (someone feel free to correct), 10 gpm at 300' of 1" plastic is gonna give around 17.5-18 psi friction loss. so if u are set 40-60, its gonna be more like 23-43~ at the home when more than a couple gpm are in use. 1.25" gives 4.5-5 psi loss... much less. so if ur planning to live there for some time and wanna do it right once, go with 1.25".

as far as pipe material, i'm in florida so i'm a sch. 40 pvc guy... however, i know that many places use poly pipe. if so, just be sure that it is rated at at least 160 psi, dont get the cheaper stuff and you will probably be fine for many years.

now as far as doing things for free... i'll try not to go on a tirade here. TW is right, some of us do many things out of kindness with no money.. for me i am usually a sucker for the elderly and the single mothers. and who knows how many thousands i've saved people just helping them out over the phone. when i show up in a service truck though.... there is alot of money, equipment, risk, and labor involved in what i do. sorry if i wanna be paid for my services. money doesnt make the world go round, but it definitely makes my business and family stay afloat.

anyway, good luck with your project.

 

If you have a well house or plan to you may want to run 10-3 UF instead of 12-2 UF. Later on when you can afford it you can add a subpanel so you have 120v for a light and receptacle.

 

Justin's right on the 1.25" vs. the 1" @ 10 GPM....but realistically that would only come into play at 10 GPM...

For the normal 2-5 GPM usage (washing hands, shower, flushing toilet etc) the 1" would be fine. Wet is wet, and I think 1" is a little cheaper.

I don't know what the cost of 1.25 vs. 1" is so I was going the cheapest route. if 1.25 is not too much more then yes, go with it.

 

When it comes to business I have to agree with Texas Wellman. Freebies of this magnitude are a business disaster. There is a place for charitable works but this is not one of them.

Consider the expense of the labor to lay the pipe and make the connections and the equipment needed to backfill the trench. All of that would have to come from the contractors own pocket. I suspect it would be several hundred dollars.

Charity, I wouldn't skimp on wire size or the quality of the pipe. You're probably looking at $1000 in materials anyway.

 

nah, shouldnt even be half that.

 

FYI one 20' stick of PVC is about $5-6 here. 300 ft = 15 sticks of pvc = $90, plus 2-3 cans of glue/primer....about $120 for material. Throw in some 90's, adapters, etc, maybe $150 bucks tops. Glue it on the top, kick it in the ditch, pressure it up and check for leaks....bury it.

Don't know what poly costs...I hate the stuff.

Edit: according to the website Lowe's.com, 100' of coiled black poly pipe is about $30....so 300' is about $90. They didn't show a 500 ft roll...but I assume they sell more than 100' rolls.

That poly is rated for 100 psi...while the pvc of the same size is rated for 450 psi.

 

As wellman stated he dont like poly. Well I dont like PVC. I would go poly. Less trouble putting it together.

This is the home store stuff you want. Its 1 1/4 and 160 psi rated.

1-1/4 in. x 100 ft. Polyethylene Pipe-AJ161210 at The Home Depot

But it only comes 100 ft I believe. You can shop around and get it in 300 ft roll so you dont need to join it with barbs fillings under ground.

I would get one continuous roll if I were you. 300ft - 1 1/4 @ $374

Poly Well Pipe

Go 1 1/4"

As far as electric follow the pros advice on the larger wire.

Mike NJ

 

Oh my goodness! Thanks, all! This is a lot of great info.

After speaking with a couple folks here with wells of their own, it seems to be the consensus that PVC isn't allowed or it isn't recommended. Looks like we'll be going with the black poly just to be on the safe side.

I'll see if I can find a good deal on all that wire--maybe ebay or craig's list or something. if not, I'll get it from the store.

My septic installer is going to backfill the trench, so I'm not worried about that. He dug it for free for me after he installed my septic, and he said he'll be out to bury the drainfield soon anyway, so he'll just backfill the water lines then, too (yay!) I also have friends who have offered their shovels and their backs if push comes to shove and we can't get it buried at the same time.

Just waiting on money now! Should have a small chunk on the 1st.

 

About the cable. Just a reminder about what I wrote in post #21 http://www.doityourself.com/forum/we...ml#post1892288 At 300 feet you may want at some time a source of 120 v out there and you can't do that on 12-2 UF-b. We get lots of posts here from people who only ran 240 for a pump and then have no way to power a light or receptacle. That is a lot of digging to run a new cable at a later date and since you can't have two sources of power to a location you would have to abandon the 12-2. Kind of a waste of money if you later decided you want 120v for a light or a receptacle.

 

I think wet is the objective. It is always nice to have that 120V circuit, but I think she will survive with just regular 230V.

Of course we all know what most people do...not to code...but it happens.

 

Price the tank, the pressure switch, 300' of 12-2 UF and 300' of decent poly pipe. Additional 12-2 to the SEP and maybe a 20 amp breaker. The pipe is probably the cheapest part of the job.

 

sorry, I was thinking the tank/switch was already in place and she only needed pipe and wire but I reread the original post.

 

Just chiming in, a little late but where is the pressure tank going? In the home? If so the pressure switch stays down with the pump? Also she will need sand on the bottom of the ditch before she lays the line right? It acts as a cushion I suppose! I don't know how much she needs but that will cost also! sorry!

 

Just a tad late chiming in... I will close this old thread.... Thanks....