Pulling well pump

[E/S]

I need to pull my well pump this summer, its on 1 1/4" galvanized pipe - 300' to 500' deep. What I'm looking for are ideas on how to do this myself pulling
21' lengths of pipe at a time. I have done it pulling 10' to 11' at a time, cutting the pipe and repeat. That process is slow and messy ( but its as high as my loader will go).
I am considering building a SSQA boom poll but am a little concerned about stability.
I pulled / set pumps for years as a younger man with a crane, but those days have passed. Now i just want to do my own and possible 3 or 4 others a year in my area.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

E/S

 

[hodge]

We pull them down in Haiti with a tripod and a chain hoist- it may move slower, but in the end, it works well. Slow and steady. With a tractor? I don't know- with a crain, you lift straight up. Using a loader, you would have to move the tractor as you lift, to keep a straight lift going. Why not build a tripod, with a cable and pulleys? Have a pulley at the top of the tripod, one at the bottom pulling off of the casing or a deep stake, so that you are pulling from the anchor point, not on the tripod- you could lift as high as you make the tripod, and as far as you have to run the tractor. It would take more than one person, so I assume that however you do it, you aren't doing it alone.

 

[Kubota Newbie]

I've had to pull mine a couple times, but it's on plastic and only 115 feet, so I've just hoisted it out by hand. But 46 is too old to be doing that any more so the next time I'm going to make a bracket to clamp to my casing that will hold a boat trailer winch. I plan to just wrap my pull rope that goes down to the pump 3-4 wraps around the winch shaft and start cranking. If your pump is on steel you probably do not have a safety rope to the pump, but you could make a noose from small diameter cable and let it down around the pipe then pull it up whatever length you wanted to.

 

[Toyboy]

You definitely need a tripod that's stable and high enough to do this. Your talking a lot of weight there. An old truck w/one and an electric winch would work. Chain-fall are good but as slow as they are, you'd be two days pulling.

First all, your gonna have to buy/make a clamp to hold the pipe once you have a section up. If you lose it down the well... your SOL! Also I'm picturing a cap with a hook/eye bolt that you can screw on the sections to pull them up and lower them.

Don't forget the wire, your going to have to replace it if you want to make sure it won't give you trouble later on.

Just my thoughts, don't know if I helped or not.

 

[skeets]

My well is 211 feet deep and on pastic pipe now, old steel pipe before. Ok Im gona save a few bucks,, wrong move,, I tried a chain fall and tri pod,, not good and eveything else any one could think of,, good thing we have city water too,,,, anyway what I would up with was getting the guys that drilled the well to do it,, trust me it was well worth the expence had to replace the pump anyway, and changed to plastic pipe. Can you do it? Sure you can, but I think this is one time paying the money to some one with the equipment and know how is money well spent. Just MHO you understand

 

[E/S]

We pull them down in Haiti with a tripod and a chain hoist- it may move slower, but in the end, it works well. Slow and steady. With a tractor? I don't know- with a crane, you lift straight up. Using a loader, you would have to move the tractor as you lift, to keep a straight lift going. Why not build a tripod, with a cable and pulleys? Have a pulley at the top of the tripod, one at the bottom pulling off of the casing or a deep stake, so that you are pulling from the anchor point, not on the tripod- you could lift as high as you make the tripod, and as far as you have to run the tractor. It would take more than one person, so I assume that however you do it, you aren't doing it alone.

Hodge,
My thought is to put a 10' boom pole on the loader. Mount a receiver winch on the front and call several friends.

E/S

 

[E/S]

I've had to pull mine a couple times, but it's on plastic and only 115 feet, so I've just hoisted it out by hand. But 46 is too old to be doing that any more so the next time I'm going to make a bracket to clamp to my casing that will hold a boat trailer winch. I plan to just wrap my pull rope that goes down to the pump 3-4 wraps around the winch shaft and start cranking. If your pump is on steel you probably do not have a safety rope to the pump, but you could make a noose from small diameter cable and let it down around the pipe then pull it up whatever length you wanted to.

Next time you pull your pump try on of these. Just pull the wellhead over the wheel, tie it to a vehicle and drive away. Stop when you see the pump and lift it out. This is how I have done it for 30+ yrs.

E/S

 

[Capnbeak]

I have a 12 foot Aframe mounted to the front of my L3750 and used a notched board to hold the joint as it was unscrewed-but metal pipe is so much heavier i would be concerned i think

 

[Capnbeak]

Like Toyboy said you don't want to drop the pump-but most like you have 220 cable secured not only to the pump but also to the bottom sections of pipe

 

[E/S]

I wish I was the one who had installed this pump, then I would know what is down there. Fortunately the pump has not died yet.

E/S

 

[hugho]

I need to pull my well pump this summer, its on 1 1/4" galvanized pipe - 300' to 500' deep. What I'm looking for are ideas on how to do this myself pulling
21' lengths of pipe at a time. I have done it pulling 10' to 11' at a time, cutting the pipe and repeat. That process is slow and messy ( but its as high as my loader will go).
I am considering building a SSQA boom poll but am a little concerned about stability.
I pulled / set pumps for years as a younger man with a crane, but those days have passed. Now i just want to do my own and possible 3 or 4 others a year in my area.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

E/S

You can rent a puller which has two rubber wheels the squeeze the pipe and rolls the pipe up. It mounts to the well casing and is powdered by electric or gas motor. slick and safe. you have to do it right or you may drop it all in the well. you will want to have a safety line. My advice is hire a crane and pull it out 50' @ a time. safe and fast and you can lay it on the ground as it comes out.

 

[E/S]

Thanks
Looks like I'm going the crane route.


E/S

 

[Jim Jacobson]

I've pulled my well pump (320') twice in the past five years. It's not fun whether you're pulling from 20' or 500'.

- Remember when pulling the pump it's a lot heavier than when installing because the pipe is full of water (unless the check valves have failed).
- Short of hiring a well guy, a wheel on a tripod is the easiest for average person.
- If you have not attached a cable to the pump, the wheel method pulls on the electrical wires. In that case hire a well guy.
- Here in NW Wyoming brass fittings and polyvinyl/PVC are used because galvanic action will destroy galvanised pipe. Suspect Reno area is similar.
- If polyvinyl is used, the wheel on a tripod works fine - you can pull on the pipe (use a larger wheel). PVC is normally in 20' sections and a cable pull or a means to pull on the pipe itself is required.
- Polyvinyl pipe comes in 300' sections and is the fastest way - up and down.
- Remember to install a check valve(s), depending upon depth. I have one at 150'.

My pipe is PVC and was installed when the well was drilled - before I bought the place. My preference is polyvinyl. The last time my pipe was pulled the guy had a boom on the end of his backhoe. Not the best, but it worked fine.

BTW, I want to know where the guy that said he pulled his well by hand with friends from 115' got those NFL players to help him. I'm 6'2" at 225 and there's no way - good on you....sir