Here is the situation - we are planning to sell our home in the city and move out of town and micro farm our new property - i.e. garden, chickens maybe a couple hogs and cattle. Our goal = get off grid (as much as possible as quickly as possible) Priority #1 is a reliable water supply. Q: the well does not have a submersible pump but a jet pump with high power consumption (1.5 hp 30 amp) will I have to get a new (4-6" O.D.) well drilled? I have seen really cool hand pump attachments that work alone if power goes out or can even be solar/wind powered... enough to maintain enough water pressure to reasonably function. LINKS -These units seem like a good, but costly way to go. Hand Water Pumps, Motorized (Great with Solar), by Simple Pump. Stainless Steel Deep Well Hand Pump @ Survival Unlmited .com - Pump from as deep as 300' Any thoughts?
SurvivorSam, if I understand your question, you will not need to drill another well if your present well meets your consumption needs and the diameter of the existing casing is large enough. As I recall, the standard size casing is 6". Word of warning (I learned this the hard way). The pump instructions will tell you to complete your heat shrink connections, then roll up your wiring and put it in a 5 gal bucket filled with water. Set your VOM to "continuity" then drop one VOM lead in the water and touch the other lead to the exposed wires that you will be connecting to your pressure switch. If you get a reading, you have a breach on the wire insulation that will prematurely burn out your pump. Like I said, I learned this the hard way. :cry: Regarding a hand pump, since you have a jet pump, that means that your well water level is too far down to pull the water up. It must be pushed up, so any pump you get must be a deep well pump. Good luck.
Yeah, that's the catch: the depth of the well. If it's deep you have to have a different set-up than a shallow well. If you're just going to use it for an emergency back-up and not a long-term way to supply your household, then your consumptions needs will be less than an every-day run-water-all-you-want-without-thinking-about-it situation. Don't forget about a rain water collection system and storage tanks/barrels as a back up, at least for wash water.
