A submersible pump for a well is the optimal solution to the problem of water supply in a summer cottage or in a private home. This unit with minimal energy and labor effort allows you to organize watering events and provide other household needs. The effectiveness of this system depends on the quality of installation of the pump in the well, compliance with technical requirements and safety standards.
What pumps are used for wells?
Not every pump is suitable for lifting water from the depths. Theoretically, it is possible to organize the work of any model in this way, but not in each case it will give the expected operational result. The design features of the wells impose certain restrictions on the design of the pumping equipment.
Target types of pumps for this application include submersible, vibration and centrifugal pumps. Circulation models are usually used to maintain sufficient pressure already at the surface when delivering water over long distances.
It is important to consider the specific performance of the unit. For example, installing a vibration pump in a well allows you to provide a lift of 60-70 m, but in practice, 10-20 m is enough.
Separately, attention is paid to the structural design. If it is planned to immerse the equipment, the case must be airtight and protected from external influences - both impacts and contact with dirt and sand. To prevent the pump from running idle without water (it is dangerous for electrical engineering), experts recommend giving preference to models with protection against “dry” running. These are the basic conditions for organizing a productive and reliable water supply system from a well at the household level.
Mounting Features
The specifics of working with submersible pumps is determined by the need for the owner to descend into the well shaft with a small diameter. The average depth of such structures in private areas varies from 10 to 25 m, so you can’t do without special equipment in this matter. The main and most critical installation operations will be carried out just at depth.
How to go down the well to install the pump? The most practical solution is to use a rope ladder, along which the installation performer can not only go down to the level of equipment location, but also fix himself, freeing his hands for work.
Industrial stairs of this type, worth 4-5 thousand rubles, are provided with special devices for reliable installation and capture of the body. If the immersion depth does not exceed 6 m, then you can restrict yourself to a conventional metal ladder with hooks at the end. Also, experts recommend that when developing a well, stairs in the walls of the well trunk should be equipped with metal brackets with sealed fasteners that are clogged into the ground. But this is only possible if the soil density is sufficient.
Excavation
The first stage of the organization of a well water supply system involves the creation and arrangement of a channel for delivering water to the surface. He will have to connect the point of water consumption or the collector of the distribution of flows and the place of water intake. To do this, dig a trench in which the pipeline will be laid. It is recommended that the channel does not have strong bends with turns, which minimizes energy consumption when creating the desired pressure when pumping fluid.
The place of entry into the wellbore will depend on what level it is planned to install the pump into the well, but not higher than the depth of the freezing formation. This will increase the reliability of the trench. As a rule, the branch is made at a depth of 1.5-2 m.
The width of the channel should be 40-50 cm. In this case, it should be possible to exclude the presence of sharp stones and various debris in the circuit that could damage the pipe. Next, at the bottom of the canal, an approximately 20-cm sand and gravel cushion is made, similar to a drainage one. A geotextile layer is laid on it to wrap the pipeline with the purpose of sealing.
Pipeline installation
Under the condition of properly organized insulation, you can use metal, metal-plastic and polypropylene pipes, as well as hoses, if you plan to create a channel with a small throughput for irrigation. The main requirements for the material are corrosion resistance and mechanical strength. For ease of installation and possible repair work in the future, it is desirable to form the pipeline into segments by zones. Laying is done on the surface, in the channel and on the transition to the pump already in the wellbore. Especially in the trench, it is important to provide insulation of the pipe with insulation and corrugated shell.
A special plumbing sleeve with a length of about 50 cm is installed at the exit point of the pipe from the trunk. To ensure the reliability of installing the pump in the well with your own hands, putty of the embedded pipe using cement-sand mortar should be done. When it dries, the sleeve will need to be further treated with bitumen mastic for waterproofing. The calculation of the length of the pipeline is based on the fact that the inlet in the well shaft must have at least 25 cm. At its end, a drain valve is installed for emergency water discharge.
Do it yourself step-by-step installation of the pump in the well
By this moment, mounting equipment with devices for fastening the equipment should be prepared and the condition of its electrical infrastructure should be checked. The fact is that the cable will also pass through the pipeline channel, and without intermediate links with connections. It must directly connect the pump and the surface current source.
Then, first of all, the question of how to suspend the pump in the well is decided? It is suspended using a nylon or galvanized wire rope, one end of which is fixed to a stable mounting frame. The latter can be made from steel corners - a simple metal frame is mounted for placement near the well head. A cable is fixed to this base.
Next, the operations are performed in the following sequence:
- The pump is placed at the end of the pipe-pipe segment connecting the tee and the water intake point.
- The cable is laid out parallel to the outlet pipe.
- If the unit was supplied in a prefabricated kit, then it will be enough to connect it to the sleeve. In the opposite case, do-it-yourself installation of the submersible pump in the well using a non-return valve. For installation, a complete or universal plumbing material is used. The task of the contractor is to connect the valve and attach the adapter sleeve to which the pipe connects.
- The cable is fixed to the water supply with clamps or electrical tape. The first option is more reliable, but in both cases, you must maintain the step of placing fasteners at least 50 cm.
- The lowered cable is threaded into a special hole on the pump casing (usually a special head for gripping is provided) and fixed.
- At this stage, the installation of the downhole pump in the well connects the pipeline to the tee. This is done using plumbing paste or an American with tow.
- The cable in the protective casing is led through the trench to the surface.
- Outside, a hole with a pipe channel is covered with soil and geotextile. It is possible to use a plastic or concrete lining of the outlet section for additional protection.
Features of installing a surface pump in a well
Unlike submersible pumps, this equipment does not have special protection against water. The unit should be located not just near the head of the well, but in a special structure. Initially, a frame is mounted that protects the equipment with connecting elements from precipitation and wind. If possible, it is better to organize the pumping infrastructure in a special utility room or utility block, but this object should be located close to the well shaft. In addition, if the installation of a well pump in a well is possible at a great depth, determined only by the pressure head of the equipment, then surface models work with a maximum intake level of not more than 8-9 m.
A suction pipe with a pre-installed filter and a check valve is immersed in the well. On land, the other end of the pipe is connected to a pump nozzle through a suitable-sized coupling. Another important feature of surface units is the need to release air from the circuits. For this, a bypass air valve is also mounted as an optional equipment.
From the outside, this solution in the form of using a surface pump for a well may seem technically simpler, since it does not require the creation of an additional pipeline outlet through the ground. However, this advantage is covered by low productivity compared to submersible pumping systems. Therefore, this option is usually used in seasonal water supply for irrigation.
Connection of additional equipment and automation
Regardless of the type of pump used, an auxiliary control infrastructure will be required. Without fail, a membrane tank (pressure accumulator) is connected to the system for natural regulation of pressure and prevention of water hammer, as well as automation, which will facilitate control processes. Both the monitoring relay and the membrane tank are located on the surface of the room. Moreover, it is important to ensure the horizontal position of this equipment, which will create conditions for its correct operation.
If a typical scheme for installing a pump in a well is used, then the hydraulic tank will also have to have an appropriate version intended for placement in the well. Both its body and the connection pipes must be sealed. Inlet and outlet hoses are connected to the tank from the pump, which will allow regulating the pressure in the circuit by means of a buffer tank. The relay with automation is connected only on the surface via an RCD with a fuse. By the way, pumping stations already in the basic configuration provide for the presence of a hydraulic accumulator and the necessary controls. Another thing is that using such an aggregate for the sole purpose of watering from a well is irrational. When connected to the collector, the station can additionally regulate the processes of pumping water from other sources.
Preparing for first use
Before starting the pump, it is advisable to make rubber protective pads on the sides where the housing may collide with the walls of the well. This will prevent shock during operation of the unit with vibrations.
Depending on the operating conditions, similar devices should be installed throughout the pipeline. Particular attention is paid to the installation locations of the clamps - protruding parts with clamps should also not touch the pipes. If a high-power water pump is installed in the well, then at the end of the cable it will be useful to provide a spring suspension, which will allow the equipment to vibrate freely and reduce the load on the supporting frame.
When switching on, make sure that the unit is completely in the water. If it is planned to use water for drinking needs, then all surfaces of the equipment and the pipeline network should be thoroughly washed.
Pump Maintenance Tips
During operation, periodically check for the following items:
- Design integrity and connection reliability.
- The degree of wear of the cable, insulation materials and mounting accessories. If you installed the pump in a well with rubber seals or damping materials, you should prepare for their regular replacement.
- The presence of foreign objects in the pipeline.
- The correctness of the readings of measuring instruments (pressure gauge, thermometer, etc.).
- The operation of emergency shutdown systems.
Conclusion
The performance of well pumps will be affected by many operational factors: from the characteristics of the pumped liquid to the reliability of the equipped installation structure. Therefore, installation measures are recommended to be carried out only after a comprehensive examination of the sampling point and assessment of the possibilities for solving the task.
The proposed technology for installing the pump in the well allows you to organize an ergonomic in use and accessible for further maintenance water supply system. If desired, it can be upgraded by linking communications with other equipment, such as a collector installation or a circulation pumping unit. By choosing the appropriate water intake scheme, it is quite possible to provide the house with drinking and industrial water for irrigation of the garden.