Replacing A Submersible Well Pump

Your well pump failed... not a good day!

Here are some ideas on how to get it out of the well. I used a crane to assist me since I did it alone. You could do something similar with a simple tripod - get some 2x4's or 4x4s and set it up over your well.

I used a crane to support a rope block and tackle. The crane could easily rip things up - there is such as thing as too much power! :-)

Be careful when you disconnect the pitless adapter. You really don't want to drop the well and downpipe down the hole! You will need a good flashlight so you can figure out your pitless adapter.

This one has a stainless steel release cable that attaches to a latch. When you pull the cable the pitless adapter releases from the side fitting and is free to be pulled out of the well (or dropped into the well.. :-( )

This adapter was setup so you can screw a 1" pipe into the top of the adapter. I made a T handle out of pipe and fittings. That way the downpipe could not slide into the hole even if I screwed up and dropped it..

Tie the safety line onto something - see the 2x6 with the safety rope tied to it? That won't easily go down the well.

I used a prussic knot made in a loop of 3/8" nylon rope to secure the rope fall to the down pipe. When loosened it slides on the downpipe... when pulled tight it firmly grips the downpipe..

This well is a little over 100 ft deep and the downpipe is probably 90 ft long. The pump sits in about 30 ft of water.

Even with all of this gear it took 7-8 hours to replace this pump since it was in the mid 90's. Pretty hot but better than the last time when it was Feb 1st and around 10 degrees outside and blowing like crazy.. Ugh..