Replacing a pump in a well: how to remove and install a new one with your own hands

Read on and find out the reasons why you need to replace a well pump, how to replace/remove a pump in a well, problems during dismantling a well pump and how to solve them.

Reasons why a well pump may need to be replaced:

• Pump malfunction - motor burned out, cable problems, something stuck in the blades, blades broke.
• The pump is not powerful enough.
• The device is stuck in sand/mud.
• The pump cable has broken.
• Leak/breakage in the pressure pipe.
• Incorrect pump installation.
• The pump is worn out.
• The device is jammed due to being wrapped in electrical cable.
• There is no water in the well.

How to remove a pump from a well

All situations when you need to remove a pump from a well are divided into three levels:

• Up to 30 meters
• 30-100 meters
• More than 100 meters

If the pump is located at a depth of up to 30 meters, then one person can handle its dismantling. At this depth, equipment of low power and weight is installed. To remove the pump from this depth:

• Open the casing.
• Drain the water from the pressure pipe, then disconnect it from the rest of the water supply.
• Pull the pump by the cable and slowly lift the device. Try not to let it wobble, otherwise it may get stuck between the walls of the well.
• If there is a metal pipe coming from the pump, disconnect its segments. Secure the wires with clamps or hold them. If the wires wrap around the pump, it will get stuck in the well.

A borehole pump at a depth of 30 to 100 meters can only be reached with the help of several people and equipment. At this depth, pumps of high power and heavy weight are installed - about 100 kilograms. Read the weight of the water in the pressure pipe as you lift the pump. To remove the pump from the well at this depth:

• Open the casing.
• Drain the water from the pipe and disconnect it from the pipeline.
• Hook the pump cable onto the hook of the winch or manipulator.
• Turn on your device. Raise the pump slowly.
• Disconnect the segments from the metal pipe and tilt the plastic pipe onto the ground so that it does not break. Watch the wiring - it may interfere with lifting the pump or break. Secure it with clamps every few meters or keep it constantly taut.

A borehole pump cannot be reached from a depth of more than 100 meters without special equipment. Such devices are installed to extract water from artesian wells; their pipes can withstand a pressure of 16 atmospheres and are made of stainless steel. Such pumps weigh several hundred kilograms, plus the mass of water in its pipe. Such pumps are obtained by special teams. To do this, they have a crane and a winch; there is no other way to lift such a device.

Problems of dismantling a pump from a well

The most common problems when dismantling a pump are that the device gets stuck in sand or silt, the pump gets stuck during lifting, the cable breaks or the pump falls to the bottom of the well.

Well pump stuck in sand/silt. At low depths, large amounts of sand and silt (a mixture of minerals and organic matter) form. Sometimes the pump is completely in them, and due to pumping out the water, its level decreases. Then the sand and silt dry out, sealing the pump in the well. The device works properly, but you won’t be able to get it out in the usual way.To do this, you need to pull it up and down by the cable and pour water on it to soften the rocks. Do not pull too hard - you may break the cable.

The well pump got stuck during lifting. This happens when the device gets caught on something or a cable is wrapped around it. Try lowering the device, taking out the electrical cable and pulling them out parallel to the pressure pipe, or you can secure the cable to the pipe with clamps.

If the problem is not in the cable, then something is in the way in the well itself/stuck to the pump. Try to find an angle at which the device can rise, or try to break the interfering element with something heavy on the cable.

If the pump does not rise or fall in the well, also try to knock it down with something heavy.

The well pump cable has broken. There are two outcomes: try to get the device or leave it there. To get the device, you need to make a grappling hook, that is, make a cable out of wire as long as the depth of the well and weld them together. Such a hook needs to be lowered to the bottom and try to catch on to the arc of the pump.

If it is not possible to get the device, it is left there, provided that it does not interfere with the flow of water. When the pump cannot be reached and is in the way, it is broken with a bailer.