# Looking for a shallow well conversion



## tikiman (Mar 1, 2011)

Seen several versions of this on the net but not for what i'm looking for. I have a shallow well pump and pressure tank (old style) with a 2 pipe hook up for the foot valve down the well. My well head cap only has 2 holes in it for the pipes, except for a 1/2" test plug. 
What I would like to do is run a conversion so I can use a cast iron hand pump for those power down times. Has any body done this hook up and how well did it work? I would think to T the up pipe with a 1 way valve and ball valve shut off but.. Any thoughts would be great.


----------



## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

If you have a two pipe well, it is a deep well-not shallow. Besides the foot valve at the end of those pipes, there is a jet. No easy way to hook a hand pump on.


----------



## Well_Driller (Jun 3, 2012)

How deep is the well? If I were you, and if you have a well casing that is 6" I.D. or larger, I would get rid of the jet pump, install a submersible with a pitless adapter, then you could also install the hand pump on the well head, and the submersible pump will eliminate priming issues that sometimes come up with jet pumps. Here recently we've been replacing jet pumps and installing submersibles, and the customers were a bit uneasy about going to a submersible because all they ever had was that jet pump, but after the new pump was installed and running they couldn't have been happier with it and wish they would have done it years ago.... Most jet pumps are only good down to about 250' static water level. A good hand pump, and I mean a real heavy pump like the Baker Monitor can pump water from that depth. So most likely it is doable.


----------



## tikiman (Mar 1, 2011)

hiwall said:


> If you have a two pipe well, it is a deep well-not shallow. Besides the foot valve at the end of those pipes, there is a jet. No easy way to hook a hand pump on.


One of the things i've been thinking. May have to change it out first


----------



## tikiman (Mar 1, 2011)

Well_Driller said:


> How deep is the well? If I were you, and if you have a well casing that is 6" I.D. or larger, I would get rid of the jet pump, install a submersible with a pitless adapter, then you could also install the hand pump on the well head, and the submersible pump will eliminate priming issues that sometimes come up with jet pumps. Here recently we've been replacing jet pumps and installing submersibles, and the customers were a bit uneasy about going to a submersible because all they ever had was that jet pump, but after the new pump was installed and running they couldn't have been happier with it and wish they would have done it years ago.... Most jet pumps are only good down to about 250' static water level. A good hand pump, and I mean a real heavy pump like the Baker Monitor can pump water from that depth. So most likely it is doable.


For the most part, not deep. Casing is about 8" ( guessing ) and only 80' deep. Would i have to change the pressure tank also? This is one of the things i was told by a local company when i looked at it a couple of years ago. It's a new tank, old school style, so i would rather not spend the bucks if it's not needed.


----------



## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

That would most likely be a yes on the tank change. You could leave your current system alone and install a hand pump with a piston down in the water(for emergencies) if you do have an 8" casing.


----------



## Well_Driller (Jun 3, 2012)

If the tank is a bladder tank then you can use it with a submersible. If you have an 8" casing, then there's enough room to get a hand pump in with the jet pump. Go get a jet pump pitless adapter, kind of expensive but it will allow the two pipes to exit at the side of the casing and make it easier to pull the jet out if you need to work on it. This will free up the top of the casing to set the hand pump.


----------

