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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Hand dug well
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hueyjazz
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# Posted: 1 Jul 2014 11:47
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So I was aware that I had a spring on my property and last week i started to dig in a likely spot where it might be. I've been wanting to put in a well to wash dogs, me, etc but we would alweays cook and drink what we bring with us.
I hit water at one foot down and digging wasn't too bad. I've since ordered a Symour AUA2 auger and have cut up a 10' length of 3/4" pipe so I can extend the auger down. I'm thinking I can make a 6" diamater hole 12' down. I'm aware there another technique to dig wells using a water blast method but I don't have available water for this. Anyone do their own well and if so do you have any recoomendation for a shallow well pump and how to do the well casing?

Just
Member
# Posted: 1 Jul 2014 23:09
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A sand point well might have been a better choice but if that is what you want i do have a bit of experience .
first of all you need a high water table and sandy soil [sounds like you have both ].
because the well will likely tend to fall in upon it.s self as you dig you need to add a liner as you dig ..
this can be done by forcing short lengths of pipe down the well as you dig
you will need a liner just a bit larger than your auger [so you can dig down though the liner and then force the liner down the well before the hole falls in upon it's self ]
this process continues until you are as deep as you can or you hit clay .. if you hit clay stop digging
the top length of liner should be as long as possible to keep surface water out of the well ..
In the one well i helped dig 50 years ago we used 8 in clay tile as a liner and grouted the top 6 tile together as they were put in the well .
not sure about the pump as you did not say how you intend to power it . 110 volt ?? 12 volt ?? hand pump??
it was a long time ago , hope i didn't forget anything . GOOD LUCK

tverga
Member
# Posted: 1 Jul 2014 23:41
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Do yourself a favor and call a driller. I just had a 22 foot well dug for $125. It took less than an hour, we spent more time talking then they spent drilling. If you dig it with an auger you will probably spend $225 in hardware and broken stuff. Get a quote.

Also a driller that is familiar with the area has a better chance in hitting good water than you do.

hueyjazz
Member
# Posted: 2 Jul 2014 12:03 - Edited by: hueyjazz
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I do have electric onsite so that is how I would power the pump. I see harbor freight offers a shallow well pump kits but it has horrible reviews. I see also Flotec offers a similiar kit (Pump, expansion tank, pressure switch) but know nothing of it.
Since I'm already at 4' and have a 8" hole filled with water I'm not seeing hitting the water to be a problem. So far the digging has all been in clay with small rocks. I don't plan to drink this water.
Getting a 22' well dug for $125 is a bargain and I can tell you that guy doesn't live anywhere near me. The people in the cabins by me paid around $2000 for their wells to be dug.

SE Ohio
Member
# Posted: 2 Jul 2014 12:27
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If you need water to "jet" the well and aren't in a hurry, one can rig a tarp or tarps to rain-fill 55 gallon barrels. Guesstimate your jet-drilling water needs based on your (siphoning-type) pump's gallons per minutes rating. You may not need a lot of water if you don't get stopped by rock? Our local Pepsi bottler sells these barrels for $5 each. Get enough for the job.

If you have a cabin with gutters you fill the barrels more efficiently, but full barrels are no fun to move to drilling site.

If existing well is producing enough water, might use a 12 volt bilge pump to fill barrels on site? These can go 3 gpm, and can be used to make off-grid shower.

PatrickH
Member
# Posted: 2 Jul 2014 21:51
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Dang they wont even come to your place for less than $4500.00 U.S. around me, that gets ya 80' of pipe.

tverga
Member
# Posted: 3 Jul 2014 13:25
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Quoting: hueyjazz
Since I'm already at 4' and have a 8" hole filled with water I'm not seeing hitting the water to be a problem. So far the digging has all been in clay with small rocks. I don't plan to drink this water.
Getting a 22' well dug for $125 is a bargain and I can tell you that guy doesn't live anywhere near me. The people in the cabins by me paid around $2000 for their wells to be dug.


The difference is hitting good water opposed to just hitting water.

This may help, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGq0ETzZP0E

TheWildMan
Member
# Posted: 4 Jul 2014 08:43
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i tried the same thing but kept hitting rocks anywhere from 4 to 6 feet down and having to try again. seymore augers have optional extensions for the handle (I got 2 and my auger can go down about 14 feet if i didn't hit so many rocks). the rocks also prevent me from using a sand point (the big hill I live on has, besides the DOT ruble dump that makes up most of my lot, a lot of rocks as its actually a glacier moraine-a long narrow hill made by an old glacier). i was going to use a 4 inch pvc pipe as the well casing and set a cheap cast iron hand pump onto a 2 inch pvc pipe with a one way filter valve on the bottom and set it inside the 4 inch pipe (lining the 4 inch auger hole with the big pipe)

didn't work for me because of the rocks so i rely on rain water, melted snow, and a 6 foot hand dug well lined with an old barrel to prevent caving in the sides (this well only has water 2/3 of the year), to put in a better well i need to bring in heavy equipment that will work despite the rocks, but i can't afford to hire one

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