How to find the water depth in a well with a cell phone!

[@Physicsnerd1]

Peter, I have got to thank you. Since we are in a water drought here in Oregon, some property owners wells are running dry this season. I figured I better check the static level of my well, to avoid burning out the pump, and, if need be, make the necessary arrangements for a dry well. I looked at a lot of different methods, from cheap to expensive, but nothing caught my interest until your very simple (GENIUS) method. Thanks to you, I found the static level easily, and can check it periodically to avoid surprises. My normal static level is at 28ft, and using your method I found the static level to be 35 ft. My pump is at 61 ft., so I can rest easy for now thanks to you. Thank you so very much.

[@tphilips66]

This is genius. We have a sketchy well that we were trying to measure. Your method worked perfectly and saved us a lot of hassle. Thanks.

[@oubystealth]

I actually used this and it works way better than I had thought it would. Thank you for the tip! my water is at 375' and thats way easier than trying any other method I have found.

[@arcrad]

Genius! This saved me from having to mess with fishing line and weights.

[@kyleinthought]

What a legend. Thanks Peter. Anyone used a laser distance meter successfully is my next question.

[@AlanSanderson-u4t]

I have not heard of any success with laser measurement down a well. The well pros use sound.

[@karhukivi]

Sounds like (no pun intended!) someone could write an app for a smartphone to do this! Will try it out asap - thanks!

[@nitinkale560]

Thanks for the marvellous solution. I was thinking of purchasing a laser distance measurement instrument. However I am not sure whether it would have worked.

[@ammarsalmi]

Does the sound reflect of the water surface or the bottom of the well? I read that sound is reflected of water only at a critical angle.

[@keosh777]

Amazing. I just calculated the depth to water surface in my well using cell, switch sound converter and audacity. I didn't want to open the top of the well and drop a line down when science could easily solve the problem. I am using the information to calculate how much bleach I'll be putting into the system for a chlorine shock I am going to do. THANK YOU :).

[@kousthubasheshappa8983]

#Thanks for providing the demo about new method of detecting water Depth inside the Borewell. #Accordingly please clarify the following; Is it "possible to record/capture the sound wave* *correctly*??- 'inside the Borewell', *if there is *some gap in top cap- enclosure*,as cap made with two halves* ( top cap to casing pipe of borewell not fully closed). #Please reply.

[@petermaginot2640]

A gap in the cap might reduce the intensity of the sound to the point where it is difficult to record the echo. Only way to see if that is the case would be to try it out though.

[@Nitro2Nitro]

Can you do it if the well is capped with concrete?

[@robbw7551]

Wow, worked like a charm! I used an app that saved it as a .wav file so I didn't have to do the conversion, then used Audacity.

[@currentresident15666]

What app did you use that saved it as a .wav file? I tried this and am having a hard time seeing the echos.

[@safffff1000]

I have a 6" well pipe 2 ft sticking out the ground, this does not work. The pipe just rings like a bell blocking out any echo

[@rayladeojen1594]

Hello - A blast from the past! Great approach! So I tried it but my numbers don't make sense. I have a cement cap shallow well. I tried filtering the sound file but still cant get numbers that make any sense. Any thoughts?

[@petermaginot2640]

Hmm, maybe the cement cap dampens the sound too much each way to be able to discern the echo? You might try putting something heavy on the phone to bond it tighter to the cap to be more sensitive? Just a wild idea.

[@dundersquat]

I think it worked! Thank you.

[@tnkwe]

Wonderful technique that just worked for me. The sound file from my Huawei P9 Lite was the M4A that I converted using the online solution audio.online-convert.com/convert-to-wav. Opened it in Audicity and it came in 1m from the string estimate. Thank you boss.

[@ThomasLunsford]

Fantastic!

[@spiketaterman5181]

very clever. Smartphone sonar for well depth!

[@astroroadshow]

I measure the depth of the water using a $2 ball of string and a bottle half filled with water. Just lower down the bottle until the tension ends - its floating. Measure the amount of string in the well by bringing it back up.

[@safffff1000]

What if somehow it broke off, a risk I wouldn't want to take

[@astroroadshow]

@@safffff1000 Attach two lengths of string then.

[@danehbear]

This is genius! Will be trying this

[@brambekaert3352]

This actually works very well (pun intended ...).

[@LeCzarny]

Genius

[@joemc111]

Neat

[@pianodoctor8686]

I'm a believer? THANKS

[@republicoftutorials6068]

genius

[@Hashbitnitwit]

I would be interested to see someone use a string and bobber now and see how far off this is. If at all. Thanks for this though, science is awesome.

[@UpnorthHere]

When I saw the headline I thought he was going to tie a working cellphone to a string and lower it down until it stops working, then pull it out and measure the string. ;P

[@Physicsnerd1]

Excellent!