Pulling Well Pipe 250 ft HD 720p

Sharing my solution for lifting well pipe by hand, 1 man operation. Ideally a 3 man job: 1 at the well pipe setting knots, one on the roof winching and releasing the knot, and one on the ground moving the pipe across the ground. 1 man is a 10 hr job for 250 ft.

[@vptech2]

While a buddy and I were pulling my 1” suction pipe up by hand so I could change the foot valve and leathers, the pipe got stuck and wouldn’t budge. Using an inner tube and you rope setup, I raised my tractor bucket up over well and used a com-a-long. Still wouldn’t budge. (I didn’t force it). Poured about a half gallon of bleach in casing around suction pipe and let it soak over night. The bleach soften leathers and acts as a a slight lubricant. Next morning I had my buddy twist pipe back a forth as I tighten com-a-long. If it would bind and would not twist, I would lower it a bit so it would twist and continue to pull. About 30 minutes later, we had all 95 foot of 1” pvc out of the casing. BTW..I have pulled about 25 deep injection wells and this is the second time it has happen. After pulling up about 5 foot, one of the leathers flipped over and jam the packer to the casing. I’ve seen people try to force the 1” suction pipe before out and actually pull up the 2” casing. I hope these helps someone!😅

[@bestNameICanThinkOf]

Great idea. I'm planning to replace our well pump at about 140 feet tomorrow and have no idea what kind of pipe awaits me down there, and it's a little scary facing the unknown. Siince my biggest fear is dropping the pipe after cutting some off, your method may save the day for me. Thanks for posting this.

[@adobedirtblues1321]

Another item may want to look into is a simple tool u can rent called a pipe elevator. It is one way clamp you lay across the mouth of the well. As you pull the pipe up it slips going up but cannot drop back down. Sort of a one-way clamp for pipe. That would eliminate one of the knots. I used one of those tools along with my tractor loader attached to a prusik to lift the well pipe. It came right up

[@thijsvanderhorst8745]

Very cool, pleased that I saw that!

[@EnderGate]

Pursik, trucker's hitch, I saw an Alpine Butterfly too! :)

[@tropdiver100]

Nicely done. I’m familiar with a different knot that I was going to try, but I like your knot.

[@oldmanwinter1405]

Well done, bro. I might have to end up pulling the pump on your Dad's well. At least I tore down the old well house and will no build a new one until after I get the well up and running again.

[@HoseSolutions]

Hey Oldman Winter. Cehck out our WellHose.com DIY Drop Pipe. You can easily do it yourself.

[@danielely7437]

Omg I needed this. Burned my brain out yesterday pull 6’ out of 250’ in 4 hours. Hopefully today goes better in the freezing cold

[@pimkevnkids]

hey Daniel glad this was helpful- please let us know how your pull went, and if you found any way to improve it. Stay warm and good luck!

[@danielely7437]

My method is the foot of the ladder chained to the well pipe and top of ladder chained back to tree allowing top of ladder to hang just over center of well pipe. I am using a heavy duty ratchet strap and chain come along lifting the majority of the weight. I ran the 1”pvc up through top of ladder to keep in straight up but also ran the pvc over a branch of a tree to help the pvc from snapping. I’m one person pulling 240’ and couldn’t break the joints apart. With it being really cold I was only able to pull 30’ the first two days. I’m not finished but will post more,

[@pamundson9]

Daniel, I'm about to pull my pump here as well. I didn't have scaffolding so your idea of the ladder is probably how I'm gonna try to do it. I also have a large tree that will help keep the pipe from snapping. Thanks for the info.

[@danielely7437]

@@pamundson9 let me know if I can help more. I was successful

[@danielely7437]

I can email photos as well. Always make sure to keep two points of contact if at all possible. Maybe over kill but rather safe than sorry. With a long chain holding up a come along and a heavy duty ratchet strap via top rung of ladder, I was very efficient in pulling and re setting. I did end up pulling all joints apart and replaced the bad couplers connecting pvc. I used pipe dope to join back together. I also crimped, shrink wrapped, and rubber taped the connections to the well pump.

[@adobedirtblues1321]

Very cool solution. If I’m not mistaken they call that a prusik knot.

[@ryansullivan1327]

awesome job.

[@hairyyeti21]

thank you

[@stevenscotthager]

Hey Kevin, I've been curious about whether I could gently lay schedule 80 over and onto the ground, without disconnecting each 21 foot section. I looks like you were able to lay schedule 120 over? Approximately how high was your arc at its tallest point?

[@pimkevnkids]

Hi Steven- I was lucky to have an uphill area to arc over onto with the pipe. On the hill above the well house I set up an A frame with 12' lumber and fed the pipe through a boat winch pulley (2" wide throat). That kept the pipe in a safe arc. You might consider buying a 20' length and bend it to the breaking point so you know how far not to push it.

[@dougcooper6004]

I would use a pipe clamp to hold the pipe in the well , and lift with a pipe dog that clamps the pipe on an upward pull. Simply lower the tubing, add a new pipe joint and lower again , clamping each time.Ropes are nice but easy to have problems. I take care of 36 wells so good tools are essential.

[@pimkevnkids]

thanks for that Doug- I looked for online for a couple weeks but never searched pipe dog :) americawestdrillingsupply.com/wellpipeclamps.html

[@pamundson9]

I have to pull my pump as well. It's at 250', one person. I have gotten the pitless adapter pulled up with my T and was about to build a roller for black pipe until I realized it was all white PVC. Any reason why the well installers used pvc? I'm guessing because of the depth and pressure required to pump it up so far would put starin on the common "200 psi" black pipe?

[@pimkevnkids]

I think the black pipe you are talking about is ABS and looking into it then I was told it stretches too much for well pipe.

[@Sylvan_dB]

If anyone comes across this and considering using rope, look up "pipe hitch" and "icicle hitch" for a better knot.

[@robertcretu4363]

That’s one way of doing it.

[@calholli]

That is called a "prusik hitch" and is very commonly used in repelling. A similar knot called a "tautline hitch" is used in climbing with ropes.

[@pimkevnkids]

I was a novice rock climber in my younger days when I used it as a foothold to climb taut rope. Thanks for reminder! :)

[@hvguy]

So why did you have to pull the pump out?

[@pimkevnkids]

I made the mistake of installing a 220 V Grundfoss pump that was pumping faster than my water table would backfill, even with the pump 100 ft below the waterline. It would run for 10 minutes and shut itself off. Replaced with a low flow Grundfoss solar pump that works great and keeps the tank topped off.

[@BuffordEvans]

Would this method work pulling 400 ft

[@SplinterKarma]

Yes, I believe it would, because your lift weight would be about double mine, assuming 3" PVC and a water filled line. I found my boat winch had a lot more lifting capacity than I was using. You should run a calculation on the internal volume of water at 8.5 lbs per gallon plus whatever pipe you have to estimate the load and compare to the lift capacity of your winch. Just watch that the rubber wrap on the pipe is dry and follow the knot technique carefully. Be sure to have a couple helpers- it took me all day by myself to pull 250 ft. running up on the roof and back down again.

[@Barabbas7798]

Need to learn the half hitch

[@HoseSolutions]

Cool video. Next time check out WellHose DIY Drop Pipe. Easy to install and retrieve especially in tight spaces. Cheers

[@peter-pg5yc]

repair of roof just make a hatch. for next time

[@fredrhodes540]

Better hope it doesn't slip!! Or the pipe breaks at the pump!!!

[@pimkevnkids]

well that's why you rag-dry the pipe before wrapping with the rubber and the rope per the video. plus just 1/3 of the 200 ft pull greatly reduces the down weight. At 1/2 up the weight is 50/50. Got a better idea? Please post.

[@fredrhodes540]

Kevin Murphy I have never worked on that small of a pump. My 1 1/2 hp has a ring on it to attach the rope to.