We had a guy come and check it out and he says it's the motor and it will be around $1200 to fix it.
I have another guy coming out for a second opinion.
It has not rained in two months so all the rain water I had harvested is gone. We have been using it so we could ration the well water and save the pump from being over worked. We limit our showers to just a few minutes each and I have mastered mine down to just three. You name it and we have done it to save the well this summer and it still goes out. If I would have known that then I would have stayed in the shower longer and filled the tub up for a long bath a few times.
I work like a dog in this heat with long hours and during the summer is when I can get the most overtime. The overtime money is suppose to be put back for the winter so we can live when I can not work. For the past two years all the overtime money has gone to fix the sewer, the piece of crap AC and the stupid well.
Last summer the AC was out once, the sewer had to be completely redone and the well went down for several days and had to have the electrical redone. This year the AC has gone out twice, the pumps in the septic are on the fritz again and now the well.
I tell you this, if the AC goes out while the well is down, I might just pack my bags and walk out of this place. I could get a all bills paid two bedroom apartment for $800 a month. The only thing I would have to worry about then would be living instead of fight this place and trying to stay alive.
We have drinking water but not enough to last long, a week or two tops. Our showers will consist of water bags filled everyday with a quick wet, soap and rinse. We have enough containers to refill every two days for the bathroom needs and could use the lake water .
If this was the real deal and everyone was out of water we would be in bad shape. I would need a storage of about 10,000 gallons to last a month with all these kids, animals and gardens. Where would I store that? If we had to live off of what I have stored, I guess the animals would die, the gardens would wither away
I don't know how long this will last. If it is the pump then we are screwed.
Sorry to hear about your trials and tribulations, MDR. Make's me glad there are two rivers within a half mile of my house.
ReplyDeleteI will be keeping my fingers crossed that it is just a quick fix.
ReplyDeleteDon't look at this as something bad. Think of it as a trial run for when "it" happens. :] Ok, I'm sorry, I know it's ruff out there.
ReplyDeleteThe timing stinks with everything else going on for you guys right now. Our well pump went out in the place we had before this one. We were getting the same kind of estimates too and that was years ago. We lived at the edge of a small neighborhood that had municipal water, so I contacted them to see how much to tap in. It was $50. I love the idea of having a well but it was not a hard decision ...$50/guaranteed water at approx $30/month or $1200 and hope for the best. There is a rural water company we're tapped into here. A deep well is on our Wish List but that $30/month we pay for water is the cheapest bill we've got.
ReplyDeleteIs there a municipal source you could tap into? If they have a line anywhere near your property, the meter and installation should be a LOT less than $1200. Just a thought.
Thank yall for the comments.
ReplyDeleteDave-I have a lake within a half mile from the house and that is the last resort. If I have to then I have to.
Coley-It does not look like it. I checked it out a little bit ago and I came to the same conclusion. I think it is the pump.
SMG-It does not look like this is a trial run. I think this is "IT" of sorts.
HossBoss-I am over 3 miles from the closest constant water source. That is a lot of garden hose to run. I knew better than to come all the way out here. I should have just stayed in town.
I think this is a sign your spose to go with me. Just saying. :)
ReplyDeleteWow! I'm so sorry to hear about this. When we moved out here Mars installed the pump himself. Of course it is only 150 ft to good water. Long story short we ended up with 2 extra pumps. One was fished out of the bottom of the well (a miracle in itself) If it IS the pump, let me know. We could work something out I'm sure. Installing it might be another story. Wishing you all the best (and some of the luck we were blessed with)
ReplyDeleteSci
Purchase a new pump and install it yourself, and a little bit of help from friends.....Seriously....the pump itself should not be much more than $350.00.(South Carolina prices)....Damn paying the big bux.
ReplyDeleteBe careful BlueEyedBaby, you never know.
ReplyDeleteSciFiChick- Thanks. We should know in a day or two. I will keep you posted.
Warlock-I thought of that last night. I have never done it before but have seen it done. It's only 250 foot. I need to check the motor first to make sure.
Is your pump down the casing? Submersible, I mean? I had a friend who had a down the casing pump. It crapped out. We tried to pull the line using a tripod we built and a come a long. It was impossible. His well was over 200 feet deep and we nearly killed ourselves we tried so hard, but we only got six feet out. In the end, he had to hire the well drilling company to come pull it with a special rig. I really hate to hear this has happened to you. I've been there, one damned thing after another, as soon as you get one problem squared away something else happens. Your reserves get drained and it never seems to stop. That one person who commented that this was good in one respect, that of dealing with the insurmountable, was right though. I always tell myself if I can get through this, I can get through anything.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, MDR, but I agree with one of the other comments, buy the pump yourself, get some friends to help. This is of course like Arsenius said, if it isn't too deep. I can't picture you back in an apartment though. Heck, I'd drive out and help, let me know. Will bring back-ups too.
ReplyDeleteATH- Yes it is a submersible pump and motor combo. I will have to pull it out to see what HP, GPM and Volts it is before I can order another one.
ReplyDeleteI can never get ahead. I know this too will pass and then there will be something else. These problems never happen at the right time and so on. I say the same stuff to other bloggers that find themselves in a bad spot. I just want a chance to breath Arsenius the Hermit. That is all I am asking. I have prepped for stuff like this and found it funny last night I showered in my shower with a solar water bag. I will make it through this but the money is not there to fix the pump, and I do not see where it will come from. I want Murphy to get off my back for just a month or so.
Stephen-I have not pulled the pump yet to see what it is to buy one, but I have looked at others that push 250 foot and they range from 600 to 800 bucks. Even if I did the work myself I can't buy the pump.
Thanks for the offer to come help and be careful on that. I might just have to call.
I take friendship seriously. The offer stands.
ReplyDeleteDear MDR,
ReplyDeleteWe know it is tough sometimes. One month ago, we had to replace a 1 1/2 hp submersible plus the pipe to go 100 ft below the water table (105 ft) in a 300 ft well. The total was $3500. Between the lambs, kids, extra milk goats, and a Jersey calf taken to auction in two trips, we made the cost.
Where we are in central California, it was already nearing 100*F each day. We get no rain from Easter to Thanksgiving in a normal year. We had little choice.
Now we irrigate our gardens, water the stock, and even a little alfalfa plot.
Christine and I have lived on this little place for 15 years. The only place we have owned (buying) in 34 years of marriage. Despite the challenges, we would not live another way. Our daughters, and now grand daughters, love this place.
You are up to the task my friend,
Mark in Terra Bella, CA
Stephen is being straight with you. I know the man, he is a no B.S. guy.
ReplyDeleteI have found that when a pump gets stuck in the casing (while pulling it out), the cause may be that the wiring going down to the pump has twisted around in the (pipe) casing. We too ended up having a drill rig come out to extract the pump.
ReplyDeleteWe had purchased the pump itself for $351.00 locally....and we have an acquaintance with the drilling company who only charged us the minimum ($85.00) for the trip out there. (again, this reflects SC prices)
I don't have a ton of money...but if you can post a means to donate....I will send what I can.
Stephen- Thanks buddy, I will let you know.
ReplyDeleteMark - Thanks for commenting and the encouraging words. I know it will all work out in the end. I just get frustrated on why is has to be so hard. We too just had to sell off several animals to collect some money for all this.
ATH- I will take your word on it. I have not had the privilege to meet him yet but I am sure it is just around the corner.
Warlock - You got a good deal. Here the drillers are two the three months behind and if you want to be moved to the top of the list then you pay top dollar. During the winter months I bet they would almost do the work for cost, but the water just like the AC never goes out in the winter.
I do thank you for your willingness to donate to the saga. It will not be forgotten.