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Water Pump Frozen(well head)

Sam06Sam06 Member Posts: 21,254 ✭✭✭✭
edited January 2014 in General Discussion
My water Pump froze night before last. I did not know until the water ran out. I turned off the Hot water heater and tested the pump and pressure vessel for power. After trouble shooting it I figured it was frozen. My Pump head is in a concrete pipe with a cover but I did not have much insulation in there.

I put a Halogen drop light next to the pipes and head and put an old moving blanket to keep the heat in, 2hrs later I had water.

I think I will put more insulation in there so this doesn't happen again.

This is the 1st time this has happened in 4 years I have lived out here. But this is the coldest winter we have had in a while.
RLTW

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    shilowarshilowar Member Posts: 38,815 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My well pump is 410' down the well shaft. If that freezes I've got problems!
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    hotshoothotshoot Member Posts: 4,227
    edited November -1
    Sam, you got mail
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    woodhogwoodhog Member Posts: 13,115 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    You're lucky it didn't burst as it thawed!!
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    dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,969
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by shilowar
    My well pump is 410' down the well shaft. If that freezes I've got problems!


    YEH, hell froze over [:D]
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    Sam06Sam06 Member Posts: 21,254 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I guess I was lucky none of the pipes cracked but I think it was just a small ice blockage.

    I guess I should have clarified it was the well head that froze, my well is 400' deep and if it froze we would be in real trouble or Wisconsin[:D]

    John, thanks for the offer but I think I am good to go now. I insulated the the well head and I put a light in there. The guy who had the house before me had a 110 outlet out there installed. He lives down the road and I talked to him. He said he had the outlet to run a light to prevent freezing in cold weather...................He forgot to tell me about it.


    The weird thing is I am usually gone in the winter, over seas and this is the 1st winter I have spent here. I am glad I was here so my wife did not have to deal with it.

    I have my outside spigots winterized but I really did not think about the well head, I got schooled and now I know[:D]
    RLTW

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    MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 13,809 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've seen this happen a few times when the only thing that actually froze was the pressure switch. Water ran out of the tank but pump wasn't triggered to come on. Once, all it took was a cup of hot coffee out of my thermos.
    I have a pressure tank in a buried concrete well casing with cover-the pump is in the well. I usually just hang a heat lamp with a 100 watt common bulb just above the pressure control and it's fine--until the bulb burns out. With this in mind, I try to check it if a cold snap is forecast.
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    mr.tboltmr.tbolt Member Posts: 449 ✭
    edited November -1
    My pipes froze a week or two ago. My well is in a 10'x10' stone house. I usually keep a 60 watt bulb in there to keep the chill out.
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    hotshoothotshoot Member Posts: 4,227
    edited November -1
    The problem with light bulbs it that the filament will burn out when in the cold, if you change your mind, just email me i would send it out for free.
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