City slickers move to the farm

[bc.gold 3,403]

Some folks just don't belong in a rural setting, I happened to be visiting when the neighbors pump quit, second pump is two years.

 

The list of problems found left me shaking my head, basement is damp which caused the contact point on the pressure switch to corrode, then I check the pump control on the wall for power its live both on line and to the pressure switch.

 

We head over to the well and there's a power cord laying on the ground with a taped connected, remove the tape and found the copper corroded, cut and reconnect, back  to the basement. Now that the contacts on the pressure switch have been cleaned the spark when making contact is visible but no water pressure.

 

Used my amp meter the 1/2 hp power submersible pump is drawing 20 amps, owners manual says 5, I'm curious why the breaker has not kicked, idiot has a 40 amp breaker for the pump.

 

From the deep well pump control box he has power connected to the white neutral,

 

Oh and the best part when he installed the new pump two years ago set it right on the bottom of the well and now its silted in solid, told him he now has to rent a large diesel compressor and send the air hose right to the bottom to blow out the mud and silt. We're in limestone country, that pump may never dislodge.

 

I've heard of people using dynamite to clean out a well, one stick gets the job done. But his casing is plastic.

 

I'm no longer offering my assistance, if the house burned down they would hold me responsible and gawd only knows what other electrical connections he has Jerry rigged. It;s much safer playing in my own yard.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 3, 2021 by bc.gold

[Handy Don 12,235]

S

44 minutes ago, bc.gold said:

I'm no longer offering my assistance, if the house burned down they would hold me responsible and gawd only know what other electrical connections he has Jerry rigged. It;s much safer playing in my own yard.

Seconded!

[Roger R 448]

Document, date and record everything you found and did, just in case of legal action.  Courts like organized and carefully laid out journals.  Do not omit even the smallest of details.  

[bc.gold 3,403]

5 minutes ago, Roger R said:

Document, date and record everything you found and did, just in case of legal action.  Courts like organized and carefully laid out journals.  Do not omit even the smallest of details.  

 

After seeing the wire laying on the ground poorly taped with corrosion then using the white neutral as a power wire I packed up and went home, If he does manage to pull the pump I'm curious to see if he even used the proper shrink tube on the pump connection.

 

Not curious enough to go back and help with this nightmare.

 

In all honesty this should be reported, they have small children on the property along with animals.

 

Here's another blooper, they had a milk cow when she quit producing milk they butchered the animal, not aware they had to freshen the cow.

[Achto 27,602]

24 minutes ago, bc.gold said:

she quit producing milk they butchered the animal, not aware they had to freshen the cow.

 

I bet they had steaks & roasts made of her as well.  Hope they enjoyed eating their shoe leather. 

[oldlineman 1,481]

Truly amazing it takes all kinds I guess. I also like to help with those type of problems buuuuuuuuuuuuuuut!  Bob  

[Pullstart 62,910]

I’m a pretty much do it yourself kind of guy.  I was talking with a lawyer in a big city around D.C. one time.  Out of my place, I’m sure.  He says he works hard to fix things too.  Makes a call, writes a check.  Hard work.  Takes all kinds!

[squonk 41,152]

Whoever invented Band-Aids was a DIY'r too! 

[bc.gold 3,403]

Spoke with neighbor via telephone this morning.

 

He managed to pull the pump and found that the electrical wires had rubbed against the pump wearing through the insulation causing the short. With that 40 amp breaker installed it's no wonder the breaker never kicked off.

 

I had asked him to call me when he was going to remove the pump, had I been there and noticed the problem would have advised him to install a torque arrestor.

 

The torque arrestor keeps the pump from twisting inside the casing during start up.

 

.

Edited October 2, 2021 by bc.gold

[Handy Don 12,235]

6 hours ago, bc.gold said:

The torque arrestor keeps the pump from twisting inside the casing during start up.

 

Any decent driller, seller, or installer will recommend these--and they aren't expensive! Not rocket science, ya just gotta go ask people with some knowledge!

[bc.gold 3,403]

2 hours ago, Handy Don said:

Any decent driller, seller, or installer will recommend these--and they aren't expensive! Not rocket science, ya just gotta go ask people with some knowledge!

 

Before I left for home the other day told him that I use a makeshift windlass to pull a deep well pump. bet ya $20.00 he pulled the pump the hard way.

 

Edited October 3, 2021 by bc.gold

[bc.gold 3,403]

Before he was able to replace the old pump they were without water for a year, he was unable to pull the pump. The day I was there he tried pulling on the rope and the pump would not budge this is when I told him the water line first had to be removed from the pitless saddle.

 

It just occurred to me this is the reason they were unable to remove the old pump replaced two years ago. If I had made a mistake like this I would be sure to remember not to repeat it.

 

Edited October 3, 2021 by bc.gold

[bc.gold 3,403]

I;m going to rename this thread, City Slickers move to the farm

 

We have several of which have relocated into our quaint little Village and surrounding area all of whom have interesting stories.

 

Couple of years ago stopped in to visit Scotty, his wife informed me he was next door helping to install a water pump. I had not yet met the other neighbor and took this opportunity to meet.

 

The boy were in the basement and could not get the pump to stay running it would cycle on and off, to me it indicated a water logged tank but was not the case as the tank had the required air pressure.

 

Puzzled I asked for the documentation that came with the new pump and was told it had been discarded. neither of them had read the papers. Nothing more I could or wanted to do so I left them at it.

 

Couple of days later was told they had made a phone call  to the outlet than had sold them the pump, had they read the documentation would have discovered they were trying to run a 120 volt pump on 220 volts.

 

It was a good thing that motor had overload protection.

 

 

Edited October 3, 2021 by bc.gold

[lynnmor 7,308]

In my area, there was a great migration escaping across the Mason-Dixon line.  They had a lot to learn, for example; calling a water company when there is no water doesn't seem to help, and if they place garbage at the curb it just stays there.

[bc.gold 3,403]

This is Tom the fellow with the loose nuts, painting the church.

 

[bc.gold 3,403]

His brother Gregg decided to water and feed some horses on the reservation, he fed them moldy hay now all the animals are coughing.

[Handy Don 12,235]

12 minutes ago, bc.gold said:

This is Tom the fellow with the loose nuts, painting the church.

 

It's too painful. Just recognizing the risk makes one feel obligated to keep him from breaking his neck as he is valiantly trying to do a good deed.

[bc.gold 3,403]

On 10/9/2021 at 6:20 PM, bc.gold said:

This is Tom the fellow with the loose nuts, painting the church.

 

 

Someone gave Tom an old angle grinder, from what I understand the grinder only has a toggle switch it's either on or off.

 

The grinder laying on the ground when he plugged into power the grinder took off like a wild banshee doing some serious damage to his left wrist. When his brother Greg was telling the story I commented those types of cuts generally cauterize instantly.

 

Apparently Tom is a bleeder.

[bc.gold 3,403]

On 10/9/2021 at 6:35 PM, Handy Don said:

It's too painful. Just recognizing the risk makes one feel obligated to keep him from breaking his neck as he is valiantly trying to do a good deed.

 

Tom purchased a longer ladder.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2021 by bc.gold

[bc.gold 3,403]

Couple days ago visiting a neighbor while leaving the mud room noticed a large gap between the door and frame wide enough to drive a truck through. After closing the door had a look  from the outside and this is when I noticed the dead bolt was barely making contact with the striker.

 

Clarence was still sitting at the kitchen table with the window open, I told him that problem could be fixed by removing the door casing then adding shims, a day later I heard that someone had broken in a stole his new John Deere mower from the attached garage.

 

[Handy Don 12,235]

29 minutes ago, bc.gold said:

Tom purchased a longer ladder.

 

During high school I worked for a house painter. He was scrupulous about ladder safety and we used 40' ladders. Never felt unsafe when following his rules about two lines securing it to either immovable objects or else heavy stakes. If no tie off or stake was readily available, we brought over the truck and used that.

[bc.gold 3,403]

Tom working off of short ladder.

 

[Handy Don 12,235]

I guess the boom truck doesn't reach high enough or doesn't offer as much daring excitement.

Also, he doesn't have many more days when he can work now that the temperature is starting to fall.

I will say, though, that that church is looking nice.

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

On 10/9/2021 at 7:20 PM, bc.gold said:

Tom the fellow with the loose nuts

 

They may be loose but I bet they're the size of canteloupes!

 

 

[bc.gold 3,403]

22 hours ago, Handy Don said:

I guess the boom truck doesn't reach high enough or doesn't offer as much daring excitement.

Also, he doesn't have many more days when he can work now that the temperature is starting to fall.

I will say, though, that that church is looking nice.

 

Looks much better than Tom's store.

 

 

Edited October 31, 2021 by bc.gold