Irrigation Well Bowls (long rant)

Two months ago, the young man who is renting one of the places wanted a pivot installed.

He has worked very hard, the place irrigates like a nightmare and a pivot was long overdue. So, arrangements were made, bids taken and we proceeded with plans to have one put up. Just plain good business sense, all the way around for everyone concerned.

Two weeks later, I received another completely separate bid from the well man who said that according to the plate on the well-head, the pump had the wrong bowls installed and that the well would not supply a sufficient volume of water or pressure to run a pivot, because it was designed to be an “open discharge” system; it only had a 2-stage system.

Said he needed another $9K to pull the pump and install the proper bowls and also, that the well would need a bigger motor. This would be in addition to the cost of setting up the pivot, which by the way, they don’t give these things away.

I told him that while I certainly agreed that the motor would have to be changed for a bigger one that I thought that the bowls were just fine, in my estimation, because I had replaced them in 1982 with a four-stage pressure Western Land Roller setup. And at that time, I had been told that the well had the capabilities to push a center pivot (In 1982, I just put this in the back of my mind, as good-lying land certainly would never be irrigated under a circle. Little did I know then how times would change!).

The well man then proceeds to tell me that they didn’t even make the proper bowls back then, that he has been in this well drilling business for the past 20 years and that I was probably mistaken about the bowls which had been put down at that time. Tempers started to flare a little at this point, because I notice that the renter is thinking that this is probably what needs to be done, too.

I told the well driller that I definitely knew that the well had the proper bowls and furthermore, that they had been pumping water for more years than he had been in business, even if it had only been used as an open discharge system.

He tells me that I just don’t know what I’m talking about and it will take the additional $9K to get the well ready for pivot operation. By this time, all three of us are madder than a bunch of Banti Roosters in Mexico on a Saturday night.

Anyway, I finally talked him into mounting a used, bigger motor on the well to at least test flow the damned thing. Seemed more logical to me. This was two months ago.

Yesterday, he calls and said that he had completed the testing of the well. He tells me that in all his years of being in this business, he had never seen this before. The well did indeed have enough pressure and volume to feed a pivot. Further, he would trade me the used test motor for an additional $800; forget the $9K. Fine; get the damned thing put up.

I know I’m probably the most bull-headed and contrary cuss walking upright, but I think I have met my match. We’ve wasted 2 months, it is coming into winter and the thing is still not installed.

Still, just a little peeved.

Allan

Enron has come and gone and FRAUD is still unfavorabley received in most of the world.

don't let any clowns ruin the holidays; enjoy!

Is there anyone else around that puts circles up?

What was the closest bid to the one you accepted?

Yes, what do you mean dry iced?

I've got one well that isn't worth a damn since it was drilled in '54 and it is poking down into that huge ocean down there. It pumps 620GPM at best and steadily falls over the summer. By the time we shut it off, it is down around 500GPM or less.

I have never understood why this thing had weak water production...it's the only pump in the country that is that way.

In answer to your question about the $800: The well had to be lifted one joint because the coupler shafts are different on a 50hp than they are on a 30hp; hence, they had to be swapped out.

I'd be interested to hear about this "dry iceing" thing you speak of.

Allan

Discalmer...Do not do this to a Slimhole well, on one that isn't cased plum to the bottom.

First make sure the caseing isn't the problem by ...1st a down hole camara to visiualy inspect the caseing. If needed the caseing can be brushed. Our well guy had a smaller caseing with flared cable ends pulled through it. Simular to a smaller version,like a round hair brush or roung toilet bowl brush.
He runs it up and down to get rid of scale,rust, and such.This opens up the old openings that may have correded shut.

Now,Need a 3ftx3ft of 1/2 plate steel,
get about 200 lbs of dryice, get the paper off it. Make sure well platform is clear of all obsticles.
IN A HURRY now! 1 Throw the ice into the well 2 Get plate over the hole 3 Back a tractors rear tire on plate that is over the hole.
Leave it all alone for 24 hours.
If the hole isn't covered the ice can and will shoot out like Old Faithful.
The theory is the dryice will freeze the water bearing layers, At the caseing , causeing more fishers, thus to improve the amount of water the well produces.
There is a down side risk,too. In some instances it could lower the amt of water it produces also. Again I saw it done a few times, Knew of many more that were done. Large margatity improved quite a bit.
Hope this helps
John A.

I'll be damned! I've never heard of that before.

I'm wondering if it is a regional thing depending on soil types perhaps? I would guess it must be the CO2 thing pressurizing the hole as well as the boiling action?

Thanks for explaining! You guys are great!

Allan

Or, i'm becoming more ornery as time passes.

I know which it is, but not sure my wife would agree with me... ;)

--->Paul

I'm clear out at the opposite corner of the state from you.

The farm is in the northwest corner of the state, south of Hay Springs on the Mirage Flats. If you are familiar with Marie Sandoz's novel "Old Jules", this is the location. Southwest of Gordon.

The farm lays flat as a pancake so that hills are not a concern and yes, we've been using 3-phase on all the wells for years now.

Since we are only pulling from 174' and it is set up to be low pressure with an end gun, we can get by with just a 50 horse motor (or so they tell me).

It’s nice that those days of the 90 hp motors and 90 lb head pressure are gone! Remember those old sprinklers throwing out water in a huge arc? :>)

It is just a normal 130-acre circle; we will have to use the second well to pick up the remaining 50 acres.

As I said earlier, this young farmer has worked like a mule on this place for some time now and I personally know how hard it is to irrigate.

Factoring in the higher efficiency of these newer pivots, we just think this is a wise move and not to mention the fact that I think that the guy deserves it.

Thanks for the hollar back,

Allan

Well, I can understand where the guy is coming from; he just wants to protect his back.

If the pivot was put up without first assuring that things weren't right and then we didn't have the correct volume or pressure, there would be a huge "after the $40K check is cashed" problem between he and I.

What irritated me was that he seemed to think that I didn't know what I was talking about ('course, this is nothing new) and wanted to just spend my money rather than test the darned thing first. :>)

But, onwards and upwards, I guess.

Allan