any water well pro's or plumbers???

i've got 2 well casings left by oil co that are rated 75GPM...since i cant afford the pump or to run 3 phase to run one can i run a 2" pipe off a 1.25" submersible pump to increase flow? i've got a 1.25 pump here at the house thats bushed down to 1 inch and its open flowing about 26 GPM from 140 feet downhole...i'm gonna use pump to refill stock ponds and maybe run some rainbirds with a irrigation pump tied up top...i wasnt sure if the extra diameter of pipe flow would be cancelled out by weight of extra water ...prob gonna set pump at 150'...water level is 99' and well is 350' deep total.

I'd stay away from the 2 inch pipe. We had some here and it is mighty heavy to pull. I will let some one else figure if 1 inch pipe can handle the 26 GPM. My first though is that may be it can with only a slight loss.

NO..increasing pipe size will not increase pump capacity.Reducing it will restrict it however.If you need more capacity than what the pump will put out at whatever line size it is at outlet you need to increase pump size not line size.Going to a larger line size will let you maintain pressure over greater distances but you cant increase flow by increasing line size.If so we would all start out with pumps with a 1/4" out let and hook it to a 6' pipe!like most things you cant get out more than you put in.

The use of CPVC or PVC pipe makes things light. I was at 450" with a 1.5" pipe in a 500 foot well. (one heck of a stack of pipe when out on the ground)
I think the pump capacity is going to be the only factor to consider in what appears to be an irrigation type situation. No way to make more flow with bigger pipe. The head does not change, but stays from the well head to the water level in the casing. Best of luck, Jim

what i meant to ask was will the 2" pipe decrease flow? i have a 1.25" 2hp pump that i was gonna run till i scrape together enuff cash to run a bigger pump...figured i'd go ahead and buy the larger pipe instead of buying down pipe twice...gonna run black polycoil with galvanized barbs so weight shouldnt be that big a factor.

Polyethylene pipe is the better choice. A submersible pump torques the pipe with every start and PVC soon breaks. I have one well with 610 feet of the black poly that has been in use over 30 years. Use pipe with 160 PSI rating or higher. Don't even consider the 80# pipe.

heres how your pump works,basically its a cetrifical pump,it builds pressure by having a larger inlet than outlet. This builds pressure just like putting your finger over the end of a water hose. Since this restriction is built into the pump you can go to a larger size pipe. But if you go smaller you are simply decreasing the flow rate but increasing pressure. Going larger does just the opposite it increases flow,(up to pumps capacity of course) but it DECREASES pressure as long as pipe was flowing wide open.Just like putting the end of a water hose in the end of a two or three inch pipe,same amount of water goes out as in but less pressure until you restrict it back down and increase pressure again.What you have to watch out for though is building up so much head that pump simply cannot lift it to start.By going to a larger pipe you are creating back pressure simply from the weight of water making pressure on the outlet of pump. If I were going larger that far i would seriously consider putting a check valve in a few feet above pump.that would hold the head pressure until running pump built up enough to overcome it,and make your pump start easier.Head pressure is the weight of water above the water level in well.Since water seeks its own level so to speak head up to that point is simply neutral or equal.Water would stand that deep in your pipe regardless if pump is running or not.Above that point you have to lift it and thats the amount of head.Avoid getting so much head that your pump wont overcome it.if you do pump may run ,but since no water is going out,none comes in and it wont pump,and it wont build pressure.By putting check valves( or series of check valves) you can hold so much head pressure off pump.Then your head would be simply from water level to first check valve above the pump.Since freshwater is a pretty much standard weight,this figure is lots of times given in your pump specs as a gallon figure.By knowing this ,and the water capacity of your pipe,you can calculate where to set checks.

Good idea. No issue with that. It looks like he is there as we type. Jim

The amount of head pressure is the same regardless of pipe size, .44psi per ft.

The amount of head pressure is the same regardless of pipe size, .44psi per ft.

With respect: Water in a pipe going straight up has pressure dependent only on the height of the column, not the amount of water in the column. If so a city water tank would have dramatic pressure from the big overhead tank. A 1/4" tube will have the same static head of pressure on it as a 6" pipe, assuming the same vertical change.
Putting only one check valve into a well stem (at the bottom) does all the reverse flow needed. There is no change in head from a check. Multiple check valves would do nothing but restrict the flow. Jim

The most important factor to remember here is "friction loss". Friction loss impedes the FLOW of the liquid through the pipe, and results in less pressure and flow the further it flows, until you shut it off, then pressure will quickly rise to whatever the pump is set for. Friction loss is also increased by velocity of the liquid through the pipe. Your run to the ponds or rain birds will be enhanced by larger pipe because with larger pipe velocity is reduced and friction with the wall is reduced. With open pipe at the end while filling the ponds you will have virtually no pressure, but much greater flow through say, inch and a half vs. one inch. Once you switch over to rain birds, you will greatly reduce flow, so pressure will increase, but only if you don't try to run too many birds.

not per ft,per square inch.Pounds of water in a pipe calculation is pipe length in feet x pipe diameter squared x 0.34..sort of like killing a well by weighting up mud you simply add chemicals and solids to water (or oil) to raise wieght of column of fluid above formation to hold the pressure( you cant add more water than your well will hold ,so you have to make it heavier) .if you raise the pressure higher than your pump can out put it wont flow,same exact deal. or you can think of it this way,theres alot more square inches inside a 6 inch pipe than there is a 1/4 inch pipe.