Well adapter: why is it needed and how to do it yourself

Each builder is well aware that the water pipe must lie below the level of freezing of the soil, otherwise the liquid in it will freeze and the pipe may simply burst. To comply with this rule, when connecting the water supply pipe to the casing, you have to equip a pit or install a caisson to protect parts of the water supply located at the earth's surface from the cold. However, not so long ago a third option appeared - a downhole adapter. This device allows you to place the line adjacent to the casing, below a dangerous level. It has this option and a number of other useful properties.

Pros of arranging a well with an adapter

A well adapter, also called a pitless adapter, consists of two parts. One of them is installed in the casing at an acceptable depth, then a pipe is attached to it, through which water enters the house. A pipe supplying water from a submersible pump is connected to the second part. The adapter allows you to lower the submersible pump into the casing from above, after which the adapter parts are connected and the water supply system becomes a single system suitable for operation.

Since the adapter partially accounts for the weight of the pump and other equipment, and also taking into account the inevitable vibrations that the device will undergo during operation, it is recommended to use steel casing strings when equipping the well. Although it is possible to install the adapter on a plastic pipe, but this option is considered less durable.

The downhole adapter can be installed inside the casing so that the water pipe is below the freezing level of the soil. At the same time, it remains possible to remove the pump for necessary maintenance

Setting up a well using a pitless adapter has many advantages:

• quite simple installation;
• attractive cost of equipment;
• low labor costs for installing the device;
• no need to build a caisson or pit;
• the well can be completely hidden under the ground, etc.

This design allows you to remove the pump at any time for maintenance or repair, and then lower it into the well. To do this, you just need to disconnect the adapter mate, after which the equipment will be easy to get.

Note! When choosing a submersible pump, the operating characteristics of the casing, adjusted for the dimensions of the adapter, should be taken into account so that the equipment freely passes into the pipe without touching the protruding parts of the device.

How to install the pitless adapter?

To install the adapter for the well with your own hands, you must:

1. Dig the casing to the required depth.
2. Make a hole of suitable diameter.
3. Install the main part of the downhole adapter.
4. Put a cover that closes the well.
5. Attach a water pipe leading to the house.
6. Connect the adapter counterpart to the submersible pump hose.
7. Lower the pump into the well.
8. Connect the adapter parts.

The adapter for the well consists of two parts, one of which is mounted in the hole on the casing, and the other is attached to the hose of the submersible pump

The installation procedure for the downhole adapter is presented in the following video:

Mounting the main part

Before mounting the main part of the downhole adapter, you need to make a hole for it. You will need a special bimetallic castellated milling cutter. The diameter of this crown must match the size of the adapter. Then you need to lower the corresponding part of the adapter into the pipe, insert it into the hole and fix it with a crimp ring. Two rubber seals are used inside and outside. Parts are carefully tightened with an adjustable wrench. The water pipe is attached to the outside of the device using a threaded connection, which is recommended to be further strengthened.

Mounting the mate

Before installing the part of the adapter that is attached to the pump hose, it is necessary to lower the assembled and properly fixed equipment to the calculated depth. After that, the pipe is cut and inserted into the reciprocal part of the device.

Tip. Before starting the installation of the adapter for the well, it is recommended to assemble the submersible pump, hose, cable, safety cable in a separate clean room in advance. Then the cables and hoses fastened by the couplers are turned into a bay and transferred to an unwinder placed near the well to minimize the possibility of dirt entering the well.

For further work, you will need a special mounting pipe, which must be screwed into the hole provided for it. Using the pipe, the adapter counterpart is lowered into the casing and parts of the device are connected. After that, the mounting pipe should simply be unscrewed and removed.

When installing the downhole adapter, a special threaded pipe is used. It is screwed into the hole on the adapter and removed after installing the device

Note. After the mounting pipe is removed, there is a chance of damage to the thread into which it was screwed. You can prevent this problem by leaving the pipe in the device and cutting it flush with the neck of the casing.

Then it is necessary to bring out and fix the safety cable in order to remove part of the load that the weight of the pump exerts from the adapter. It remains to supply power to the pump cable and check the operation of the installed equipment.

Adapters for wells are usually made of a sufficiently strong material: copper or brass, so do not worry about its resistance to corrosion. However, periodically (at least once a year) it is recommended to lubricate all parts of the device with special compounds. This will extend the life of the seals and prevent splicing of parts of the device.