talk me into or out of it

We're on a 65' deep well with a submersible pump. It quit working last winter. The pitless adapter is about 6-8' down (3-4' under true ground level, 3-4' of mounded earth creating a wellhead). While diagnosing the problem, I pulled the top section of PVC wellhead pipe off. This section starts at the top of the "mounded" ground level and goes up 4'. Pulling it off exposes wiring connections and the handle for the pull rod used when pulling the adapter/piping/pump out of the ground. I grabbed the handle and the whole rod fell away to rusty dust. Luckily we didn't need to pull it at that time as the problem turned out to be a break in the electrical line, somewhere between the house and the wellhead. We ran a temporary line aboveground, where it still sits today. I've run various types of equipment, but never a backhoe/excavator. Is digging down 6-8' around my pitless adapter to replace the pull rod and trenching the electrical line 50' to the house something I should cut my teeth on, or should I hire this one done? What's a ballpark estimate on hiring it out? I've also got 2 stumps, one apple and one pine, not more than a foot in diameter I'd like to get out. A nearby rental place can rent me a Bobcat X323 (46 HP) or 331 (75 HP) with various size buckets. Is it feasible I'd overcome the learning curve and get it done in one rental day? I figure I'd start on the trenching and "graduate" to digging out the wellhead. As long as I'm in there and getting dirty, would you replace the pump? We've lived there for 23 years and believe that pump may have been in the ground for 12-15 years prior to that. It was pulled once 10-15 years ago to replace the check/foot valve. What's the longest it could possibly stay in service at that age?

I've trenched in 3 different electrical lines, approximately 80 feet each, using only a spade. Mind you neither of the 3 happened in just one day, but it CAN be done.

I've never operated a back-hoe, but the learning curve can't be all that hard. I'd start by digging a few holes and then filling them back in. Just to get acquainted with it.

The trencher is a piece of cake. I rented on a few weeks ago to put in a new electrical service to our house. We are updating it all. It cost me $156 for half a day. This was their bigger trencher. It was on rubber tracks. You walked behind it.

Now the backhoe is a different matter. Never used one either.

I'll take that back. I think I did try to run my uncles once for a few minutes, just playing. I didn't do very well.

You might be $$ ahead by hiriing someone.

Have you located any other underground services? Dont need to dig through something.

Gene

i have a backhoe, not hard to learn to run. if you are going to rent, a mini excavator would be the ticket. be sure the unit can reach the depth you need. most have a backfill blade on them for re-filling the hole. a trencher would be the berries for the electrical line, but the mini excavator would do the job too. the track hoe is very manuverable compared to a back hoe in tight places. be sure to call your locating service before digging ie julie. that way if you hit something hidden underground, you would not be responsible. if you dont call , you are on the hook for any damage. julie service here is free.

If you are going to bury new underground wire, I recommend installing electrical conduit and then pulling the electrical wire through the conduit to extend the life of the electrical wire.

In spite of what they tell you about direct burial cable, putting the cable inside of consuit is the better way to do the job.

If you have run other equipment you will have no problem running the backhoe. It happen to me on a job, trenched a few hundred feet for electrical and had a big downpour overnight and the trenches all collapsed. Next day had to dig them all out with the backhoe. Never ran one before but you learn quick.

You might want to get a estimate. The guy that did some work around my place charged around 750.00 a day for a mine backhoe, he also had a helper.Everyone has to learn. Now is your chance. Just make sure no one is watching for the first few hours. Stan

A friend rented a bobcat for a day and said later that an experienced operator could have done the jobs faster and most likely for the same price.

What is the experience worth to you?
SDE

My concern would be around the wellhead and causing damage to that. I have a Tractor Loader Backhoe. I wouldn't have wanted to try the wellhead thing the first time I dug with it. While the learning curve isn't high it's still there.

The trick here is that you can most likely hire it done for the same or less money with the learning cure tossed into the mix. On the other hand if you learn and need it again you have some, even if it's not a lot, of experience.

Rick

Thanks all. I was planing on using conduit, thank you. The experience is worth something to me, like to be self sufficient and economical when I can. I think I'll go for it. I'll finally figure out how to post pictures after 12 years on here and show the good, bad, and the ugly.

If you do rent and run it your self engine speed is key to learning and safety. Just enough to get the job done and a lot less snatching and jerking. If you have help during the job keep in mind if you can reach them with the boom you can kill or cripple them as well. Slow and easy and you will do well.

Just DON'T hit the well casing and all is good. Might want to consider a little spade work when you get close

Were are you located... For some reason I thought you moved to NC.