Sand/driven point Well Question

My husband and I are looking in to installing a sandpoint well on our property. What we are trying to find out is what is the maximum size of casing that you can use? I know the normal sizes are 1.25 or 2 inch, but is it possible to use something larger like 4 inch?

Article at the below link quotes from a book on this subject, stating that 4" is viable in 'good driving conditions'.

http://waterbuckpump.com/2015/06/26/diy-sand-point-well/

Having driven 1-5/8 pipe as inserts for removable posts... I sure can't picture getting very deep with even small pipe unless conditions are quite good. Getting the pipe back out if you hit a rock halfway to the water table would not be a joyous experience... maybe you just abandon it each time a hole fails?

This Guy has an auger that you add lengths to the handle to reach greater depths for the lager casings.

Thanks, I will read up on the articles you have all shared!

I have seen youtubes where they start with a five foot pipe and when the handle is close to the ground transfer to a ten foot pipe(five of which is in the hole).
When the hole is ten foot deep then add the five to that..and so on.

I just recently found out that water is shallower than i thought.
Years ago i bought 1/2 inch steel piper to start grinding into the ground.
Four inch pipe is normal but first i want to prove that water is available.

I thought I'd wait till summer is in full swing.

usually a sandpoint is driven into the ground so you really do not want more then a two inch pipe due to increasing friction and difficulty to hammer it in.  I do find people misunderstand what it is. Some people think of it as an unpressurised reservoir of water like a drilled well when it is more like a straw in that it uses a vacuum to suck the water out of the ground.  If flow is a problem install two 10 ft apart.
Cheers,  David

We found 'washing' rather than 'driving' allows for a larger diameter casing. We used 3' PVC
There are some amazingly helpful videos on how to do that. I found this guy's series was well done https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGq0ETzZP0E.
This of course, presupposes you have water to use for 'drilling'. We have a creek, about 100' from our well location. We threw a sump pump into it, used a generator to power it and pumped the water up using a 1 1/4" hose. That supplied plenty of pressure. Fortunately though, we are on sand and didn't have the misfortune of encountering any rocks. After about 7 hours, we hit water bearing sand at 26'.

Thanks everyone for the input, you are all very helpful!
Part 2 of my question to ask then is where would a person get a 3 or 4 inch sandpoint? I have only seen 2 inch or smaller. Same goes for the drive cap. Would I have to get a welder to custom make these?

Marcie Fenske wrote:Thanks everyone for the input, you are all very helpful!
Part 2 of my question to ask then is where would a person get a 3 or 4 inch sandpoint? I have only seen 2 inch or smaller. Same goes for the drive cap. Would I have to get a welder to custom make these?

I would say that's a custom weld job for sure..we used a 3" open ended casing as our 'wash' pipe and dropped inside it a 1 1/4"  sandscreen and pipe to attach to our pump, and that sits about 3' lower than the casing. This allows seepage into the casing and filtering upon draw. But let me ask a question, are you going with a larger casing to allow for greater water seepage or is this a size of preferred pump issue?

I do agree with a previous poster, that 'driving' such a large diameter will be difficult and could cause larger rocks to block your progress completely or lodge in the casing rather than move aside. Washing', provided you have plentiful water to do so, wouldn't encounter such issues. 'Washing' degrades the soil around rocks causing them to shift. And if you 'washed' you could diy a sand screen with a series of very fine sawcuts on the lower pipe section and allow sediment to settle on the open bottom like a dig well(driving would unfortunately compact those).

I've also seen videos where they 'wash' and quickly remove the washing pipe and insert the final point and pipe without any 'driving'.

We have a large acreage and I have only ever found 2 rocks on the whole place, so that shouldnt be a problem. No, it isnt a matter of demand so much as preferred pump size.

Marcie Fenske wrote:We have a large acreage and I have only ever found 2 rocks on the whole place, so that shouldnt be a problem. No, it isnt a matter of demand so much as preferred pump size.

Than that really solidifies it! When you feel you've found the right tool for the job you have to make it work. If you find time I'd love to know what pump you opted for. I wish I could have pointed you somewhere for the sandpoint screen and cap but if you can find a reasonable fabricator you'll be golden. Good luck to you! Update us with your progress...I'm always excited to hear when someone figures out their water solution.