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  1. #1

    DIY drilling a water well...

    ... for watering the veg at the end of the garden

    I already harvest, store, and reuse, rainwater from the roof, ca 200 square meter of roof and 3 cubic meter of storage. This seems a lot but it's a small amount compared to all the water my tomatoes need. So I'm toying with the idea of DIY drilling a well in the garden, say 6m deep. It should be cheap and simple. I'm fine spending max 300 eur for the whole thing, and several hours of hard labor myself. In the worst case it's just cash spent to have fun and getting upper body fitness.

    I live near Hamburg, Germany, same latitude and climate as NW England, and there are small streams and lakes everywhere, so I'm fairly optimistic about the chance to find the water not too deep...

    Anyone here has done it already and is happy to share experience?

    Thanks,

    Alberto

  2. #2
    Moderator noel's Avatar
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    This is the most intriguing post I've read on here in a while. I have no experience but 6m sounds a long way down.

    Before I call you crazy, I googled it, and there are some videos of how to hand-drill a well. I would love to hear how you get on. I'm wondering how you avoid hitting rocks.

  3. #3
    Noel, if I could have a pound for every time someone called me crazy ...

    My post is/was not intended to be a joke, nor spam.
    Yes, I watched many such YouTube videos already.
    Ideally I was hoping someone here could come up and say like
    "I've done this myself already, found such such problem, so and so solutions, lessons learnt, if I had to do it again this is what I'd do different"

    this is the kind of tool I have in mind to use:
    https://www.amazon.de/VERL%C3%84NGER...a-706081129812
    Last edited by Gambatte; 10-06-2021 at 08:24 PM.

  4. #4
    Master molehill's Avatar
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    Where I used to live the community had no mains water (Llaniboy will know) and relied on well water from the hills, this was fine in the old days but with increased farm drainage plus washing machines, dishwashers and sometime droughts most turned to boreholes and pumped water.
    But this involved drilling rigs going through solid rock and all sorts down a long, long way to find the water table and insert the pump and associated gubbins.
    So I am no help in your situation, but good luck, my thoughts are that turning that auger by hand through several metres of soil ( whatever it consists of) may have you looking like Ronnie! https://www.hindustantimes.com/other...ou0qQXHaI.html
    Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.

  5. #5
    Master mr brightside's Avatar
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    The auger you posted a link to is for fairly soft ground, as soon as you hit a rock it will stop dead.

    How are you expecting the water to get to the surface? There will need to be a differential head in order for it to spill out of its own accord, and if you're pumping it out the soil/geological conditions around the suction nozzle may cause it to constantly clog up. Personally i'd pipe it in from a higher elevation, that way you've got your differential head.
    Luke Appleyard (Wharfedale)- quick on the dissent

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by mr brightside View Post
    The auger you posted a link to is for fairly soft ground, as soon as you hit a rock it will stop dead.

    How are you expecting the water to get to the surface? There will need to be a differential head in order for it to spill out of its own accord, and if you're pumping it out the soil/geological conditions around the suction nozzle may cause it to constantly clog up. Personally i'd pipe it in from a higher elevation, that way you've got your differential head.
    These all seem good points to me (just a simple engineer).
    "...as dry as the Atacama desert".

  7. #7
    Master mr brightside's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Graham Breeze View Post
    These all seem good points to me (just a simple engineer).
    I thought you were a HR manager?
    Luke Appleyard (Wharfedale)- quick on the dissent

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by mr brightside View Post
    I thought you were a HR manager?
    I have an engineering degree and became Chartered when working for British Gas plc. but I then moved to HR (primarily Industrial Relations) for many years and then finally into Organisation Development/Corporate Restructuring.

    But I have always retained an interest in "energy issues".
    "...as dry as the Atacama desert".

  9. #9
    Moderator noel's Avatar
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    But I'm presuming Gambatte's garden is flat, and that he doesn't have an uphill water source to pipe it from.

    I'd also be worried about stones. I guess it depends what type of soil he's got. My garden is full of sandstone chunks, but I guess there are some regions where it's more soil and clay. You might be able to get through a bit of light shale if you're twisting hard enough.

    I'm still intrigued. We definitely need pictures if you give it a go.

  10. #10
    Admin brett's Avatar
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    Could be onto a winner - fracking as well as water...

    Quote Originally Posted by noel View Post
    You might be able to get through a bit of light shale if you're twisting hard enough.

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