The device of the Abyssinian well. Manufacturing of basic elements, site selection and construction technology. Operating conditions. The Abyssinian well is the simplest source of water supply, which is a structure of a thin pipe with a tapered tip, a filter and a pump. Easily installed in summer cottages anywhere. You can learn how to independently install the device from this article.
The design and principle of operation of the Abyssinian well
The principle of operation of the device is quite simple: a thin pipe is driven into the ground to the depth of the aquifer, after which the liquid is pumped out to the surface by a pump. An Abyssinian well is capable of producing one bucket of water per minute. If there is not enough of it, several more devices can be installed nearby.
It consists of a pipeline, to which a tip with a simple filter is fixed on one side, and a pump on the other. For ease of installation, the line is assembled from several pieces of short length. The pump can be manual or electric.
A standard Abyssinian well is designed to raise water from a depth of up to 8 m. In most cases, it is used for irrigation and technical needs, because poorly cleaned due to the shallow depth of the aquifer. Due to the low strength of the structure and the peculiarities of its installation, the product can only be installed on certain types of soil.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Abyssinian well
The advantages of a well include the following factors:
- Ease of manufacturing individual elements and simple installation technology. Installation of the product is carried out without the use of special equipment, therefore, preparation of access roads is not required.
- The assembled well does not take up much space. It can be installed even indoors, for example, in a basement.
- The product does not harm the surrounding landscape.
- To install an Abyssinian well for water, no permits or licenses are required. This rule applies to wells located in the first aquifer, but not in the artesian one.
- The operation of the well begins within 10 hours after the start of work.
- The product has a long service life.
- Precipitation does not get inside the mine. For this reason, such wells are not demanding on sanitary conditions on the surface.
- It is the cheapest design of all known groundwater extraction devices.
- The product can be easily dismantled and transferred to another place.
- Water from the well is not inferior in quality to spring water.
- It is pumped out by a surface pump.
- The flow rate of this kind of well does not differ from the traditional one.
Site owners who plan to install a structure should also be aware of its disadvantages:
- With the help of the Abyssinian well, water is extracted from the uppermost useful layer to the surface, therefore it is not recommended to drink it, but it can be used for irrigation and other household needs.
- The upper water is replenished with atmospheric precipitation, which falls unevenly throughout the year, so the water level in the well will vary depending on the season.
- The hand pump is designed for a maximum depth of 8 m.
Abyssinian well construction technology
In stores, finished products are not sold, they are made independently or ordered in a workshop. Below we will consider in detail the device of the Abyssinian well, examples of the manufacture of structural elements and the technology of its installation.
Choosing a place for a well
To equip an Abyssinian well with your own hands, one desire is not enough. It must be ensured that the geological conditions allow the well to be drilled.
You can operate the Abyssinian well under the following conditions:
- The depth of the aquifer does not exceed 8-9 m.
- The soil is sandy or a mixture of sand and fine gravel. In this case, the water easily passes through the filter.
- It is impossible to install the product if limestone or sandstone lies close to the surface. The tip will not penetrate rocky ground. If the soil is very dense, the Abyssinian well is pre-drilled, and then a pipeline is screwed into the hole made. But in this case, special equipment and a team of workers are required, which greatly increases the cost of work.
- The composition of the soil under the site is easy to find out in the nearest krinitsa. If they are not there, you will have to drill an exploration well.
The depth of the aquifer will allow you to determine the type of pump for equipping the Abyssinian well. Ideal when it is 8-9 m below the surface. In this case, use a conventional external piston pump, which is installed on the surface.
Even if the soil is suitable for arranging a well, the following requirements must be met:
- It is forbidden to take liquid on the slopes of enemies, hills. This can disrupt the water balance underground and lead to landslides.
- Do not install the product closer than 15 m from dung heaps, animal sheds or toilets and 300 m from a cemetery. Water must not be pumped out closer than 3.5 km from sedimentation tanks and chemical plants.
- Unlike traditional krinitsa, Abyssinian ones have no restrictions on proximity to a residential building, because in this case, there is no danger of soil subsidence. It can be built even in the basement.
Materials for the arrangement of the underground part of the Abyssinian well
The design of the product is very simple, so individual parts can be made even without special equipment. Before making an Abyssinian well, it is necessary to make or purchase metal or metal-plastic pipes 1-1.5 m long, 1 or 1.5 inches in diameter. To connect them at the ends, cut the thread. Buy blanks with a margin of 2-3 m more than the estimated distance from the surface to the aquifer.
In addition, you will need a tip with a filter, which is screwed onto the first section of the pipe. Its length is 1100-1200 cm. It consists of two parts. The lower one, 10-12 cm long, has a conical shape and is designed to facilitate penetration into the ground. The diameter of the downhole element must be 20-50 cm larger than the diameter of the main pipe, otherwise it cannot be driven into the ground and pulled out. It can be turned on a lathe. Do not use a tip welded from wedge-shaped pieces of metal for such purposes. A sharpened edge can be obtained by flattening the end of the workpiece with a sledgehammer.
The tip is welded to the filter - a perforated pipe 100-110 cm long. To make it, drill holes 5-8 mm in diameter in the pipe in a checkerboard pattern. Leave a 5 cm gap between the horizontal rows. Do not drill too often to reduce the strength of the product. Perform the first row 15 cm from the top of the tip. Instead of holes, you can cut slits with a grinder 2.5 cm long every 2 cm.
Wrap the perforated tube with galloon stainless steel mesh and solder in place. You can wind a wire around the filter, leaving gaps between the turns, and then also solder it. This design does not allow dirt and small grains of sand to enter the highway. Do not use brass or colored materials when creating your filter. Combined with a steel tip, they form a galvanized pair that will quickly corrode. The finished filter should not protrude beyond the dimensions of the tip.
Use pure tin as the solder. Lead is not used in such structures; it emits substances that are toxic to humans, which get into the water and poison it. After making the filter, weld the tip to it.
Pump selection
Hand and electric pumps are used to extract water from the Abyssinian well.
When choosing a device, consider the following points:
- Productivity. The product should pump out as much water as you planned.
- The house wiring must be sized for the load of the electric pump.
- The length of the line must match the permissible suction depth of the unit.
- The pump is installed outside or inside the building.
The most popular hand held device is a dispenser (piston pump). It is used if the well is rarely operated and little water is required. The column is designed for installation in small suburban areas. It is a metal cylinder with a piston with a check valve inside. When the handle moves down, water enters the above-piston cavity, when the piston moves up, the check valve closes, and it is pushed out.
The main advantages of using a column in an Abyssinian well:
- Ease of installation.
- Energy independence. The device can be installed on a borehole anywhere in the sector.
- Ability to work in all weather conditions. The pump does not require protection from atmospheric precipitation.
- Low price.
- The device can be made by yourself.
However, the column has several disadvantages:
- With its help, water rises from a depth of less than 8 m. If the length of the pipeline is longer, the pressure loss will be significant, which will not allow the liquid to rise to the surface.
- It is impossible to organize a continuous supply of water.
- Low performance compared to electrical product.
- It is recommended to dismantle the column in winter.
To raise water from a depth of up to 30 m, another hand device is used - a rod-type pump. It differs from the piston in the increased cylinder length. Unlike the first version, the product is more cumbersome, its installation is complicated, and a great effort must be applied to move the lever.
The electric pump is installed outside the Abyssinian well. It is installed in a place protected from atmospheric precipitation - in a house, basement or a room specially built for it. The electric pump has a much higher performance than the manual one. It does not require physical effort. However, if the need for water is small, it is irrational to use such a device.
Among electrical devices, pumping stations are popular - products equipped with a small hydroaccumulator. It creates a constant pressure in the system and ensures a constant supply of fluid to the point of consumption.
Instructions for arranging a well
Consider the technology of installing an Abyssinian well in the case of an aquifer at a shallow depth:
- Use a drill to drill the deepest possible hole in the soil.
- Place the first piece with the tip and filter in it exactly in the center and fix in this position.
- Drive it into the ground so that the pipe protrudes 10 cm from the ground. For work, you need a load weighing 30 kg or a special device. It is a tripod with two blocks through which a rope is pulled. Attach a load to it (a weighty "woman").
- Install the cap on the top element, which protects the end of the pipe from damage. The horizontal surface area of the leg should be greater than the area of the falling weight.
- Lift the load on the tripod with the rope to the maximum height and release. After the impact, the pipe will enter the ground for several centimeters. Repeat the operation until the workpiece is almost completely buried in the ground.
- Occasionally sprinkle a small amount of earth next to the line and compact it.
- Take off the pantyliner. Screw on the connecting sleeve, and to it - the next workpiece.
- To seal the joint, use tow, silicone, paint, special couplings. Tightness is one of the basic requirements for the operation of the device. If a leak appears, it will adversely affect the operation of the device.
- Repeat the operation and drive the line to the required depth. The pipe should enter the aquifer by at least 1 m. It is recommended to deepen 2/3 of its thickness, but the actual dimensions are difficult to determine if exploration wells are not drilled. The ideal option is when the tip pierced through the aquifer and slightly entered the clay litter. In this case, the flow rate will be maximum, and the water will never run out and will always be clean. Approaching the useful layer can be determined by indirect signs. The closer the pipe is to it, the faster the ROP. When the tip passes it, the speed will drop again.
- To determine the presence of water in the pipe, you can use a special cracker device. It is a hollow metal cylinder that is lowered into the pipe upside down on a cord. Often a tape is attached to the cylinder to measure the length of the line. When the cracker falls into the water, a distinctive sound appears. Sometimes, instead of a cylinder, a large nut is used, which should fall flat, a metal or plastic cone, an ordinary plastic pipe. All of these objects, when in contact with water, become a source of loud popping.
- Clean the well filter from dirt by supplying clean fluid to the line under pressure.
How to make the aboveground part of the structure
After the appearance of water in the pipe, it is necessary to ensure its delivery to the surface. This will require a piston or electric pump. If the intensity of the well operation is different at different times of the year, two devices can be used. For frequent use, take an electric one, in other cases - a column.
Pump out cloudy water from the line. After the appearance of a clean liquid, the product is ready for use.
Place a clay area around the pipe so that it protrudes above the ground, and concrete. In this way, wastewater will not seep into the well.
If the depth of the Abyssinian well is more than 8 m, there may be a problem with pumping water. If the permissible depth is slightly exceeded, dig a hole around the pipe with a depth of 1-1.5 m and a diameter that makes it easy to work in it. Unscrew the upper section of the line and fasten the pump to the freed end. In this case, the product will be located in a pit, below ground level. If the aquifer is located at a much deeper depth, use electric pumping stations.
Over time, even the most reliable well can become muddy if it is rarely used. To restore it, use a bailer - a tool for cleaning wells. Its diameter is slightly less than the diameter of the main pipe. Attach a cord to it and drop it into the cavity. Then pull out and shake out the contents. Repeat the operation until there is a minimum of dirt in it.
How to make an Abyssinian well - watch the video:
An Abyssinian well, equipped in strict accordance with the above technology, will provide water to a household plot for many years no worse than a classic mine. However, despite the simplicity of the installation process, it is necessary to carefully prepare for work - to study the geological and hydrogeological situation in a given area, only then can a decision be made about using the specified method of water extraction.
