So the other day I was on the toilet (not the one that’s running on rainwater right now). And when the day’s business was concluded, and the flush initiated I noticed something arwy. The toilet tank was filling very slowly and then hardly at all. Appropriately enough the words “Oh, shit” were heard issuing fourth from the fortress of solitude a moment later. I thought the valve or float had gone bad, but when I went to the sink to wash my hands.. nothing. The faucet responded to my pleadings with only the soft hissing noise of air being drawn into the house plumbing.  

Stinking of Purell, I trudged up the hill to find the well buzzing away but only charging the plumbing to 15 or 20 PSI. Apparently this is just enough to trickle fill a toilet but not enough to span the extra few feet to the bathroom faucet. 

I thought it must be the pump so I called the well company. They came out and diagnosed it as the pump not getting enough juice. It’s wired for 220, but was only getting 110. That will be 140 bucks please and best of luck finding the problem.  I have the equipment to diagnose that, but my haste and ego had just cost me. 

So I checked the breaker…both poles were fine. Checked the wire under the house, 223 volts strong.  That clenched it.  There was a break somewhere in the underground cable between the house and the well. 

I ran an extension cord to the old well (it runs on 110) and cut it over to the house. At least we had water. So I figured if I was going to trench the yard up it might as well be go big or go home. I trenched out to the far pasture and ran water lines to the barn and another line to the fence where we’re planning to install an automatic waterer for the horses. Why not, right? 

I dug a new ditch from the house up to to the well. So 250 ft of 10-3 UF cable (and conduit!) and a truckload of pvc later I had two circuits run to the well house (110 for the old one and 220 for the new one) I also ran a new 1 inch water line to the house because I figured that would be the next to go. Not to mention the 500 or so feet of 3/4 pvc run to the fields and barn. 

So now we’re finally back on our new well, and we have a few more options. But I’ll tell you.. that is a ton of work. I still have a few loose ends to tie up on the project, and then it’s back to fencing the big pasture. 

We’re trying to come up with a name for our little farm. I’m thinking Aching Back Acres sounds good about now. Oi.