The Abyssinian well is a sand well; water is drawn from the first sandy aquifer. main feature– shallow depth, simple device and low cost.

They are fed from the upper groundwater - the so-called perched water. Groundwater is not separated from the surface by an impermeable layer, so it may contain dissolved organic matter from septic tanks and cesspools, pesticides, and heavy metal salts.

Artesian wells extract water from deep, pressurized sandy or limestone horizons. The water there contains a lot of dissolved mineral salts; there are artesian waters with a high content of dissolved divalent iron. To purify water to potable quality, a complex filtration system is required.

The water in the Abyssinian well is different high quality. Waterproof clay layers reliably protect the first sandy aquifer from the penetration of contaminants from upper layers soil, while the water does not contain excess mineral salts.

The waters of the first sandy horizon are free-flowing, so a pump is needed to pump out the water. For Abyssinian wells, surface manual or electric pumps are used, the operating principle of which is based on the vacuum pumping method. This limits the maximum depth to the surface of the aquifer, not exceeding 8 m. In this case, the depth of the well can reach 14-15 m.

An electric pump or with a hydraulic accumulator is installed in a caisson directly next to the well or in a warm room at some distance. Allowable distance to the premises, as well as the installation diagram of the pumping station are shown in the figure.

A hand pump is installed directly above the well. For year-round use it is placed in an insulated caisson or room. The well can be drilled inside the house, in the underground - in this case, insulation is not needed.

The service life of an Abyssinian well is limited by the life of the pipes and pump and averages 10-30 years with regular use. Galvanized, or even better, pipes made of of stainless steel, will not only last much longer, but also will not worsen the quality of water.

Note! You can make an Abyssinian well in one day if you have the necessary components and tools for driving.

Preparing the necessary materials

The design of an Abyssinian well is extremely simple and consists of a set of metal pipes 1-2 m long, connected to each other using couplings, a filter pipe at the bottom for water intake and a pump on the ground surface.

Step 1. Pipes are preferably galvanized or stainless steel to protect against corrosion, pipe diameter is 1-1½ inches (approximately 2.5-3.8 cm). Copper pipes are not suitable due to the softness of the metal; moreover, copper is capable of releasing free ions to water, poisoning it. On pipes, except for the lowest one, external threads are cut on both sides.

Step 2. The lower pipe, which is a water intake with a filter, is perforated. The length of the perforated part is 700-1000 mm. The diameter of the holes is 8-10 mm, the center-to-center distance between the holes is 50 mm. The holes are arranged in a checkerboard pattern. Stainless wire is wound over the perforated part according to the diagram.

Instead of wire, you can use a fine mesh harpoon or plain mesh made of stainless steel. The mesh is tightly wrapped around the perforated part of the pipe and soldered at all joints.

Note! Soldering is performed with food-grade solder, lead-free or with a minimum lead content. Suitable brands of solders: POSu 95-5, POM-1, POM-3.

A thread is cut at the upper end of the pipe to connect to the coupling.

Step 3. A spear-shaped tip made of hardened steel is welded to the lower end of the pipe, making it easier to plug the well. The diameter of the tip at the junction with the pipe should be 15-20 mm larger than the diameter of the pipe - this makes it easier to pass through the ground when driving.

Step 4. The number of pipes in the set depends on the expected depth of the well. They are connected using a threaded coupling; flax or fluoroplastic thread is wound onto the thread for strength. It is preferable to take thick-walled couplings, with a wall thickness of 5 mm - such products are stronger.

Step 5. To drive pipes into the ground, a carbide driving tip is made. The tip has internal thread and screwed onto the next section of pipe.

Step 6. The pipes are clogged using a sledgehammer or headstock. The headstock is a steel cylinder in which a hole is drilled slightly larger than the diameter of the pipe used. The striking surface inside the cylinder conforms to the cone shape of the striking tip in order to center the impact. A removable ring along the diameter of the pipe is attached to the bottom of the headstock to avoid distortions when driving. The headstock is equipped with handles for lifting on both sides.

Step 7 Sometimes the headstock is made with a through hole; in this case, instead of an impact tip, a headstock is used, which is attached to the pipe at a convenient height. In this case, the impact does not occur at the end of the pipe, which reduces the chances of bending it when passing through dense layers of soil.

To make lifting the headstock easier, a clamp with blocks is made. In this case, the headstock is lifted by two people from both sides through blocks, and it lowers under its own weight.

Step 8 For initial pumping of the well and clearing it of sand, it is recommended to use a hand pump. If in the future you plan to install pumping station, you don’t have to buy a hand pump, but rent it.

Step 9 When placing pumping equipment in a caisson, after installing the well, it is necessary to dig a pit for its (caisson) installation. The depth of the uninsulated caisson must be greater than the freezing level of the soil.

Note! You can make a caisson with your own hands from concrete rings.

Prices for filters for the Abyssinian well

Abyssinian well filter

Choosing a site for an Abyssinian well

The operation of the Abyssinian well is only possible if the distance to the aquifer is no more than 8 m. Otherwise surface pumps will be ineffective, and a submersible pump will require a larger diameter pipe and different drilling technology.

To prepare a set of pipes, you also need to know the approximate depth of the well. Excessive deepening of the suction pipe with a filter can lead to its penetration into dense layers of soil lying below the level of the vein.

How to choose a suitable location for a well and determine its expected depth?

1. The surest sign of the possibility of developing an Abyssinian well is the presence of the same wells in the nearest neighbors. You can ask them not only about the depth, but also about the flow rate of the well in order to determine the required performance of the pumping equipment. Measuring the flow rate of a well is quite simple: you need to time 1 minute and determine how much water the well is capable of producing during this time.

Table 1. Required pump performance depending on the well flow rate.

1. If there are wells nearby, you can also find out the depth of the aquifer. Using a rope with a weight, measure the depth of the well to the bottom and to the water surface, and find out the approximate thickness of the aquifer.
2. A sign of close occurrence of interstratal aquifers may be the emergence of springs and streams to the surface. If in your area there are springs with good, tasty water, then with a high degree of probability the same water will be in the drilled Abyssinian well, and the depth of the latter will be shallow.
3. An indirect sign of the close passage of an aquifer is some plants with a deep root system: coltsfoot, burdock, horse sorrel, celandine and many others. Trees with tap roots also grow better in areas with nearby aquifers.

   

4. Fog after sunrise, as well as swarming midges above certain areas- it is too obvious signs, indicating the proximity of an aquifer.
5. Well digging experts use metal frames to find the location. It is believed that this requires experience, but you can try to do everything yourself. Take two pieces of copper wire 35 cm long, bend the frames from them at an angle of 90 degrees with an aspect ratio of 10/25 cm. Take the frames in your hands by the short sides and place them parallel to each other, without squeezing too much. Walk slowly through the area. In the place where the aquifer passes, the free ends of the frames should meet.

   

   Folk method on the site

   

Note! Several signs indicating the proximity of water indicate a high probability of finding an aquifer with a high flow rate.

Abyssinian - step by step instructions

Equipment for driving an Abyssinian well can be rented from drilling companies, purchased, or made independently according to the ready-made drawings given above.

Step 1. Remove the turf on the well site to a depth of 20-30 cm. When driving a well in the underground, the turf does not need to be removed. The first 0.5-1.0 m is drilled with a regular garden drill to penetrate the fertile soil layers. Installing it in too dry or frozen soil will not affect it, but will make the drilling process easier.

Step 2. Install a pipe with a punching tip into the drilled well, level it strictly vertically and fix it in this position. This can be done using a tripod or a board with a hole, as shown in the picture.

Step 3. Place the lower ring on the pipe to secure the headstock. Screw a carbide tip onto the upper end of the pipe so as not to damage the thread when driving.

Step 4. Place the headstock on the tip and screw the fixing ring to it from below. Raise the headstock by the handles until it stops, then release it. The headstock hits the tip, under the influence of a weight of about 25 kg, the pipe goes into the ground to a certain depth. The speed of driving is highly dependent on the density of the soil. A meter-long pipe goes into the sand with 5-8 blows; in clay it moves much more slowly.

Step 5. After the pipe has gone to a sufficient depth, the headstock, tip and fixing ring are removed, and the coupling is screwed on with flax or Tangit UNI-LOCK thread. The connection must be as tight as possible, otherwise during operation air or water from the perched water will be sucked through it.

Step 6. Install the next pipe and repeat steps 3, 4 and 5. Once the expected depth of the well is reached, water begins to be poured into the pipe every half meter. The sandy aquifer is non-pressurized; it is capable of not only releasing, but also absorbing water. If the tip with the filter is located in an aquiferous zone, the water poured into the pipe will drain quickly, almost instantly. If there is no information about the depth of the aquifer, the test is performed starting from 3-4 m.

Step 7 After reaching the aquifer, the pipe is clogged another 0.5-0.7 m and a permanent or temporary pump is attached to it. They begin pumping the well. At first the water will be cloudy, with some sand mixed in.

Step 8 After pumping out several hundred liters, the water will become clean; a lens will form around the intake end with the filter - an area clean water without foreign inclusions.

Step 9 Around the well they perform concrete blind area: remove the soil to a depth of 20-30 cm, add sand 5-10 cm thick, then lay the reinforcing mesh and fill it with concrete. From the center of the blind area to the edges, make a slope of 2-3 degrees to drain water. You can also perform drainage to drain water; in this case, the slope is made towards the drainage hole.

Step 10 Install a permanent pump or connect a pumping station according to the diagram.

Note! The circuit must have a check valve, otherwise before turning on the pump you will have to fill the pumping station with water each time.

Caisson installation

A well is equipped with a caisson when its depth does not allow the pumping equipment to be moved into an insulated room using a horizontally laid and insulated pipe. TO , You can read in our article.

Step 1. When installing a caisson, a pit is dug around the plugged well. To avoid damaging the pipe, it is better to do this manually. Before starting work, wrap the top of the pipe with a bag or thick fabric to avoid the entry of soil particles. The depth of the pit is 20-30 cm below the soil freezing level, the diameter is 20-30 cm greater than the outer diameter of the rings. At the same time, they dig a trench for laying pipes. The bottom of the pit and trench is leveled and backfilled with sand (layer thickness - 10 cm).

Step 2. Install reinforced concrete rings in the prepared pit. A hole is made in the wall for the water pipe at the level of the trench. Reinforcement mesh is placed on the bottom, the bottom is filled with concrete with a layer of 10-15 cm. Leave to harden and gain minimum strength for 5-7 days.

Step 3. A cover with a hatch is mounted on the well. The hatch must be positioned so that the well pipe is exactly opposite it - in this case, if necessary, you will not have to disassemble the caisson to remove and replace the pipes. All seams are coated cement mortar.

Step 4. A pump and a hydraulic accumulator are mounted in the caisson. Place the water pipe through the hole in the ring, having previously wrapped it in foamed polyethylene to avoid damage. The hole is covered with cement mortar. Connect the pipe to the pump and check the functionality of the system.

Step 5. Execute backfill pit. A mixture of sand and cement is poured around the walls - gradually gaining moisture from the soil, the latter will set and securely fix the caisson. The lid is insulated with polystyrene outside and cover with a layer of sand 0.3-0.5 m. Reinforcement mesh is laid and filled with concrete. After it hardens, install the hatch cover.

Abyssinian well maintenance

An Abyssinian well will last longer if used regularly. At the same time, the lens around the filter retains its dimensions, the water in it remains clean, and the flow rate of the well does not change. If you plan to use the Abyssinian well seasonally, you need to preserve it: drain the water from the supply pipe so that it does not freeze, cover the pump with waterproof material to protect it from snow and melt water. In the spring, before the start of the season, it is necessary to pump the well, as before the first commissioning.

Video - DIY Abyssinian well

The Abyssinian well does not require a passport, but it can provide your family with clean drinking water. With regular use and maintenance of the well, the problem of water supply to the house will be solved for several decades to come. "TO , you can read in our article."

To the happy owners of plots on which, in all respects, technical requirements If an Abyssinian well can be equipped, you should boldly use the possibility of installing a full-fledged autonomous water supply.

The Abyssinian well today has become one of the most popular options in solving the issue of water supply for a private home or summer cottage, thanks to a huge number of advantages, among which convenience and low cost have become fundamental. In addition, you can make an Abyssinian well with your own hands even without special qualifications and equipment. The main thing is to follow the technology exactly.

Construction of an Abyssinian well

The classic design of an Abyssinian well consists of hermetically connected pipe sections of 1-2 meters with a diameter of 1 inch.

Diagram of the Abyssinian well

There should be a filter at the bottom of the needle well. This is a piece of pipe about 110 cm long, to which a metal tip in the form of a cone is welded at the bottom. The diameter of the tip must be at least 20 mm larger than the diameter of the pipe and it is desirable that it be made of the same material. Just above the cone, holes are made on the pipe in a checkerboard pattern with a diameter of 5-8 mm, the distance between them should be such that the strength of the pipe is not compromised.

A fine stainless steel mesh is placed over the holes. It is tied with clamps every 10 cm or wrapped with wire, the ends of which are soldered to the pipe. In this case, it is recommended to use only tin for solder, since lead can contaminate drinking water. In factory versions of the needle filter, the mesh may be located inside the pipe, but at home this is more difficult to do and is not worth the effort. On average, a well of this type is capable of producing from 0.5 to 4 m3 of water/hour.

Choosing a location for a well

Choosing a site for drilling an Abyssinian well

First, it is necessary to determine the level of groundwater and the actual possibility of organizing a well.

• The easiest way would be to measure the depth of wells in the surrounding area at
  using a rope with a load.
• A more reliable, but labor-intensive option is test drilling. Analysis can also help
  vegetation and the quality of its growth.
• Where moisture-loving plants with deep roots predominate, groundwater
  not located deeply.

Well depth and location

The needle well is designed to draw water from the first aquifer. This means that its depth cannot exceed 15 m. It can be located either on the site or in the basement of a residential building, but no closer than 25 m from sources of pollution (compost pits, garbage heaps, septic tank), 300 m from the cemetery and not on a hillside.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Abyssinian well

Abyssinian well on personal plot

It is not without reason that the Abyssinian well is considered the most profitable way to provide clean water Vacation home or a summer cottage, but in addition to the many advantages, it is worth paying attention to the disadvantages of this option.

Advantages:

• A needle well will cost less than any other options;
• There will be no need for any documents or further payment for using the clean
  water;
• The well is not provided significant influence on the foundations of nearby buildings;
• Duration of operation up to 20 years. After this period, you will need to either replace the filter or drill a new well nearby;
• The water is usually clean and does not require the installation of special filtration systems;
• Quick installation. Even if you build an Abyssinian well with your own hands, the work will take no more than one day.

Water from an Abyssinian well after pumping

Flaws:

• Certain geological conditions are required;
• There is some chance of making a mistake and missing the aquifer, but such an oversight is easily resolved by pulling out the needle.
• In rare cases, the water at the top may be undrinkable. Therefore, so that the work is not done in vain, it is better to take a sample from neighboring wells in advance and submit it for chemical and bacteriological analysis.

Methods for immersing a needle well in the ground

Drilling or plugging Abyssinian wells is carried out in one of several ways.

The process of drilling an Abyssinian well

• Initially, they were built only by driving a pipe into the ground using a sledgehammer. Later they invented a device called “grandmother”. But when choosing such a technique, it is important to understand that the driving process involves a strong load on the threaded connections between the tubes, which is why they can lose their tightness, and this in turn will lead to contamination of the well with wastewater.
• They also drill Abyssinian wells with a shock drilling rig. The design of the device is a tripod with a load suspended on a cable. They lift it manually or using an electric winch to a certain height, then lower it into free fall, allowing it to fall onto the driven pipe.
• More modern version is to drill a well with a slightly larger diameter than a pipe with a filter, which is then loaded into the prepared passage. You can drill a hole using a special installation or manually using an advanced garden auger. Its update comes down to lengthening the rod. Select a pipe of the appropriate diameter and cut it into sections of 1-1.5 m. Connect them with threaded couplings or cross bolts, adding additional element as the drill sinks into the ground.

Abyssinian well construction technology

They begin work by determining the location. Next, they dig a hole with a volume of about one cubic meter, in the middle of which there will be a well.
After this, they begin to plug the pipe. As the needles sink, soil is poured around it and compacted. The next section of pipe is screwed to the already driven section, ensuring the required length. Pipes are usually connected with threaded couplings.
The most difficult thing in the driving process is to get the entire filter into the aquifer. If you fill the pipe with water and it goes away quickly, then the filter has reached the surface, but drilling or driving stops only when the cone reaches waterproof soil. If, after a noticeable increase, the rate of water loss drops again, the filter needs to be raised slightly.

After the filter is immersed in the aquifer, the pipe is washed with water under pressure and gets rid of clay. After cleaning, a check valve and a pump are installed in the well, which pumps out muddy water. More often, an electric unit or a manual piston unit is installed. The area around the well is concreted.

Important! In a well that has just been drilled, the water may remain slightly cloudy due to the admixture of clay, but it will become clear within a day.

The Abyssinian well can be used in winter. If it is equipped not in the basement of the house, but on the site, a caisson is built around the well, which, like the water supply pipes, must be insulated.

On a personal plot or dacha, far from communications, it is not difficult to build a completely autonomous source of water supply. An Abyssinian well can become an accessible hydraulic structure. Small capital investments, minimal labor costs, short terms and simple design will serve you well for many years. A self-drilled needle well, in the presence of pumping equipment, will provide a country house with relatively clean water in the required quantity.

The Abyssinian type well is a simple device for extracting water from the first aquifer. The device for such a water intake is a shallow and narrow well, which can be easily drilled using the simplest equipment:

• primitive drill;
• metal profile tripod;
• shock woman;
• blocks for lifting a woman;
• sub-grandmother;
• lifting rope;
• thread cutting die;
• welding machine.

The equipment includes:

• a drill bit consisting of a spear-shaped tip, a piece of pipe with holes up to 5 mm, support rods and a metal mesh;
• metal pipes with a diameter of 2.5 cm to 5 cm with a wall thickness of 2 mm;
• couplings with internal thread;

In essence, the drill bit is a filter. When immersed in an aquifer, it does not allow sand to penetrate into the trunk and clog it.

The depth of the Abyssinian driving well is no more than 15 meters. All work on its punching can be done manually.

Well productivity depends on the thickness of the exposed formation and is 1-3 m 3 / h.

Construction time is from 3 to 10 hours. Depends on the type of soil and the depth of the aquifer.

Water from a needle well rises using conventional hand pump or through a pumping station.

When choosing a pumping station, you should not purchase overly powerful equipment. An overly powerful pump is capable of pumping out more water than enters the barrel.

On what aquifer is the needle well placed?

Most often, an Abyssinian well is built to obtain process water, suitable for watering, cleaning the territory and other economic needs. Water of this quality usually lies shallow - from 8 meters. To obtain it, it is enough to drill a well to the first aquifer. The water in such a well is quite clean, since at such a depth it is already filtered through sandy layers and protected from pollution by a layer of clay located above. However, it is still not recommended to use such water for drinking and cooking.

Since the depth of the Abyssinian well usually does not exceed 10-15 meters, the pressure of the underlying layers on the aquifer is not enough for the water to rise to the surface on its own. Therefore, it has to be lifted using a pump - manual or electric.

The deeper the aquifer is located, the higher the quality of the water supplied by such a well. Water obtained from a depth of 15 meters or more is usually suitable for drinking after purification. But in such cases, drilling a well will most likely require hand tools, but special equipment.

In order to determine at what depth the aquifer lies, you can take a simple rope with a weight and measure the distance to the water in ordinary wells located nearby.

Work principles

In the simplest case, water is lifted from a shallow depth using a hand pump. The design of the pump for Abyssinian wells is extremely simple.

• Cylinder.
• Piston.
• Suction and shut-off valve.
• The handle that operates the piston.

When the piston is raised, a vacuum is created, into which water is lifted through the suction valve. When the piston moves downwards, the valve closes, preventing water from escaping back. Then the cycle repeats.

Compliance with sanitary standards

Even if the water for which the Abyssinian well is being built is intended only for watering a garden plot or for some other technical purposes, the established sanitary standards should not be neglected.

The fact is that water enters such a well from the uppermost aquifer layers. Such water will almost inevitably contain various contaminants. Not far from the well, behind the fence, there may be neighbors cesspools, public landfills. Therefore, the location for the Abyssinian water intake should, if possible, be chosen at the maximum distance from such dangerous areas.

Sources of pollution are often surrounding fields and other agricultural objects. They can release pesticides, fertilizers, and biological waste into the water. There is also nothing good if your site is located near industrial zones.

In order to determine in advance whether the water will meet sanitary standards, it is recommended in advance, even before drilling an Abyssinian well, to take water samples from wells located nearby. Submit to the SES for analysis for chemical and biological impurities.

The best time to take water samples is late spring. During this period, the earth thaws, becomes saturated with moisture, and groundwater contains the maximum amount of dissolved substances. In winter or during the dry season, the analysis may be inaccurate and show a lower content of harmful impurities than in reality.

Drilling technology

To open the first aquifer when installing an Abyssinian type well, you will need:

Tools:

• Bulgarian;
• electric drill;
• welding machine;
• hand drill (or homemade drilling rig);
• gas keys;
• sledgehammer.

Equipment:

• kit steel pipes 1-2 meters long;
• metal pipes for making a tripod;
• plastic pipes for draining water and distributing it throughout the site;
• discs from a barbell for making a woman.

Consumables:

• ropes;
• blocks;
• buckets;
• clamps;
• couplings;
• bolts with nuts;
• steel wire;
• metal grid.

Step-by-step drilling operations

Step 1. Guided by the principles described above, a location is selected for the Abyssinian well.

Step 2. A hand drill is used to dig a well shaft with a depth of about 1 meter and a diameter of approximately 80-100 mm. This well will serve as a guide.

Step 3. A needle filter (drilling tool) is installed in the shaft.

For self-made drill rig:

• They take metal pipe with a diameter of 2.5 to 5 cm. It is cut into sections 1-2 meters long, which are subsequently connected along the thread with clamps as the well deepens. Connections are sealed using tow, fumlenta, oil paint or sealant.
• On the projectile rod, over a length of about half a meter, holes with a diameter of 5-8 mm are drilled in a checkerboard pattern.
• A metal mesh is soldered over the holes to protect against the ingress of soil and sand. For soldering, you must use harmless tin, but not solders containing lead.
• A sharp, spear-shaped tip is welded to the end of the hollow rod. Its diameter should be slightly larger than the diameter of the pipe itself. This is necessary so that the projectile passes freely, without getting stuck, into the hole punched by the tip.

Step 4. The filter needle is driven into the ground with the help of a woman. This method is convenient for small pipe diameters (30-40 mm). Baba is made from ordinary barbell discs. Handles and eyes are welded to it for passing ropes or cables.

Step 5. A headstock is secured to the pipe to which the filter needle is attached using a clamp. He must take the blows of a falling woman. The weight of the woman depends on the density of the soil. Usual weight is 50-60 kg.

Step 6. The woman is put on the trumpet. Using a system of cables and pulleys, it is periodically lifted and released. When it falls, it hits the headstock and the structure, and goes deeper into the ground over and over again.

Step 7 As the needle filter penetrates into the ground, the headstock is moved upward from time to time and the pipe is extended as necessary.

During the process of sinking the shaft, water is periodically added to soften the soil being penetrated.

A sign that the filter needle has reached the aquifer will be a sharp and noisy drop in the level of water poured into the cavity of the rod.

Next, the Abyssinian well is “rocked.” Rinse with water to clear the filter of clogged soil and sand. To do this, water is pumped into the pipe under pressure. Below it erodes the aquifer and creates a cavity around the filter, which gradually fills.

Subsequently, such an operation to clean the well should be carried out regularly.

Arrangement

Upon completion of all work, the well should be equipped. To do this, the space around the pipe driven into the ground is covered with crushed stone. A blind area is built on top of the crushed stone - a concrete platform rising above ground level. This is necessary in order to protect the Abyssinian well from the influence of external conditions and prevent rain or melt water from entering it.

Since the depth of the well shaft is small, a not very powerful surface-type electric pump can be used to equip it. The suction hose of such a pump is lowered into the pipe, and a filter mesh is put on the inlet pipe.

Submersible systems are used much less frequently in Abyssinian wells. The fact is that submersible pumps small diameter, that is, able to fit into a narrow well pipe, are quite expensive. They are mostly used to supply drinking water from deeper artesian wells.

Organization of year-round work

If you want the Abyssinian well to function properly all year round, it is necessary to take care of its preparation for winter period. The easiest way is when the well itself is made right in the house or a warm utility room.

If the well is located on outdoors, then in winter pipes and equipment may freeze and fail. Therefore, the water supply system from the well (pipelines and the pump itself) must be placed either in a building where the temperature does not drop below zero, or a special caisson must be built.

A caisson is an isolated structure buried in the ground below the level winter freezing soil. It is made of tin or plastic and is protected from contact with the ground by a layer of resistant materials. External pipelines in this case should be protected either by passive thermal insulation or electrical system forced heating (heated cable).

Do-it-yourself well bore cleaning

During operation, the well of an Abyssinian well is periodically clogged with a plug of sand, clay, and silt. This reduces the productivity of water intake. The quality of the water itself is also deteriorating. Therefore, it should be cleaned once or twice a year. The process is labor-intensive, but necessary. There are several ways to do this:

• cleaning the well using a vibration pump of the “Malysh” type (if the diameter of the well allows it);
• blowing with a compressor;
• cleaning the well using a bailer;
• mechanical cleaning with a scraper and brush;
• mechanical cleaning using a swab ( special device in the form of a metal disk and a rubber valve);
• cleaning using pumping and pumping out water with two pumps.

So, building and maintaining an Abyssinian-type well yourself is quite a feasible undertaking. It does not require special technical skills. The material and financial investments are not as great as it might seem. But all costs are more than recouped by the created autonomous water supply system, which does not depend on external sources.

The most affordable way to organize autonomous system water supply - to equip an Abyssinian well in a suburban plot of land or in the basement of a house.

The finished hydraulic structure provides water supply from the sandy soil layer, so the natural water source has high organoleptic characteristics.

Design features of the well

Not many people know what an Abyssinian well is and how it works. An Abyssinian well is a well up to 10 meters deep without casing, in which water is supplied using a pump.

The well is constructed using a shock-rope unit, which is used in private drilling. In this case, the drilling depth is up to 12–15 meters.

The construction of the Abyssinian well is reliable and efficient. Structurally, the structure consists of the following elements:

• prefabricated water pipe (separate sections of pipes that are connected to each other by couplings, and the joints are closed with rubber seals);
• tip - a needle made of hardened steel;
• top filter;
• inlet valve;
• pump equipment.

The water pipe is equipped with a submersible needle tip, in which small holes are made for water intake. At the top of the structure there is a filter for water purification and further supply to the consumer.

Wells have the following parameters of structural elements:

• the diameter of the water pipe is from 2 to 8 cm, the lengths of the segments are 200 cm each;
• needle tip length – from 25 to 32 cm, diameter – up to 1.5 cm;
• pump - surface or manual.

Advantages of an autonomous Abyssinian well

Having understood what an Abyssinian well is, we can consider the main advantages of a structure of this type.

Abyssinian wells have become quite popular and in demand due to their high operational characteristics:

• simple and reliable design structures;
• low cost of component materials;
• durability, practicality and safety of the design;
• with a small diameter water pipe, a self-made well is not inferior in its technical and operational characteristics to more serious analogues;
• the well does not take up much space, so it can be installed even in a small area;
• the structure is equipped with surface pumping equipment, which is more convenient for carrying out preventive or repair work;
• Abyssinian well from plastic pipes can be arranged in areas where the organization of the usual deep well is impossible for technical or other reasons;
• to make an Abyssinian well yourself, there is no need to use expensive machinery and auxiliary equipment;
• It will take 12 hours to set up a well - from the start of work to the receipt of the first liters of clean water;
• a reliable filter ensures effective cleaning of the aquifer and prevents its possible siltation;
• a do-it-yourself needle well provides a continuous supply of water in a volume sufficient for household and drinking needs. The average debit rate of a hydraulic structure of this type ranges from 0.6 to 3.1 cubic meters per hour;
• the finished structure must be dismantled and reinstallation in various operational areas.

A distinctive feature of the well is the immersion of the water pipe to an arbitrary depth. This prevents siltation of the structure and the supply of contaminated water with a high content of foreign impurities. In this case, the water in the Abyssinian structure will be of higher quality chemical composition than in classic large-diameter wells

The possible penetration of contaminants from the surface layers of the soil into the aquifer is the only drawback of the Abyssinian well. For this reason, it is recommended to more carefully choose a suitable location for constructing a well, away from landfills, gutters and pits, summer showers and septic tanks.

Available methods for arranging an Abyssinian well

If services professional development structures are expensive, how to make an Abyssinian well yourself? A question that interests many homeowners who have decided to organize an autonomous drinking source on their site.

There are several available ways well arrangement.

Pre-drilling with drilling rig

This method is used to develop a well in mobile, aquifer-saturated soil, which is prone to rapid sedimentation and collapse. In this case, the drilling process is combined with the immersion of the water pipe. Professional or homemade drills– U-shaped structures equipped with a cylinder for collecting and bringing waste soil to the surface. For ease of working with the drill, it is recommended to use an electric or mechanical winch on a stand. It facilitates rapid extraction of soil from the cylinder and rod of the drilling rig.

Barbell hammering

For driving with a rod, special metal hexagonal rods are used, which are lowered into the casing pipe. Each rod is equipped with threads to increase the length. The working process involves throwing a downhole rod into a rod to construct a well of the required depth.

Hammering by a woman

Often, to construct a well, a driving rod is used - a rod, to which a cone-shaped tip is fixed using a washer. This design allows you to quickly install a casing for a well. During the driving process, the column is moistened with water, which helps soften the soil and allow the device to easily penetrate into depth. After preparing the column of the required depth, pumping equipment is installed.

Independent development of an Abyssinian well

You can make an Abyssinian well with your own hands using a simple homemade installation. To perform the work, you must prepare the following tools and materials:

• electric drill;
• grinder;
• welding installation;
• sledgehammer and hammer;
• set of gas keys;
• water pipe in sections of 150 cm each;
• cast iron couplings - for driving pipes, steel - for connecting;
• steel wire 0.3 mm thick and mesh (galloon weaving) for the filter;
• sealant for joints;
• check valve;
• pump equipment.

Filter design

The filter tip is made from a small piece of pipe (length up to 85 cm), to which a cone-shaped tip is welded. Small holes are made on the surface of the tip to supply water. Wire and stainless steel mesh are wound onto the pipe with additional fixation on metal clamps in increments of 9 cm.

Well construction technology

The process of driving a pipe into sandy soil is quite simple, but requires a little skill. Experts recommend performing work on arranging a well of this type in the following order:

1. A garden drill is used to drill a shaft of the required depth and diameter. The optimal depth of the structure is determined by the sound method - the passage of clay soils does not create noise, in sandy soils of a coarse fraction a strong grinding sound is felt, in sandy soils of a fine fraction a slight rustling is felt.
2. The water intake pipe is installed with a step-by-step connection of the sections using metal couplings. Work is carried out until a wet sand layer appears. Next, the depth is checked - a small volume of liquid is supplied to the casing. If the liquid seeps out quickly, the depth is suitable; if there are delays, the pipe must be deepened by 50 cm.
3. Filter installation. Pipe section with homemade filter mounted using couplings on the thread. The finished structure is immersed to the bottom to the sand layer, and a cast iron coupling is screwed into the upper part.
4. Next is the installation check valve and pumping equipment. All elements must form a single sealed structure, otherwise the finished water supply system will not function effectively. To seal joints and increase the strength of connecting elements, you can additionally use linseed hemp or oil-based paint.
5. At the end of the work, the hydraulic structure is pumped until clean drinking water is obtained. First passes airlock, then a cloudy liquid, after which purified water appears.
6. To protect the water intake point from the penetration of pollution and runoff into the mine, it is recommended to concrete a small area around the structure. It should rise 5–8 cm above the top ground level.

Video about the technology of arranging a homemade needle well.

The main advantage of wells is the reliability of the structures and the safety of the arrangement. In addition, they are durable, practical and easy to use.

A do-it-yourself Abyssinian well can be located on a summer cottage, in a garage or cellar. The construction of such a hydraulic structure does not require expensive equipment, and all work can be done independently without the involvement of contractors.

general information

Today, water supply is a significant problem in summer cottage construction. This is explained by the fact that supplying water from the central pipeline is a complex and expensive process. An alternative option is to dig a well, which requires significant labor and special permission. Some time ago, drilling of Abyssinian wells began to be widely used in the Russian Federation. It's simple and effective option solving the problem of water supply in the house.

Origin story

So what is an Abyssinian well? During the colonial wars, British troops carried out the Abyssinian operation. Military operations in the desert were difficult due to problems with water supply. Then the British began to use the Norton drill, which is a drilling device for extracting water. The colonialists were able to advance into the desert regions and completed the tasks they had set for themselves. After this, rumors about Abyssinian wells spread throughout all countries, and the original name “Norton” was forgotten.

Two decades later, drilling an Abyssinian well was tested in Russia. The work was carried out by unskilled workers who made five wells. Drinking water was obtained in only three of them, and average speed filling was approximately one and a half buckets per minute. As a rule, the aquifer was located at a depth of 4 to 10 meters. Sometimes the drill would get stuck in the limestone layer, which would take another 30 minutes to remove.

Famous scientists have studied Abyssinian wells, which, according to them, are an excellent water supply option to this day. After analyzing all the data, it became clear that digging a well is justified only if, due to geological conditions, drilling an Abyssinian well is impossible.

The main advantages of use

Drilling an Abyssinian well with your own hands has so many advantages that it is not enough to just list them. Let's explain the main pros and cons.

Low cash costs for the device

The maximum cost of a turnkey installation is rarely higher than 25 thousand rubles. average price is 14 thousand rubles, and equipment can be bought for 5 thousand. Compared to constructing a well, this is a very economical option.

A do-it-yourself Abyssinian well, together with all materials and mechanisms, will cost approximately 10 thousand rubles. It does not require the use of high quality materials. All work can be done with your own hands from scrap materials.

Fast and easy development

To perform this procedure, you do not need to use a drilling derrick or tripod. There is no need for driving a hole, an electric drive or drilling fluid. According to statistics, fluctuations in the depth of aquifers can range from 2 to 15 meters. No need for professional knowledge. In almost a hundred percent of cases, two healthy men are enough - the water is ready within a day, and sometimes in a few hours.

Environmental Safety

If you do not deviate from the technological process and correctly drive the well into the sand, then the possibility of penetration is completely eliminated groundwater to the water intake. A driven Abyssinian well in urban areas can produce water that is not much different from artesian water.

Full compliance with sanitary standards

Hard ones are not presented sanitary requirements. You can plug the well directly from the basement. With this embodiment, the work is easier, and their cost becomes less. The well does not freeze in winter, so there is no need to construct a pit - artificially burying it in the ground.

Long service life

The wells, clogged many years ago by the British, still provide water uninterruptedly and do not require special care. The thirty-year service life indicated in many sources is not the maximum. In fact, the well will function until the water runs out.

Does not require registration or special permits

There is no need to obtain permits for an Abyssinian well. This is a significant plus. According to the law Russian Federation, the owner of the land has the right to extract minerals in an open pit to a depth of five meters and develop water wells down to the very first layer that contains water. That is, it is no longer possible to extract artesian water. Those who are not too trusting can double-check this information themselves.

Norton projectile structure

An Abyssinian well means an igloo well. Immersion occurs using the method impact drilling. Professionals rarely use this method of extracting water due to the fact that at shallow depths it is almost impossible to reach the rod. Maximum depth development - a couple of tens of meters.

If main goal is driving to the first aquifer - needle well best option, due to ease of installation, economic benefits and efficiency. A water well has an additional name – “tube well”.

Installation under an Abyssinian well at the dacha consists of the following elements:

Drilling technology

Drilling technology can be exploratory or confident in nature. In the first case, you should think about purchasing special factory equipment, which costs approximately 7 thousand rubles. The tubular drill and string can be used many times. For example, if the first well is unsuitable, you can dismantle it and drill a second one.

When there is a well made within 50 meters, the equipment can be made with your own hands from scrap materials. The drilling process using the percussion-rope method requires a certain physical strength, but the technology is simple:

1. The projectile is being installed into the pit. It can also be suspended on a tripod or driven into the ground.
2. The first rod is installed, onto which the headstock, headstock and upper clamp are put on. The latter must be securely tightened.
3. The ropes are threaded into pulleys, pulling the woman until she reaches the very top. Then the ropes are released and the action is repeated.
4. Depending on the recess, the clamps are rearranged, and the column is built up with other rods.

What mechanism should you use to drill?

A set of equipment for drilling an Abyssinian well with your own hands can be made from scrap materials. The main thing is to find pipes, the length of which should be one and a half dozen meters, and the diameter should be 80 millimeters. This will be needed if the scheme involves the use of submersible pumps.

Standard submersible pumps cannot be smaller than three inches. If there is a need to raise water to a height of more than 7 meters, you need to use top vacuum pumps (one is enough). Then the use of any pipes that should not bend during development is allowed.

Since the rules for installing a drilling rig were discussed above, let us clarify how to select the correct drill string and rods. It is always indicated here outside diameter pipes. However, when mentioning caliber, it is implied inner diameter. Devices lowered into a pipe are always counted according to the outside.

When professional drilling of Abyssinian wells is carried out, the rods are joined with couplings at the factory. In the future they can be removed and dismember the column. But for a one-time development, you can replace the couplings with welded tubular scraps of a larger caliber. The rods are assembled with their skirts up, as there is a possibility of the needle getting caught or getting into the ground.

When the equipment breaks down during the drilling process and the column becomes disconnected, you should leave everything in the soil and make a new drill with rods. Consequently, drilling an Abyssinian water well with homemade equipment is carried out only if there is one hundred percent confidence in the availability of water.

Where is there water?

How to choose the right drilling site? The main indicator is the presence of vegetation. You need to know the list of moisture-loving plants and look for them in your area. These include:

• Nettle.
• Burdock.
• Hop.
• Cane.

The most optimal indicator of the presence of moisture is already existing natural springs and wells in neighboring areas. If they are nearby, you are more likely to find what you are looking for.

Drilling depth

How to make an Abyssinian well and guess the depth of the first aquifer? This parameter is determined by a special device - an aneroid barometer.

Changes with altitude Atmosphere pressure. The device works on this principle. Based on the pressure shown, you can determine the depth of the water. In most cases, the height of the water rise is rarely more than 7 meters.

Prohibited places

The construction of an Abyssinian well is prohibited in ravines, cliffs and steep slopes. This is due to the possibility of disruption of natural drainage, which can lead to landslides. In addition, it is prohibited to drill:

1. at a distance closer than 15 meters from the place where pets are kept;
2. at a distance closer than 300 meters from a cemetery or farm;
3. at a distance of closer than 3.5 kilometers from chemical production, secret facilities and sewerage basins.

The properties of the soil are not disturbed when drilling an Abyssinian well.

Well made of other materials

In addition to the standard design, you can make an Abyssinian well with your own hands from plastic pipes. He is in no way inferior iron version, and in some moments even surpasses it.

The Abyssinian well made of plastic pipes has the following advantages:

1. ease of installation (the whole process takes only a few hours);
2. the possibility of installing a needle in the basement, garage or other utility room;
3. high performance parameters;
4. source of high quality water;
5. long service life;
6. economically beneficial.

Pump selection

In some cases, a pump may be necessary. So how to choose the right one? The pumps are lightweight and do not make unnecessary noise. One of the main conditions for selection is power, which should provide the necessary pressure. The price for them ranges from 4 to 15 thousand rubles. The pump for the Abyssinian well must be from a trusted manufacturer (sometimes called a pump).

Conclusion

Drinking water is the most important resource on the planet. In this article we looked at what an Abyssinian well is and what the technology for its construction is. It should be noted that in other countries such drilling is prohibited. Do-it-yourself needle well is gaining popularity, which will lead to government regulation of this issue. Therefore, while it is allowed, it is better not to waste the moment.