Installation, Startup, and Commissioning
Sequence
Record static water level, pump setting depth, cable length, and motor resistance and insulation readings before assembly. Assemble the pump with the check valve, torque arrestor, cable guards, and a waterproof heat-shrink splice, then lower it on the drop pipe, securing the cable so its weight is not carried by the splice. Set the intake below maximum drawdown but above the screen. Install the pitless adapter, seal the casing, and pressure-test the piping. Disinfect the well with a chlorine solution, circulate, and flush until chlorine is gone before sampling for coliform. On startup, verify supply voltage, record amp draw on each leg, confirm rotation on three-phase units, run to waste briefly to clear debris, then set the pressure switch, check drawdown and cycle time, and document everything.
Traps
Pulling or setting a pump with power connected. Bumping a pump dry to clear sand. Setting the pump so drawdown exposes the intake. Skipping disinfection or sampling too soon after chlorination. Failing to record baseline electrical readings, which makes later diagnosis guesswork. Leaving the pressure switch at factory settings without verifying cut-in and cut-out.
Worked example
Static level 60 ft, drawdown 20 ft, top of screen at 110 ft. Maximum pumping level is 80 ft. With a 10 ft submergence margin, set the intake no higher than 90 ft; with a 10 ft clearance above the screen, no lower than 100 ft. A setting between 90 and 100 ft satisfies both constraints.