Regular Maintenance Minimizes Downtime

Beginning business 25 years ago hand-digging 30-foot surface irrigation wells, Wright’s Well Drilling switched to drilling residential wells 15 years ago. As a single-rig company, their business depends on a well-maintained rig.

“We serviced our older rig ourselves. We’re big on maintenance to prevent breakdowns in the field,” John Wright, owner, said.

For bigger repairs, they relied on the team at the Geoprobe^® Southeast Service Center (SESC).

“On our older rig they took the transfer case off the engine, rebuilt a hydraulic pump, and replaced another one,” Wright said.

When Wright replaced his older rig with a new DM250, the mud pump alignment and small issues with the holdback feed needed to be addressed.

“They came out to our site to repair it right away,” Wright said. “Other than working out the bugs when we first received it, we haven’t had any issues with the rig. I’ve been really happy with the service since we’ve had the DM250.”

During his first year running the rig, he purchased subs and drill rods through the SESC. When it came time for the initial annual maintenance, Wright opted to take it to them.

“When we got the new DM250, I wasn’t familiar with it. So we took it to the SESC for yearly maintenance,” Wright said. “They replaced hydraulic fluid, did differential change, filters, air compressor service, and an overall inspection. The rig was completed in a day.”

He appreciates the focus Geoprobe^® service places on helping businesses succeed.

“The biggest thing is downtime, which is why we always did service ourselves. The SESC is fabulous, they’re always doing things quickly for us,” Wright said. “I don’t mind taking it over there if I have to.”

While Wright had anticipated eventually doing his own regular maintenance on the DM250, the expertise and efficiency of the Geoprobe^® service team has him weighing his options.

“Even as we get familiar with the rig, we’ll probably take it to them annually. They’re more familiar with the machine and can catch something I might miss,” Wright said. “Once we get more familiar with the rig, we’ll probably start doing our own filter changes. But if they continue to get it done in one day, I may just drop it off – it’s a lot easier.”