water pumps

dlabrie · Jul 29, 2002

I have a dug well,16-20’, that I don’t use anymore. I replaced it with a drilled well 12 years ago. I would like to use the dug well for things like watering gardens, sprinklers, washing cars etc. to take the load off my drilled well. I would like to hook up a pump to the well but am not sure how to go about it. I don’t want to put in a whole system with a pressure tank. Is it possible to just use an inexpensive pump hooked up to 1” black tubbing? I see in catalogs water transfer pumps, jet pumps and more. What would be the best way to go?

looch · Jul 29, 2002

The black pipe will do it, although I have seen some new stuff that looks a lot better - it's shiny and blue.

You need to put a foot-valve on the end that will be in the well - this allows you to suck up water without it falling back down. Usually, we put the pipe with the foot-valve down the well and fill it with water before connecting it to the pump. This makes it easier to prime and will also indicate if your foot-valve is working properly (water shouldn't be leaking out). Connect the other end to your pump - prime, and go. A jet pump will work well. You mention you'd like to use it for washing cars, so pressure is an issue. If weren't for that, I would suggest trying to find an old piston pump. They're a little less finicky and, in my opinion, hold up better to the elements. Much less pressure though.

stovepoker · Jul 29, 2002

You can use a sump pump hooked diredtly to a garden hose
or using the plastic pipe if you prefer. Suspend the pump
via a rope or cable so that it is always submerged. Make
sure to keep the electrical plug far above the water level.
You can also use a regular submersible well pump, usually
set up for 220 volts, with or without a pressure tank. I think
that smaller submersibles are available in 110V. Please use
a CFCI and good grounding with these setups!!

TimSullivan · Jul 29, 2002

I have a Sears sprinkler pump that I use for pumping water out of a lake for the gardens. It runs a sprinkler very well and has pumped through two hundred feet of 5/8 inch garden hose to a spray head. It runs on 110 and has allowed me to save on the town water bill and put clorine free water on the gardens.

I just set it on the dock and drop the suction in the lake and it primes itself.

dlabrie · Jul 30, 2002

With these types of pumps, What happens if the pump is running but the out put end of the hose is not open? For example. I have 300' of 1" tubbing running down to a garden . It is attached to a post there with a faucet. Right now I use gravity to get the water there, but have no pressure. If I turn the pump on at the well, will it burn out if the faucet is not open?

Egon · Jul 30, 2002

The Ordinary centrifigal pump will lift [suck] water to a depth of around 20/22 ft. depending on its condition and atmospheric pressure. The suction line should be at least 1 1/2 to 2 in. in diameter to reduce friction losses with, as before stated, a foot valve at the bottom. This same pump can be converted to a jet pump by adding the eductor and extra line it requires that will sit at the bottom of the well.

The sump pumps may not deliver the presure you are looking for as they are designed for volume not pressure. Look at the pump curves and you can tell if one would be suitable for your use. This would be the cheapest and easyier way to go if a suitable one can be found.

Submersible pumps are the best. They may be more expensive than the others. If you go this route try and size the pump to less than the recharge rate of your well.

Whatever pump you choose there should be a low discharge pressure shutdown and/or a well water level shutdown. This could save running the pumps dry and heating up.

Egon

TimSullivan · Jul 30, 2002

You can only shut these pumps down at the pump. There is no way to put a valve on them. They are either on or off with no stand by.

This worked OK for my purposes but it may not be convenient for you.

Carl_NH · Jul 31, 2002

David,

You have two choices as mentioned a single stage pump with foot valve, low pressure cutout switch, and a small air/bladder tank (2-3 Gal) or using a submersible pump with the same air/bladder setup and low pressure cutout in case the well runs dry, the switch cuts out.

These pumps are available at HD or local plumbing houses. I used install these setups and they work well. I would not go the sump pump route as this won't get the pressure needed.

You will spend minimum about $200 for a submersible, another $100+- for tank and switch setup. In either case you should have a valve teed into the suction side for the shallow well unit or on the main line of the submersible so in the winter all you need to do is turn off the pump and open the valve to drain the water out. Also a union would work for this instead of a valve.

Carl