well pump questions, jet vs submersable

[TheGoose]

BTW: Straight from the horses mouth:

Service: Franklin AIM: Page 14 - Americas Water Systems - Franklin Electric

Look at the 1/2 HP motor (3 wire most likely, but you can go with the 2 wire if you so desire).

The manufacturer calls for a 30 amp breaker.

 

[_RaT_]

Agreed. I much prefer 240V (by the way its 120 volts and 240 volts today folks, 110 and 220 have pretty much disappeared.) You cut your current in half going to 240 volts and that is always a good thing. I only deal with 208V, 240V and 480V all in 3 phase when it comes to pumps and all of those are on frequency drives so start up current is not an issue. I think the OP mentioned he is sticking with a 1/2 HP jet pump is that correct?

If you HAVE to use 110V then do it.

All other applications I prefer 230V. I am a licensed water well pump installer in the state of Texas, I have been repairing pumps and wells for almost 20 years. 230V gets your current down. I can't explain it but 110V pumps don't have nearly as long of a life as their 230V cousins. I think they just have to work a smidgen harder because they lose more voltage then their 230V cousins.

No matter what, your watts will always be the same. W = V x A. Volts times Amps. You always want the fewest amps, it just makes it easier on the wire, motor, etc. Starting power is at least double amps, even if for a milisecond or two.

Also, I would try to stay away from the 1/2 HP. Go with a 3/4HP if you can. I never had good life out of the 1/2 HP motors relatively speaking. Don't know why either.

110V will work, but in my humble opinion they do not have as long of a life-span as the same 230V motor. Other than that it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Dutch445]

No Rat,
not sticking with a jet, going to drop a submersible,
but with the well only down 45', I can't see any need
for more than 1/2 hp, and I'd really like to keep the
gpm to 5 or 7 as it is a short reserve.

It looks like i'll put the pump 40' down, water level
is 6' to 8' down below ground anyway, so there
will be only so much water above the pump, and the well
is approx 50' to the house, with a very slightly downhill slope.
I foresee this as an easy life for any submersible pump,
but I'd certainly like one to last more than a couple years.
I've seen that Franklin chart, yet I can only find max amp
ratings of 11 or 12 (115v) if that, on any pump specs I find. that is
the part that is confusing me.

 

[_RaT_]

Good, that would be my preference too, I'm not crazy about jet pumps. Your pump sitting at 40' with #12 wire for a total length say 50' will have a voltage drop of about 1 volt @ 12 amps and about 3 volts @ 30 amps. As Goose mentioned, 240V is always preferable. There are just times its not nearly so practical. As a help you can always have an extra large pressure tank or as many pressure tanks in parallel as you can afford or fit in the structure. If it was me and being an electrician, I would opt for the 240V setup but I also realize that is not something everyone can do or is comfortable doing.

I had to go check on a pump this morning that was shut down, its a 30 HP 1750 RPM 3 phase 240V pump. It draws 72 amps with its given impellar. The impeller should be trimmed because ever since I cleaned up the suction side of the pump by increasing the pipe size, eliminated 2 90's as well as a check valve, the pump can now be overloaded as a result of having a clean vortex free water supply. This is why having a submersible works so well, it always primes, it has a good clean flow of water to its impeller(s) and it gets great cooling.

No Rat,
not sticking with a jet, going to drop a submersible,
but with the well only down 45', I can't see any need
for more than 1/2 hp, and I'd really like to keep the
gpm to 5 or 7 as it is a short reserve.

It looks like i'll put the pump 40' down, water level
is 6' to 8' down below ground anyway, so there
will be only so much water above the pump, and the well
is approx 50' to the house, with a very slightly downhill slope.
I foresee this as an easy life for any submersible pump,
but I'd certainly like one to last more than a couple years.
I've seen that Franklin chart, yet I can only find max amp
ratings of 11 or 12 (115v) if that, on any pump specs I find. that is
the part that is confusing me.