Well Pump Woes

[turnkey4099]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( All submersible pumps are not equal. Remember this is 5 HP. at 400 ft. with a high flow rate.[ when considering conventional use] Depth means more stages for pressure and volume will require larger diameter impellers. The materials for this type of pump may also be slightly different from the conventional home owners submersible.

Egon )</font>

A bit pedantic:
On the questionof depth: It isn't the depth the pump is at that counts, it is the head. for example, a pump at 400 ft but he level of water during drawdown is at 100 ft, the pump is only pumping against 100 ft of head, not 400.

High volume under any circumstances does call for bigger pumps just as you said.

Harry K

 

[scott_vt]

Thats a good point Egon, Im thinking that my pump is 1 1/2 hp but still not a high flow pump by any means!

scotty

 

[_RaT_]

That is exactly correct. For irrigation purposes, you want to design the system as your installer suggested.

 

[Alan L.]

Yes, I understand that frequent cycling is not good on the pump. I might have been better off with a smaller pump, but was afraid I would be disappointed, as I pump water in my pond sometimes and even this pump runs continuously when I open up the 1.5 inch waterline.

But when you run a couple of sprinklers it does cycle. I wish there was a good way to mitigate this. When I open the line I ran out to the pond, there is a happy medium you can set it at so that the sprinklers have enough pressure and the pump stays on. So I can irrigate and pump water into the pond at the same time. But it is difficult to get it set just right.

I was thinking about some sort of pressure valve on the pond line so that it would close the value enough to maintain 55 pounds or so of pressure for the sprinklers. Something that would mount on the 1.5 inch PVC. Right now I just have a gate valve on it and try to crack it open just right.

 

[Alan L.]

Egon, according to that my pump price could be as much as $2400. Not your average well pump, but needed to give me 20gpm and pressure up to 68 pounds from 400 feet deep. Maybe the price was not that bad, considering.

But seems like I need another pressure tank to reduce some of the cycling.

The bill I got showed only $375 of the $2655 was for labor.

They only replaced the pump. The 1.5 inch galvanized pipe went back in the hole.

 

[Egon]

that kinda fits in with the make of pump you listed Alan.

And for others I know its not the depth but the NPSH that will dictate the number of impellers! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Usually the pump will be set at an optimum depth to take this into account.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Highbeam]

I think the bill and the pump price list egon posted is way out of line. Go to the Home Depot and buy a 3/4 HP well pump for 250$ or so.

Highway robbery.

 

[Alan L.]

Highbeam, even if I did go to Home Depot and get a 3/4 HP pump for $250, I wouldn't have any way of installing it 399 feet underground. And if I did, I doubt I would get much flow.

However the whole thing still seems awful expensive.

 

[Alan L.]

My well is 500' deep. I was told the static level is 250 feet and the pump is set at 399'.

 

[turnkey4099]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Yes, I understand that frequent cycling is not good on the pump. I might have been better off with a smaller pump, but was afraid I would be disappointed, as I pump water in my pond sometimes and even this pump runs continuously when I open up the 1.5 inch waterline.

But when you run a couple of sprinklers it does cycle. I wish there was a good way to mitigate this. When I open the line I ran out to the pond, there is a happy medium you can set it at so that the sprinklers have enough pressure and the pump stays on. So I can irrigate and pump water into the pond at the same time. But it is difficult to get it set just right.

I was thinking about some sort of pressure valve on the pond line so that it would close the value enough to maintain 55 pounds or so of pressure for the sprinklers. Something that would mount on the 1.5 inch PVC. Right now I just have a gate valve on it and try to crack it open just right. )</font>

From reading in various forums, I understand that there are 'constant pressure' pump controllers. Seems the pump starts and keeps running when water is drawn. You might check with your pump supplier.

Harry K