Submersible pump question?

Five years ago we had our sprinkler system professionally installed. We have 40 total heads. Eight zones- five heads on a zone. When it was installed each sprinkler head had 3gpm nozzles. This year I Noticed we didn't have the pressure like we used too. I changed nozzles on each sprinkler head to 2gpm. After this was done pressure was good and they were spraying the proper distance again. This system is hooked up off of our 6inch drilled well and we have a RED JACKET submersible pump. I have iron in my water. My question is could the pump be plugged or nearing the end of its life? Will a good well driller try to repair or rebuild a pump or try to sell a new pump right away? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I don't know anyone who rebuilds submersible pumps. They have an average life of 7 years. Most of the cost of replacing one is labor and overhead for the man doing the job. The actual pump does not cost that much to the Driller. He will however replace the wire and anything else that looks bad while he is doing the job. This can save you lots of money down the road.

Your iron could be clogging the impellers or screen on the pump or possibly the screen in your well if you have a screened well. If this is the case, you would want to address the well problems while he is checking the system out.

bob...

laborer90 said:

Five years ago we had our sprinkler system professionally installed. We have 40 total heads. Eight zones- five heads on a zone. When it was installed each sprinkler head had 3gpm nozzles. This year I Noticed we didn't have the pressure like we used too. I changed nozzles on each sprinkler head to 2gpm. After this was done pressure was good and they were spraying the proper distance again. This system is hooked up off of our 6inch drilled well and we have a RED JACKET submersible pump. I have iron in my water. My question is could the pump be plugged or nearing the end of its life? Will a good well driller try to repair or rebuild a pump or try to sell a new pump right away? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

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I have replaced many a sprinler head that the screens were plugged do to iron and manganease buildup. Just a red/brown sludge. You might want to dig the sod away from one of your rotors, and use a couple sets of strap wrenches or large channel locks to unscrew the guts from the body ( so you don't have to dig the body completely up). There should be a large white screen at or near the base. If this is full of gunk, sometimes you can get them back to normal by blasting them with a hose.

If you are proficiant enough to change all the nozzles, you should be able to calculate your total GPM usage for each zone, and then test your well supply to see if it is capable of meeting that output. You can use a Toro Flow meter available at the home improvement centers, or stop watch a large bucket that you mark with 1 gal increments.

This past weekend replaced all filters on my rotors. They didnt appear to be to bad but showed signs of buildup. I also pulled the cap off of my well and their appeared to be plenty of water when the system was running. I'm only 28feet down. Pump wasn't hissing like it was not getting water.

Maybe we are looking in the wrong place. Is there a pressure tank and switch to this system or is it started by a pump relay by the irrigation clock?