Deep Well Above Ground Jet Pump Problem

[FloridaBoy]

I have a 30+ year old above ground jet pump. It is pumping from about 85 feet. It has a 1hp motor (replaced about 10 years ago). It has never had tremendous volume or pressure but has served well. Recently the pressure will get very low if you are using more than one faucet/hose at the same time. Once late last year it ran completely out of water. However, I reprimed it and it started pumping again. The pump starts not long after you open a faucet. If you have the faucet open only about a half a turn the pump will cycle and not continously run. However, if you open wide, it will run continously and after a few minutes the flow will get less and less. If you check the pressure guage it will be down near 0 at this point. If you let it build pressure it will build to about 25 lbs rather quickly and cut off. I adjusted the pressure up to just over 30 last summer, but it is back down to about 25 now. There is no place to check the pressure on the tank, only at the switch. Any advice will be appreciated.

[speedbump]

If your gauge is accurate, you have a plugged jet. That would account for only having half the pressure you should be able to develop. After 30 years, there is no shame for that system.

If you have a 3" well or larger you can put in a submersible pump as oppossed to a jet pump. This will certainly solve the low pressure problem and the fact that your pipes are loaded with scale.

If the well is a 2", I would start saving money for a new well (4" or larger) because this one is on it's way out. And there is no 2" submersible.

bob...

[FloridaBoy]

Thanks Speedbump. It is a 4 inch and a submersible is the direction that I plan to eventually go . . . I guess I was just hoping for a way to put off the inevitable!