Any jet pumps quieter than others

[Trouthead]

I use a cistern for drinking water and all household use other than irrigation. 30 years ago when I built the house I took bad advice and put a jet pump and pressure tank in the crawl space (right under the TV). The first pump lasted 15 years, and burned out due to running it dry, house guest wondered whats that noise? The second one is going just fine but I am getting sick of the noise. Talked to a couple of local plumbers about puting a submersable in the tank, but none wanted to mess with it.

The question I have is are there any jet pumps that are appreciably quieter than others? Is putting a submersable just too big a job to bother with? My tank is a concrete vault and is still water tight after 30 years. Any suggestions?

 

[Masterpumpman]

Most jet pumps will be noisey. A cast iron Sta-Rite will probably be the quietest.
Submersibles are simple to install. Only 1 pipe and 2 wires (or 3 with a ground wire). I'd add a pside-kick kit from http://www.cyclestopvalves.com/products.html. The Pside-kick will include everything else that you will need. It will give you an almost silent system and a constant pressure like city water pressure. You may want to also install a Cycle Sensor http://www.cyclestopvalves.com/products.html#cyclesensor to save your pump in case the cistern runs out of water.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Justwater]

i agree, sta-rite is a quieter jet pump. lately i have been using the J-class Versajet pumps that are listed on the franklin electric website, and i think they might be the quietest jet pumps i've ever used.

the submersible USUALLY isnt a big deal to install in a water tank/cistern. after all, you already have a pipe from cistern to pressure tank. you would need a sub in the cistern (along with low water cutoff device), and a pressure switch mounted close to pressure tank. i would come out of the tank with the sub pipe and hook it to the pipe that was previously used for jet pumps suction, then hook the old pump's suction and discharge pipes together. then u just need to get a wire from the new sub to the new pressure switch at the pressure tank. could be a good diy project, likely save alot of $$ if u were up to it. if not, rather than calling a plumber, try calling a water well driller or well pump man to see if they were willing. the submersible would be the quietest possible solution. good luck!

 

[Ballvalve]

They make dedicated cistern pumps here is one link http://www.rainwatermanagement.com/products.php

Pentek makes one also with motor over so the pick up is very low. Cant find the name but valveman know about it.

 

[Trouthead]

Update on pump

Went to work the other day and then had a meeting after work. Got a call from my wife telling me the pump is running and won't shut off. Told her where the breaker was and she got it shut down. Who know how long it ran. Called the plumber and when they looked at it it appeared that it had lost the prime due to a 30 year old footvalve in the cistern failing. Put a check valve closer to the pump, and aside from a longer cycle time, and a much louder sound from the pump, it seemed to be working.

This morning my wife jumps in the shower, gets her hair soaped up and no water. Guess it was wishfull thinking that the long cycle time did not ruin the impellers. Stopped at the plumbers at 8:00, and just came home to check on what was the verdict. There is a sump pump in my cistern, and hopefully by this afternoon there will be a submersible pump installed in the cistern. NO MORE pump sound!!! The bad part is that work is too busy for me to even think about tackling this, or to have my part time plumber buddy do it on a Saturday. The other bad part is a likely bill of $1000 or more.

Thought I would get a few more years out of the jet pump before I had to replace it or put in a submersible. This just forced my hand in a good way. Better pressure and no noise.

Thanks for all the guiet pump advice.

 

[Trouthead]

Turned out to be worse. Got the pump hooked up and still no pressure in the pressure tank. Guessed that there is a break in the line from the cistern to the pressure tank. Called the dirt boys and the backhoe dug out the supply side of the tank Friday morning. Sure enough the fitting had failed. Thirty years ago they used galvanized fittings to come out of the cistern and connect to a 1.5 inch plastic barb, that connected to heavy plastic piping. It looked like it had been broken for a long time, but as to why who knows, as the tank has been in the ground for 30 years. Replumbed with all brass fittings, hopefully that should last another 30 years, I will be 88. Hope I get to replace it again. Final bill approx $2000.00.

 

[WellWaterProducts]

We often try to push pipe through older leaky pipe. Even though the pipe is smaller, we have never had a pressure complaint. I know this doesn't help now. Hopefully you're all set.

 

[ssleppy]

Turned out to be worse. Got the pump hooked up and still no pressure in the pressure tank. Guessed that there is a break in the line from the cistern to the pressure tank. Called the dirt boys and the backhoe dug out the supply side of the tank Friday morning. Sure enough the fitting had failed. Thirty years ago they used galvanized fittings to come out of the cistern and connect to a 1.5 inch plastic barb, that connected to heavy plastic piping. It looked like it had been broken for a long time, but as to why who knows, as the tank has been in the ground for 30 years. Replumbed with all brass fittings, hopefully that should last another 30 years, I will be 88. Hope I get to replace it again. Final bill approx $2000.00.

 

[ssleppy]

Trouthead, what pump model did you end up installing in the cistern? I have the same problem, but my pump is right under my pillow! Its been 5 years now since I slept all night!

 

[Valveman]

Trouthead, what pump model did you end up installing in the cistern? I have the same problem, but my pump is right under my pillow! Its been 5 years now since I slept all night!

Any submersible in the Cistern will be much more quite than a jet pump sitting on the floor. Cast iron jet pumps are a little more quite than the ones with plastic or SS housings. And pumps with water cooled motors are very quite, but they are even more quite when they won't come on from the problems of having water running through the motor instead of air.

It has been 5-6 years since trouthead said anything. Apparently the sub in the cistern is working and he is sleeping like a baby.