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Two issues/One system
Hello! I have a sprinkler system that was installed when I built our home in 1988. All worked well until recently. I have a 4" well that is 54' deep, the static water depth is approx. 8', the dynamic water depth is appox. 10'. There is 25' of 1 1/4" sch40 down with a foot valve all of this is hooked to a 2hp electric external pump. The footvalve, pump and pressure switch were purchased and installed on 4/8/07. The former pump was 1.5 electric, approx. 3 years old when the pressure starting fluctuating from 35 psi down to 5psi with an equal drop in water output to the sprinkler system plus the system would not shut off. The system is hooked to a pressure tank that is approx. 2 years old. I called a local well company and they came out looked at the setup said it was the pump and wanted to sell me a $900 pump. I said no thank you and went to a retail chain and purchased the above mentioned pump for less than $300. The pump, pressure switch and foot valve were istalled with no change, that is, pressure and water output are still fluctating and system will not shut off. I have a cut off to the sprinkler system and a hose bib that I can use seperatly. I have run the pressure up to 40psi, shut all open valves but pressure switch does not cut system off, however, system will stay pressuized overnight to approx 40psi when I manually shut off at the breaker. I do not see any water leaks from pump to tank. All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
You said you bought a 2hp pump. There are not many companies making 2hp jet pumps. So I assume you bought a self priming centrifugal. Bad choice, especially with a tank and pressure switch.
Next, you said you had 25 feet of PVC with a foot valve. Add 5 feet and you will quit running totally out of water. You will however have a minimum supply from what your have said since the well is apparentally not keeping up with demand.
bob...
What was the original pump installed with the system? The system might be removed from the equation, while you evaluate the performnce of your well and pump. It might be that 40 psi may be more than the new pump can easily develop.
Maybe you bought a 2hp sprinkler booster pump that in real reality is about a 3/4 hp piece of Ca-Ca. Then you got low recovery in the well. Now you got a big mess.
Pretty soon that 900$ might look good!
Your well is being over pumped. I dont undersatnd why you have a jet pump on a 4" well that is 54' deep anyway. It might pump some water until the water level gets to the foot valve and starts sucking air.Thats why you have fluctuating water pressure. I would return the jet pump,buy a submersible pump set it at 45', and forget about it. Putting a 2 hp jet pump on the well only draws the water down quicker and doesn't resolve anything.
SAM
You dont just buy any 1/2 hp submersible pump. You want to make sure its going to provide enough water to your irrigation system and not take out more than what the well is producing. A 7 gallon per minute 1/2 hp pump will give you a little over 10 gallons per minute at 40 psi set at 45' and with a pumping water level around 35'.If you need more you go to a 10 gallon 1/2 and then a 13 gallon 1/2. Its not a good idea to start hitting these online auctions unless you know what you are buying. You could be wasting your money like you did with that 2hp jet pump.Another thing you might want to consider doing is a pump test to the well to find out what its now producing for water. If you had a jet pump on there that worked for a good period of time and now all of a sudden its overpumping the well,the screen could be having problems and might need some attention.
SAM
Thank you for the posted advice. The original system was a Myer 1 hp. It finally gave up the ghost several years ago and I replaced with a Flowtec 1.5 hp. It worked for a couple of years and then developed the pressure flucatating mentioned before. I sized the newest pump based on calcualation of sprinkler heads, pipe size, depth of dynamic and static water level (pump and sprinkler heads are at same height, i.e. no hills). This past weekend I changed out the 1 1/4" pipe in the well with 1 1/2" and the system is working so far. Only issue I have now is the pressure switch is not turning system off well sprinkler timer turns system off.
If the pipe was changed out and you are not experiencing any problems then i wouls supect there was a vacume leak in the 1 1/4" line.The pump isn't shutting off on its own?Does the timer shuts down the irrigation valves and the pump still runs? What kind of pressure does the pump build up to?
SAM
Sam: Yes the timer shuts the sprinkler system off, but the pressure switch does not shut the pump off. As I have mentioned earlier, the pressure tank is approx 1 year old, the pressure switch was changed out on 4/7/07. The pump is running at approx 42psi
What is the make and model of the pump? I would suspect a problem with the jet assembly.
SAM
Sam: I don't recall at this time as I am work. It was purchased at Lowes and I think I read in the booklet it is a subsidiary of Myers, but I can be sure. It is a cast Iron body around the inpeller instead of the plastic around the Flotec. I can let you know tonight when I get home if it would help.Originally Posted by sammyhydro11
In my opinion, you have bought pumps when the real problem is your well. With only 25 feet of pipe in the well, it would act just like it is now because of the water lever being dropped to the footvalve then getting a shot of air making the pump lose it's prime for a while. Self primers do not make great pressure, especially when the water level is down close to the 25 foot mark.
bob...
I agree speedbump. I think a submersible pump is the way to go.
SAM
Gentleman: The pumb is a Water Ace 2.0 hp. I have run for 16 hours with no problems except for the cut off issue. As I stated originally, the static water depth is 8' the dynamic water depth is 10', so water level is not the issue, apparently the pump was pulling more than the pipe could deliver. Do you have any recommendation on the shut off issue?
I would suspect the jet assembly is clogged and that is what usually gives you problems with the pump building pressure. I'm not familiar with the type of pump you have but if you can get to where the nozzle is in the jet,it could be clogged.
SAM
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