Wells and Irrigation, rather long post

Are float switches more reliable than the pumps they protect?

They both carry a years warranty. So I'll leave it up to you to decide.

For the most part, Submersible Pumps last on average 7 years. Some much longer and some much shorter. It depends on how you use and abuse them. The floats are the same way.

bob...

speedbump said:

What BobNH didn't mention is the fact that the well is a low yield, so the float won't protect the pump if it runs out of water before the tank is full. That's where the Cycle Sensor comes in. It could save you a lot of money. bob...

Click to expand...

See my post on 3-22 at 11:40 AM where I said to put a float switch in the well.

The float switch in the well matches the pumping cycle to the recharge rate and protects the pump because it turns off the pump while the water is still above the pump. A Cycle Sensor isn't required if the pump can't get any power when the water is low. The float switch in the well is exactly the same kind of switch that is used with a sump pump.

Hi everyone, thanks for all the input. After reading all the latest comments, I am feeling the smoke and mirrors coming back in my mind. Seems like switches everywhere. I think the way to approach this is to set up a basic, manual system with pump protection and see how it goes. Then as things settle in and I learn how the system will pan out, incorporate in the automatics. I checked the well today and it has 3 feet more water in it than last August, another variable that I just discovered. If I can stay away from relay banks and keep it reasonably simple using automatic devices, so much the better.

I need to re read all the latest posts before they will really sink in. I'm also going to try to draw another system up and see if I can get it on this site for your review. If anyone else cares to draw up their thoughts in a picture/diagram of the "fully automatic" version and post it, let it rip. I will do the best I can but imagine you guys are much better at it than I.

I'm still going to order the basic gear this week, when I get some of the parts in my hands, maybe a better picture of the whole rig will come to mind.

Thanks for the help and like I said, any help diagraming this thing would be most welcome and would help with the time frame I'm starting to fall into.

scott

See my post on 3-22 at 11:40 AM where I said to put a float switch in the well.

Click to expand...

I saw it, but in a 20" well with the pump tending to hang in the middle that leaves around 9 inches for the float to move. I would be afraid it would get hung up and that would be the end of the pump. Besides if the float goes bad, it might get hung up coming out or it may hinder pulling of the pump. It's just not a good idea to put anything in a well that doesn't absolutely have to be there.

bob...

How often is the well going to run out of water before the cistern fills up?

It depends on the well. Some may pump the well dry 100 times before filling the cistern. Others may never pump the well dry.

mikept said:

How often is the well going to run out of water before the cistern fills up?

Click to expand...

The well is never going to "run out of water" because the pump will be shut off by the float switch when the water level is still above the pump. That is the reason for the float switch.

The range of the high-low levels will determine the number of cycles necessary to fill the cistern. Because the recharge rate varies with drawdown there will be greater recovery rate with shorter intervals because the average drawdown will be greater.

I didnt mean "run out of water" entirely i was asking how often will this well pump shut off due to low water in the well, not because the cistern is full? Just a clarification.

I suppose that calc would depend on the hp of the pump and the season.

I new what you meant Mikept. I consider pumping the well down as reaching the lower control limit, no matter if the lower limit is controlled by a "switch" or by "amperage".