Submersible pump recommendations

David E. · Aug 26, 2008

Hi,

I live 50 miles north of Seattle. I had 2 wells drilled 4 years ago. The first was 525 ft. deep and was nothing but salt water. The second well is 12 ft deep and has fresh water.
I want to put a submersible pump in it.

here's the specs on this well
12 GPM
3' DRAWDOWN IN I HR.
DEPTH OF WATER IN WELL IS 8.5 '
6'' PVC WELL CASING
200' from home

My well driller told me a 1/2 hp 115v 10gpm pump would be fine to use, but I am concerned that with such a shallow well, wouldn't I have to use a flow restricter so as not to exceed 10gpm? If so, which type would you recommend?

Southern Man · Aug 26, 2008

Wow I'd be concerned that that shallow well would get contaminated. Is it in bedrock?

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

David E. · Aug 26, 2008

I'm not sure. i believe it is sandstone.

Southern Man · Aug 26, 2008

That might make sense. We're mostly granite and gneiss here in the east- low permeability and water is mainly coming out of seams and cracks in the structure. I would suggest though, that you find out what the State requirements or guidelines are for well head protection and follow them to the letter. All that means here is a concrete slab at least 4? feet around in all directions with no seams or cracks and a little well house. The idea is to keep surface water out of the well to avoid contamination.

The well driller gave you a 12 gpm rating for the well, so the 10 gpm pump should work fine. After the pipe losses to the house youâ€™ll probably get a bit less than that. Somewhere between 5-10 gpm is about all a typical house can use anyway. You can always throttle down the flow with your water main valve should the well yield turn out to be less.

David E. · Aug 26, 2008

Thanks for your reply. I am going to pour a slab and put a well house over it. By throttling down the flow, do you mean by means of a gate valve?

Gary Slusser · Aug 26, 2008

Southern Man said:
The well driller gave you a 12 gpm rating for the well, so the 10 gpm pump should work fine. After the pipe losses to the house youâ€™ll probably get a bit less than that. Somewhere between 5-10 gpm is about all a typical house can use anyway. You can always throttle down the flow with your water main valve should the well yield turn out to be less.

He has a downhill shot to the house and a 10 gpm pump will deliver more than 10 gpm depending on the total dynamic head of the system which should be rather low in this case.

The 5-10 gpm is way too few for many newer houses today. They have showers and tubs that alone use more than that.

I suggest a 240v pump, you use less electric that way.

Bob NH · Aug 26, 2008

You need to buy the right pump and you don't need to throttle it.

A Goulds 10GS05 has an upper limit of 16 GPM at 40 ft of head and will deliver 12 to 15 GPM at 40 to 60 psi into your tank.

If you want more flow a 13GS07 will deliver up to 20 GPM and will deliver 15 to 19 GPM at 40 to 60 psi into your tank.

I would go with the 10GS05, or equivalent in another brand.

Valveman · Aug 27, 2008

If the well is 12' deep, with a static water level of 8.5', and a draw down of 3' in 1 hour, you don't have enough room for a submersible pump. You will need to use a jet pump so you can still be getting water when there is only 1' of water left in the well. A submersible needs to be in about 4' of water to function properly, and then you can't have any draw down.

David E. · Aug 27, 2008

I don't understand. If my water is coming in at 12gpm and is being pumped out at 10gpm, how is the water level going to be less than 4'? How is it going to drop substantially at all if it is not being drawn out as fast as it is coming in?

Valveman · Aug 27, 2008

David E. said:
Hi,
here's the specs on this well
12 GPM
3' DRAWDOWN IN I HR.
DEPTH OF WATER IN WELL IS 8.5 '
6'' PVC WELL CASING
200' from home

Is this depth to water of 8.5 feet, or is there 8.5' of water in the 12' well, so depth to water is only 3.5'?

David E. · Aug 27, 2008

there is 8.5' of water in the 12' well, so depth to water is only 3.5'

Valveman · Aug 27, 2008

OK so a submersible will work. A 10 GPM, Â½ HP should not need to be throttled back, unless you use water for a long period of time and the well can't keep up.

Southern Man · Aug 27, 2008

David E. said:
Thanks for your reply. I am going to pour a slab and put a well house over it. By throttling down the flow, do you mean by means of a gate valve?

Any valve can throttle, although some types work better than others. Your choice is likely to be restricted based on the local plumbing code.

Southern Man · Aug 27, 2008

Gary Slusser said:
He has a downhill shot to the house and a 10 gpm pump will deliver more than 10 gpm depending on the total dynamic head of the system which should be rather low in this case.
..... .

Yup forgot about that. I'm used to pumping "up" from a well. I guess everything is backwards out west.

Submersible pump recommendations

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