Advice on pump system selection

We have pulled a submersible pump that gave out during the "freeze" event this winter. For discussion sakes - the old system worked well and it supplied us with a decent flow and pressure - the only reason we are replacing it was that winter killed it. Having said this - we are looking to put a Goulds Pump set @ 160' and 1.5 hp motor with control box. All was well - until my supplier started talking up the Goulds CP System which only confuses a "farmer" mentality like mine.

Why do I want to upgrade the system to a CP at a cost of $800 or so. We had very little pressure fluctuation with the other pump and we would have a hard time verifying energy savings on the new system. What does the extra cost buy me other than that? Double life expectancy? Longer happy hours?

I could use an honest opinion from you guys in the biz ..... thanks in advance for your consideration.

You don't want to upgrade it. Do what you planned on in the first place. All this new fangled gee wiz stuff sounds good on paper and everyone will give you a list of how much energy you will save and yadda yadda, but the truth is that a standard pump and tank set will last a good many years if properly sized and installed. When you break doen the energy savings as compared to cost you will be long in the grave before it ever breaks even.

Just replace what you had and spend the 800 on pipe heat tape and insulation... throw in a franklin pumptek and low pressure cut out switch too. You will be miles ahead.

What part of Texas is the well in?

They most likely want to sell you a CP system because it adds cost on and therefore profit.

What kind of system is it? Irrigation? Residential? Week-end house?

Also what do you mean by the "freeze killed the pump". I know we had some cold temps here near Houston but the submersible pumps should have been unaffected by any freeze unless the piping above ground froze and the pump either ran dead-headed etc.

psbhouston said:

We have pulled a submersible pump that gave out during the "freeze" event this winter. For discussion sakes - the old system worked well and it supplied us with a decent flow and pressure - the only reason we are replacing it was that winter killed it. Having said this - we are looking to put a Goulds Pump set @ 160' and 1.5 hp motor with control box. All was well - until my supplier started talking up the Goulds CP System which only confuses a "farmer" mentality like mine.

Why do I want to upgrade the system to a CP at a cost of $800 or so. We had very little pressure fluctuation with the other pump and we would have a hard time verifying energy savings on the new system. What does the extra cost buy me other than that? Double life expectancy? Longer happy hours?

I could use an honest opinion from you guys in the biz ..... thanks in advance for your consideration.

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If constant pressure might be something you'd like, or to be able to use a very small pressure tank, look into a Cycle Stop Valve for less than $200.

www.cyclestopvalves.com

I'm wondering why a 1.5 hp to be set at 160'? What is the static water level and how many gpm do you need?

There will not be ANY energy savings with a variable speed. As a matter of fact, reducing the RPM of the pump makes it cost more per gallon produced. The amps will drop a little when the pump slows down, so they make you think it is saving energy. They don't explain to you, or don't understand themselves, that using ½ the energy to pump 1/10th the amount of water, is a 500% increase in energy used per gallon.

If you think they are "talking up" the variable speed system so that it will cost you less and last longer, then I have an excellent deal for you on some land south of New Orleans. What they don't want is for you to put in a regular inexpensive pump that lasted as long as your last one. And I am certain they didn't tell you that you could put a Cycle Stop Valve on a regular inexpensive pump. Or that the CSV would deliver better constant pressure than the variable speed pump, make a regular pump last 2 or 3 times longer than normal, reduce energy draw as much as any variable speed pump, and can work with a smaller pressure tank to more than offset it's own cost. Constant pressure done right can have many advantages. You are smart to ask questions. Because suppliers just push what the manufacturers tell them to, and manufacturers push what gets them the most of your money.

I type to slowly. Gary and Wellman already said it.