Please Help: lost submersible pump thanksgiving morning

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HelpNoWater

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Hi,

We lost our pump Thanksgiving morning and we are still without water. Our well head cap has no specs on it. I have pulled the pump up.

I need help identifying the GPM for ths pum, which is a challenge since I cannot match it to anything from the current manufacturer.

The pump has the following info on it:

Found on pump end:
Mueller Aermotor
E-87 (probably manuf date)
A35
Model #: 2443050117

32437

ON the motor:
Franklin Electric
230v
334161920
B87 06-0886
Amps 4.8 amps, Max: 5.9 amps

Thanks in advance!!!
 

LLigetfa

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It sounds like it is a 1/2 HP pump. Can you count the number of stages on the pump? From what depth was it pulled and what is the static water level? That info can probably be used to determine GPM.
 

HelpNoWater

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Hi,

Yes it is a 1/2 HP motor. How can I count the stages?

I do not have any details on the well as city call is closed until Monday and no such details are imprinted on the underside of the well cap as they could have been. The pump is 255 feet down from the connection point. I do not know anything about the recovery of the well etc... except we never had an issue until now.

I just realized something after posing the question. This pump is from when the house was first built (1988). At that time the Clearadon PI system had not been installed. So the pump was probably sized to match the demands of the house (3 full baths, exterior faucets, dishwasher, washing machine). However the Clear Radon unit has a 6 GPM. So on one hand all the pump has to be is greater than 6 GPM (like say 8 GMP). However there is a bypass, so it would be nice if the well pump could carry the house.

Sorry to complicate... thoughts?
 

LLigetfa

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Surely you should have noticed at what depth there was water as you were pulling it? I mean, there is usually a very obvious difference on the downpipe and wire.

1/2 HP pumps generally start at 5 GPM for the deeper set ones with more stages, and more GPM and subsequently fewer stages as the amount of head is reduced. On some pumps, the stages are stacked like coins and you can count them. Others are inside a sleeve and cannot be counted without disassembling the pump.

Here is a link to a PDF of more recent models:
http://www.aermotor.com/pdf/A5865WS_T_Max_Series.pdf
 

HelpNoWater

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This is the first time I have had to deal with this and things were a little hectic when I was pulling it up. Never the less I just went outside and measured the water level - 80FT.

It seems that normal operation (Radon mitigation running) can be satisfied with a 5 GPM 1/2 hp model from your chart (Aermotor T series). Bypassing the unit (watering lawn) a 8 GPM, 3/4 hp pump would give us the pressure we have been lacking.

It appears Lowes and HomeDepot are not the place to buy the replacement pump. What are recommended brands?

Thoughts?

Thanks again.
 
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Craigpump

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It is probably a 1/2 5gpm. I have installed Franklin and Grundfos stainless steel pumps for years and have had excellent luck with them. Expect to pay more for them than you would something from Lowes or Home Depot, but you get what you pay for.
 

LLigetfa

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The pump is 255 feet down from the connection point. I do not know anything about the recovery of the well etc... except we never had an issue until now.

One has to wonder why it was set so deep if the static level is 80 feet. I wonder if it was set deep to utilize storage in the casing to compensate for a slow producing well. A 1/2 HP, 10 GPM 9 stage pump like the Grundfos 10s05-9 has a head that is less than the depth the old pump was set.

Here are performance curves for Grundfos 10 GPM pumps.
http://www.pumpsofoklahoma.com/Websites/pumpsofoklahoma/images/pdfs/10s.pdf
 

HelpNoWater

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Yes, a Home Depot or Lowes pump did not go in this system. The 230 or so gallons of water in the casing is indicative of a slow recovery, which would not surprise me.

There is a new Gould 7GS pump down the well with new wire (now 12/2, the old was 14 gauge), clamps, and other hardware same pipe.

Here is the kicker, after filling the pressure tank the think started short-cycling. The pressure thank had no air pressure and then water came out of the valve - ...so short cycling is probably what killed the pump in the first place.

The pressure tank is a 2 year old Flotec - never again! What are recommended manufacturers of ~ 42 gal pressure tanks?

Thank you all for you input.
 

Texas Wellman

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I really like the Well-X-Trol brand.

Yes, the cheap tank is what caused the pump to go out.


Yes, a Home Depot or Lowes pump did not go in this system. The 230 or so gallons of water in the casing is indicative of a slow recovery, which would not surprise me.

There is a new Gould 7GS pump down the well with new wire (now 12/2, the old was 14 gauge), clamps, and other hardware same pipe.

Here is the kicker, after filling the pressure tank the think started short-cycling. The pressure thank had no air pressure and then water came out of the valve - ...so short cycling is probably what killed the pump in the first place.

The pressure tank is a 2 year old Flotec - never again! What are recommended manufacturers of ~ 42 gal pressure tanks?

Thank you all for you input.
 

Valveman

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So called “normal cycling” is usually what causes the bladder in the tank to break. Then the broken bladder causes “rapid cycling”, which is what causes the pump/motor to burn up. Use a CSV to stop the cycling, then you don’t need a very large tank (4.5 gallon), and any tank, even cheap ones will last longer, as will the pump.
 
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