choosing a submersible pump

[tickridgescott]

I am needing a submersible pump to install in my 325 gallon catchment basin from my spring at the bottom of the ravine (200 feet below the house cistern). The 5GS05422R 1/2 hp 2 wire, 230 volt goulds pump (recommended by the tech help after I described my situation) is like 593.00 plus 20.00 UPS shipping plus tax bringing everything to around $650 or so. That is really expensive. This is the price i got at the local plumbing shop. (List price is like 818.00)

My question is: Is there another brand that is a less expensive similar pump OR should I stay with this expensive GOULDS pump and shell out the cash. I want my pump to last but I don't want to OVERPAY for a pump (if I am paying just for the name, etc).

Scott

[Raucina]

If you have the patience to dig around Graingers website, you might find some bargains. A few months ago I found a closeout for 1/2 hp submersibles at 159$ - "Teel" units with Franklin motors and cast iron heads. I think I bought 5 but wish I had bought 20. I think it is closed now, but they had a "blow-out" website and there I bought several Myers pumps from 1/2 to 1 hp for 100 to 175 bucks. That gives us an idea of the markup on these items...
I dont think you need to be locked into a brand name if it has a Franklin motor and the pump head is NOT made by harbor freight. I am sure the pump guys on this forum can give you some more thoughts...

[speedbump]

My 1/2hp Betta Flo (Made in the USA and privately owned) is $378.84. If you put a tank with it for $133.01, I pay the freight.

Like Raucina said, if it isn't from Harbour Freight (or a few other places I won't mention) they are all alike. Plastic, stainless, cast iron. It doesn't make any difference, they are all the same. You might be surprised to know that nearly all the pump companies in the US are owned either by ITT or Pentair. This goes for swimming pool equipment and a host of other items. Brand names don't mean a thing anymore.

bob...

[tickridgescott]

That betta flo pump you have.... it is 1/2 hp but is it or is there a version that will pump to the head foot I need in that brand? With the friction losses and my total head foot I will be at about 228 foot of total head. Do you have a pump curve on that brand of pumps in the 1/2 hp models? I want to make sure i would get the right one. Thanks, Scott

[Raucina]

Can you describe the construction of the pump head some more - and say something about the company? Always trying to support the NOT big box guys. Would you put it in Moms well?

[tickridgescott]

Sorry, I looked on my contour map closely today. I have 200 feet elevation difference plus 28 feet worth of head due to friction loss= 248 feet total head. Does this pump do that? Thanks.

[tickridgescott]

oops, i meant 220 feet elevation rise plus 28 feet head due to friction= 248. Say 250 to 260 to be safe.

[speedbump]

I'm not sure what your adding up to get total head. Are you including the pressure needed to shut the pump off at 60 psi. or so?

My 1/2hp only makes a total head of 210 feet. The next size up, the 3/4hp will make 290. These are 12 gallon per minute heads. We can drop back to a 1/2hp 7 gpm pump and come up with a total head of 265 feet.

It all depends on how much water you need.

Do I read this right? Are you just filling a cistern with this pump?

bob...

[tickridgescott]

bob- yes that is right, I am filling a cistern next to my house, so essentially there is no pressure I am pumping against. Actual total pump head the pump will be seeing is 250 feet of head (220 rise plus 30 heaf feet of pipe resitance (which is 1325 feet 1" 200psi PE water pipe with 1 compression type coupling in that run).

The goulds pump I have looked at is the 5GS05 1/2 HP. It will pump 5 G/min at 250 foot of head.

Can you tell me how much flow the betta flo pump will have at 250 head feet. I want to stay with 1/2 HP in order to stay with #8 wire.

[speedbump]

My 7gpm won't quite do it, but my 4 gpm pump will do 5.5 gpm at 250 feet. Cost is $384.22 plus shipping.

bob...

[tickridgescott]

Speedbump.....

The pump i ordered came just fine, however, i thought it was supposed to be a franklin motor. It is some brand I don't even recall that is made in taiwan. Am I missing something here? Did franklin make this motor?
thanks,
Scott

[Raucina]

I just cant resist commenting - If it is made in Taiwan, then America really is doomed. Franklin makes a world class motor, and Americans should support this company that as far as I can tell do it here in America, and do it really well. Why would anyone sell the chinese motor? To make a larger profit at the cost of jobs for Americans. Thats the straight shot. Any other answers are fluff. Maybe Sbump didnt know what the pump head guys are doing inside the box.... I hope this is not the latest piece of American manufacturing to begin the long fall into the toilet. [ A Toto- made in Japan]

Would not have the chinese in my well, nossir.

[speedbump]

I sent you a PM to get this straightened out. I don't use anything but Franklin after a bad stint with some Tesla motors from Italy that Myers was pushing. That was a few months back and won't happen again. You should have gotten a Franklin motor.

bob...

[Rancher]

Since nobody asked, I will...

tickridgescott, how many GPM does your spring have the capacity for?

Rancher

[tickridgescott]

rancher......
My spring is running about 500 gallons per day in dry weather and 900 to 1000 gallons per day in other times.

It fills a 300 gallon tank and then pumps (if the float switch calls) up to the house cisterns.

actually, it is not all hooked up yet. I just developed the spring 2 weekends ago and am about to trench for the water line and electric to run the pump this weekend. 1300 foot. (200 foot elevation difference - spring is 200 foot below house)