Well Pump Above Tank?

My brother has a well pump that was flooded by Isaac and the storage tank washed away. After Katrina he moved his HVAC units etc on platforms to be above the floodwater but his plumber said he could not move the well pump above the storage tank.

Is there a reason not to have the pump higher than the storage tank? Air in pump, priming, etc...?

He wants to move the pump higher to protect the electrical connections from floodwater and he might move the tank somewhat higher as well and give it a better attachment to the structure.

The well is 1200 feet deep into an Artesian aquifier with some pressure.

Thanks,
Billy

From what you are saying it sounds like his artesian well runs into his storage tank, and from there on the water gets delivered to the house via a jet pump. The pump can sit higher than the tank, not a problem. He can put it 25 feet higher then water level of the tank if he wants too. It can be a little more difficult to prime but really is not an issue.

Thanks -- I'll check it out. I flew down tonight to help him out and found out he had a plumber hook it up this afternoon so he could have fresh water. They will reconfigure it later.

I'll take a look at it in the morning and see if it is set up with a jet pump after the tank.

Billy

If you put a submersible pump in the tank, you will never need to worry about the electrics getting wet and never need to prime it.

The respondents above have little knowledge about how a deep well system works! First, - low air in the tank will NOT only make the pump run more, -it will not give an adequate pressure to the house - regardless of how much the pump runs. Second, there is NO foot valve in a deep well system, there is a screen, but the chance of a screen becoming blocked is minuscule. The entire issue of a foot valve that will allow water to 'seep back into the well' is only relevant to a well of 70 feet or less. This is NOT a deep well!

sharonmoser said:

The respondents above have little knowledge about how a deep well system works! First, - low air in the tank will NOT only make the pump run more, -it will not give an adequate pressure to the house - regardless of how much the pump runs. Second, there is NO foot valve in a deep well system, there is a screen, but the chance of a screen becoming blocked is minuscule. The entire issue of a foot valve that will allow water to 'seep back into the well' is only relevant to a well of 70 feet or less. This is NOT a deep well!

Click to expand...

I don't see where anyone mentioned a deep well pump? No footvalve in a deep well system? Low air in the pressure tank will make the pump "cycle" more, not run more, and has little to do with pressure in the house.

sharonmoser said:

The respondents above have little knowledge about how a deep well system works! First, - low air in the tank will NOT only make the pump run more, -it will not give an adequate pressure to the house - regardless of how much the pump runs. Second, there is NO foot valve in a deep well system, there is a screen, but the chance of a screen becoming blocked is minuscule. The entire issue of a foot valve that will allow water to 'seep back into the well' is only relevant to a well of 70 feet or less. This is NOT a deep well!

Click to expand...

" but the chance of a screen becoming blocked is minuscule"

Huh? really? The planet that i live on beg's to differ, hope the investment in a truck that is specifically set up to clean wells with blocked screens was not a waste..

either way what kind of dumb rant is this? It did not have anything do with any of the posts?