Help with well pump replacement

[Rpl0811]

Last year our well pump dies and we replaced it with a Myers 2ST102-5PLUS-P4-3 Submersible Predator Plus Series Pump 5 GPM 1.0 HP 230V 2-Wire 1PH. We are now having serious pressure issues. Grant when we replaced the pump with pressure was never the same, however it just keeps getting worse. I. The morning it is ok, no.great but ok. With each use the pressure gets less and less, by the end of the night it's just a trickle.
When we pulled the pump there was a lot of silt at the bottom so we took off 3 -20 foot lengths to raise it out the silt. Well now sits at 540.ft deep. The line has 3 check values and an aerator installed. We have a 40/60 switch.
When we replaced the the well, the pressure tank and the pressure switch.
We had a goulds pump but couldn't find the one we had so this is what was recommended. It is driving me crazy and we don't know what to do next.

 

[Reach4]

It is possible to clean the silt out of a well. There are a few ways, but winter complicates it.

The fast way is to run a 1-inch pipe to near the bottom, and blow with a towed engine-driven compressor, maybe 300 cfm. Expect a geyser of silt then water.

An air lift pump takes a lesser compressor, but need the static water level to be around 50% or more of the way from the intake to the output up top.

There are also bailing buckets.

I have no first-hand knowledge on these.

You could also try pumping to daylight for a long time, and hope the pump pushes the mud OK.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Valveman]

Probably raised it too much and it is running out of water. 9 amps means it is pumping water. 5 amps or so would tell you the pump is running dry.

 

[Rpl0811]

Probably raised it too much and it is running out of water. 9 amps means it is pumping water. 5 amps or so would tell you the pump is running dry.

When we check the well midway thru the day the water head level is around 30 to 40 feet from the top?

 

[Rpl0811]

Also this is the pump we replaced it with myers 2st102-5plus-p4-3 submersible pump. We were told it was a deep well pump but now we are questioning that. Does anyone know if this would be rated for a 540 depth?

 

[LLigetfa]

The line has 3 check values and an aerator installed.

What kind of aerator is it? If it is a micronizer (venturi), chances are the flow is too slow and sediment might be trapped above the multiple check valves if they are on the riser pipe. There should only be one check valve at the pump and none above it in the riser pipe. If by aerator, you mean a snifter/bleeder/check, then a second check valve might be above ground.

 

[Reach4]

When we check the well midway thru the day the water head level is around 30 to 40 feet from the top? With that high of a static level you should be concerned by upthrust. You might look into an 7 or 8 gpm Dole valve but you would want to consider the max pressure the Dole valve is rated to drop, which I did not look into what pressure the pump can produce.

Are you saying that the static level when not using water is about 40 ft down? How do you measure that?

With such a high static level, you should be concerned with upthrust. You might consider a 7 or 8 gpm Dole valve.

Also this is the pump we replaced it with myers 2st102-5plus-p4-3 submersible pump. We were told it was a deep well pump but now we are questioning that. Does anyone know if this would be rated for a 540 depth?

It is a deep well pump: 5gpm 1hp. But I would think it would be more suited to pumping water that is about 370 ft down while also providing pressure. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0857/5552/7485/files/predatorplus_specs23.pdf page 9 has a table.

For filling a tank, then about 470 to 500 down to the surface of the water. The pump's performance is a function mainly of how far down the surface is, and not how far down the bottom of the well is.

 

[GReynolds929]

With a 40/60 switch max head the pump can lift water from is less than 500', specs say 450' at 3.5 gpm. If you're drawing the well down then you will have less flow. What is your casing size? How much water are using per day? What is the well recovery rate? Is it possible that your still sucking silt and the impellers a worn?

 

[Fitter30]

Since you know the depth the dead head pressure should be close. That will tell if there's a problem.
Normally a person uses 120 gallons a day

 

[LLigetfa]

With such a high static level, you should be concerned with upthrust.

Upthrust can eventually wear down the tops of the volutes.

 

[Valveman]

That pump will still deliver 40 PSI even if the water level draws down to 500'. However, at that depth it is only pumping about 2 GPM. As long as the water level is less than about 300', that pump will supply about 5 GPM and the house should be happy. But if the level pulls down deeper than 300', it just won't make enough water to run a 3 GPM shower by itself. And if the water level gets drawn down close to the pump, a larger pump would pump the well dry. I don't think you are pumping the well dry now, it is just so deep you don't get enough water for a decent shower. Adding a booster pump to the line would be the same as replacing the well pump with a larger one, and would still pump the well dry.

As was said, most houses only use a couple hundred gallons per day. But they need it delivered at 5-10 GPM to handle the demand during peak use times. A 2 GPM well can supply 2880 gallons per day, you just have to store it to be able to use at more than 2 GPM. You would not need a very large storage tank. Even a small 100 gallon size tank would give you the buffer you need to have good shower pressure and water for other things as needed. With the well refilling the storage tank at 2-5 GPM, a 100 gallon storage tank with a 10 GPM booster pump would supply all the water you need.