Pump and Well Problem

[Gary Bowling]

44 gallon is a common size, but it is above average. That is what I have. A 44 gallon tank will hold about 11 gallons of water, with the rest being compressed air. The air precharge would typically be 38 psi with a 40/60 tank and a submersible pump. I am confident they added air to your tank. Air precharge is always set and checked with water pressure zero.

They will have kicked up sediment while pulling the pump. Your cartridge filter may get a little extra sediment to deal with for a while.

Come spring, I would sanitize my well and plumbing. https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/ Over the winter, you have plenty of time to accumulate materials.

Some prefer the 40/60 over 30/50, especially for a two-story house over a basement. I have my pressure set to about 38/58. I don't notice much difference vs 30/50.

So to replace a working pressure switch while replacing other stuff? I am not sure.

Thanks for the info. Yes, they did add air and check everything on the pressure tank. There was a lot of sediment, even before we did it. The backflow and air in the lines stirred everything up, but it was worse after the pump replacement. I bypassed my softener and everything for a few hours. It has settled down fairly well now, not completely but it's getting there.

That idea of sanitizing is a good one, That's not been done in many years. I think the 40/60 is good, we have a garage (we call it that garagemahal) that was added. It has a 2nd floor with a game/party room with a kitchen plus a large bedroom/bathroom for guests. It's a pretty long run from the house and it both a 2nd story and up a little rise.

I think I'm good for now and will read through the sanitizing thread and plan that when the weather is better.

 

[Reach4]

a pic of the fine young men installing it.

View attachment 89236

Looking at that photo again, I now see a third man in the photo handling pipe. I missed that the first time.

Is this pulling of the pump, or is it the installation. Pulling is harder.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Gary Bowling]

Looking at that photo again, I now see a third man in the photo handling pipe. I missed that the first time.

Is this pulling of the pump, or is it the installation. Pulling is harder.

That was going back in with the new pump. Here's two photos of the guys taking it out.



These guys were very young, but very good. The leader was actually 19 and he was great. He had a lot of knowledge and had done many of these. I was very impressed with the guys, very "get it done" professional attitude and when they had any little question about anything, they called back to the office to talk to a more experienced guy.

 

[Taylorjm]

Seems like your pump running for just over a minute to go from 40-60psi is a long time for a 3/4hp pump. Depending how deep it is. I have a 1/2hp Franklin at 128’ deep in northern Michigan also. I just upgraded my pressure tank to an 84 gallon. It takes 75 seconds to go from 40-60psi and I recorded 22gallons drawdown which I believe comes out close to 18gpm.

 

[Reach4]

Seems like your pump running for just over a minute to go from 40-60psi is a long time for a 3/4hp pump. Depending how deep it is. I have a 1/2hp Franklin at 128’ deep in northern Michigan also. I just upgraded my pressure tank to an 84 gallon. It takes 75 seconds to go from 40-60psi and I recorded 22gallons drawdown which I believe comes out close to 18gpm.

Depth to the water surface is the main factor, rather than how deep the pump is set.

 

[Taylorjm]

Depth to the water surface is the main factor, rather than how deep the pump is set.

Ahhh. That makes sense. The well is set at 128', static water level is at 8' in the casing. Even when my pump is off, I have flowing water at about 10psi from the pipe that's in the basement floor, so I'd guess the pump isn't working very hard.

 

[Valveman]

Ahhh. That makes sense. The well is set at 128', static water level is at 8' in the casing. Even when my pump is off, I have flowing water at about 10psi from the pipe that's in the basement floor, so I'd guess the pump isn't working very hard.

Actually a high static level or flowing well causes the pump to produce more GPM and work harder. Restricting a pump, be it pumping from a greater depth or using a valve makes the pump work easier. One minute or even 75 seconds is not a long run time, While one minute is usually the minimum run time, two minutes are better, and running continuous while using water is best. You cannot install a tank large enough to keep the pump running continuously. Only a Cycle Stop Valve can do that, and then the tank size is almost a moot point.

 

[LLigetfa]

Actually a high static level or flowing well causes the pump to produce more GPM and work harder.

Many folks cannot grasp that. Another side effect of high GPM is upthrust.

 

[Reach4]

Many folks cannot grasp that. Another side effect of high GPM is upthrust.

In the face of upthrust, a Dole valve (flow limiting valve) can prevent the upthrust. If the water level falls down to closer to the pump, then the flow would drop below Dole valve gpm limit value.

With a 10 gpm pump, you might use a 12 to 14 gpm Dole valve.

 

[Taylorjm]

Actually a high static level or flowing well causes the pump to produce more GPM and work harder. Restricting a pump, be it pumping from a greater depth or using a valve makes the pump work easier. One minute or even 75 seconds is not a long run time, While one minute is usually the minimum run time, two minutes are better, and running continuous while using water is best. You cannot install a tank large enough to keep the pump running continuously. Only a Cycle Stop Valve can do that, and then the tank size is almost a moot point.

So why is it that people who use the exact same pump, close to the same depth, and get such a wide range of gpm? I've seen people with a 1/2hp deep well on here produce 5gpm or 20gpm.

 

[Reach4]

So why is it that people who use the exact same pump, close to the same depth, and get such a wide range of gpm? I've seen people with a 1/2hp deep well on here produce 5gpm or 20gpm.

Depends mostly on the depth to the top of the water.
Here is an example for an example pump.

 

[LLigetfa]

I've seen people with a 1/2hp deep well on here produce 5gpm or 20gpm.

Not all 1/2 HP pumps are the same. It depends on the number of stages it has.

 

[Taylorjm]

Depends mostly on the depth to the top of the water.
Here is an example for an example pump.

That’s what I thought but the other comments seemed to disagree with that theory.

 

[Taylorjm]

Not all 1/2 HP pumps are the same. It depends on the number of stages it has.

I said people that use the exact same pump.

 

[Valveman]

A 13 GPM pump can produce 20 GPM when pumping from a high static level and not against any pressure. The same pump can only produce 1 GPM when the water level is at 160' deep or from a 1' deep well and against a pressure of 69 PSI.

 

[Taylorjm]

A 13 GPM pump can produce 20 GPM when pumping from a high static level and not against any pressure. The same pump can only produce 1 GPM when the water level is at 160' deep or from a 1' deep well and against a pressure of 69 PSI.

So why did you say the pump works harder with a high static level? Seems like if water is already being forced through the pump because of the static level, the pump wouldn’t need to work as hard.

 

[LLigetfa]

So why did you say the pump works harder with a high static level?

Because moving 20 GPM is harder than moving 1 GPM.

 

[Reach4]

So why did you say the pump works harder with a high static level? Seems like if water is already being forced through the pump because of the static level, the pump wouldn’t need to work as hard.

I know it defies common sense. This knowledge is not common.