QD Pumptec use with restriction valve.

[Dmax2211]

I have a drilled well with a depth of 75FT and is low yielding (slow regenerating). The well pump is a 1/2HP 10GPM Pentek STA-RITE 3 wire 230V pump and has a 3GPM restriction valve inline to the house that fills a 200 gallon tank in the basement that has a solenoid valve to allow to fill the tank with a float switch. There is a separate pump and pressure tank from the 200 gallon tank that feeds the rest of the house.

I would like to use a QD Pumptec device with the 10GPM well pump, however I am getting mixed and varied information regarding the use of this device with a restriction valve. I have read that you should not use a QD Pumptec device with a restriction valve and have read you can but should adjust the sensitivity and field calibrate the device to work with your particular system since it is factory set to use with a Franklin 3 wire pump without a restriction valve. Can I use a QD Pumptec device with a 3GPM restriction valve on a 10GPM pump? If so do I just "field calibrate"? Do I field calibrate it when the pressure tank is depleted and the well pump is just flowing water at 3GPM to the 200 gallon tank or when its filled the 200 gallon tank and just filling the pressure tank to cut out pressure? Thank you in advance.

 

[Valveman]

The pumptec looks for a 25% drop in amps and shuts the pump down thinking it is running dry. Restricting some pumps to 3 GPM can make the amps drop by 50% or so and the pumptec will not work. The Pentair pumps are not good at dropping in amps when the flow is reduced. They usually only drop about 10% at the most. So, the pumptec will usually work with a restricted Pentair pump, just not Goulds, Grundfos, or one of the floating stack type pumps.

Yes, calibrating while at 3 GPM might work.

What will work for sure is a Cycle Sensor. We made it because none of the other devices would work with the amp drop when using a Cycle Stop Valve or a restriction of any kind. You can see the amps on the display, and set the underload anywhere needed.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Dmax2211]

Thank you Valveman. I will give it a try and monitor. Otherwise I will certainly be going the Cycle Sensor device route.