Well pump Electric usage tripled

[Reach4]

With your current pump putting out 10 gpm or less, has there been symptoms for the users? Maybe a less powerful pump down the well would do you better.

And I agree with the stagnant water thing. I think you would have to add chlorine if you went to the cistern.

What diameter is your well? If 5 inch or more, you would be better off to add a flow inducer to the 4 inch pump. That is very cheap, and cools the motor better.

 

[darbysan]

With your current pump putting out 10 gpm or less, has there been symptoms for the users? Maybe a less powerful pump down the well would do you better.

Impact to users 1) well shut off due to overload- No water for several hours while we troubleshot 2) Power usage per pump cycle has gone up 5x since Feb. Time to refill pressure tanks up 2-3x. Now about 11 minutes for 69 gal recharge ( 3 - 86 gal tanks). Assume it will only get worse, as it has degraded a lot since late June.

Everything I can see indicates that we need the 5 hp to overcome the TDH of Approx 770 '

What diameter is your well? If 5 inch or more, you would be better off to add a flow inducer to the 4 inch pump. That is very cheap, and cools the motor better.

Well casing is 8", down 650'. Are you recommending something like the CSV valve previously suggested?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Valveman]

The motor and pump come as two separate pieces and are easy to check. Recirculating water may have caused the motor end to get hot, but I doubt it hurt the pump end. Most pump ends will outlast 2-3 motors. If the motor shaft height is still perfect 1.5" and it spins freely, it will also most likely be fine. I would also look for any rainbow or blue coloring on the side of the motor, which would indicate it got hot. If it all checks out I would put the old pump back, as your problem is just a hole in the pipe.

If you want to replace it the 35 GPM pump quits at 500'. Although I don't see 770'' as there shouldn't be any more than 738' total head on a 600' deep well. The 25 GPM Grundfos will do the 738' of head, just not 770". I don't like the 20 GPM pumps as they are Pentair or Franklin and floating stage design. The Grundfos 25S50-26 pump with a Franklin motor would be my preference. Grundfos makes good pumps but has motor problems, and Franklin makes good motors and has pump problems.

Even with a new pump you are gambling. Anytime you work on a pump system it could last a day or decades. At least you know the old pump was working, you have no experience with the new one.

 

[Valveman]

Are you recommending something like the CSV valve previously suggested?

Could use a CSV on the 25 GPM pump if you wanted, but the 20 gallon builds too much pressure for the CSV1A. I would certainly go with a CSV over a VFD any day. They both provide variable flow to maintain constant pressure to the end users. The CSV is just a simple, inexpensive, long lasting, mechanical way to do it. The VFD is not. Lol!

 

[Reach4]

I was thinking that a 10 gpm 3 HP pump could serve you well.

And if you go with a 5 HP Grundfos, to meet your needs, you would need a 16 GPM pump.

 

[Jeff H Young]

That sounds like it could be that your electricity rates went up. Does the well have its own meter? See if you can compare the kWh numbers, rather than dollar amounts.

Also, when the pump runs, how long does it run?

I suggest that you get a clamp-around ammeter. Is your pump supplied by common 240 VAC? Seems likely. I would expect about 23 amps when the pump is running.

Are you getting more air coming from the faucets in the houses?

I suspect your water is around 300 ft down.

figures That he provided were not cents per kw hour they were the kwh used , in other words the energy used not dollars used

 

[Reach4]

Well casing is 8", down 650'. Are you recommending something like the CSV valve previously suggested?

I am suggesting a a pump down the well that can produce more pressure than a 20 gpm 5 hp pump. A 10 gpm 3 hp pump can do that. A 16 gpm 5 hp pump can do that. I am suggesting that 4 houses would be fine with 16 gpm, and probably fine with 10 gpm. This assumes you are not doing much irrigation. I was suggesting that while your pump was actually delivering 10 gpm, it probably kept up with the use by the houses.

I like the tables better than the curves, myself.

I am recommending a flow inducer to help cool the water. This is more important with a larger diameter well, and/or a top-feeding well.

Flow Inducer Sleeve

Using a submersible pump in a large tank or large casing, I understand the need to force a certain amount of water flow past the motor for proper cooling. But I see many of these flow inducer sleeve recommendations and pictures that look like the sleeve is barely larger than the motor housing...

terrylove.com

There are more threads. Search for "flow inducer"

 

[darbysan]

Pulled the pump this am. Found hole in pipe at 560', pump at 610'. Hole was about 3/8" long by 1/8" wide. Static Water level at 400' ( GOOD!).


Since it's a community well, and pump is 8 yrs old, going to replace pump, motor and 10 Sticks of Galvanized ( all that was under water). Pump was a 5hp 25 GPM Gould pump. Label got destroyed pulling the tape before I could get a picture.


Discussed Shroud with installer. He has seen positive and negative results here in Vegas. He thinks that with 8" casing and 200+' of water above the pump, that cooling will not be an issue.

Also, there was significant sediment in the pump inlet. He said next time pump is pulled, we should "clean out" the well.

Thanks to all who helped educate me here. I feel better knowing a few things when I hire a contractor.

 

[Valveman]

A 5HP, 25 GPM Goulds is a good pump, and fits your well requirements. The sediment was probably caused by the hole and it should clean up after pumping a while. Having water 200' ABOVE the pump is exactly why you want a shroud or flow inducer. The motor that needs cooling is below the pump and water intake. Any water coming in from above gets pumped out without going past the motor first, and the motor gets no cooling. Only after the top water has been pumped off does the motor get flow from below. You will probably have a gallon or two a minute coming up from the bottom that should be enough to cool the motor at the same time you are pumping off the top water, but not always. A shroud is one of the most important parts of making a motor last a long time.

 

[LLigetfa]

Discussed Shroud with installer. He has seen positive and negative results here in Vegas.

I don't know what negative results he may have seen except perhaps a pump getting stuck in a small casing but that would be very unlikely in your case.

Edit: Oh, I guess possible less recurring revenue with the pump lasting longer.