Well Pump, New to Forum, A Question About Two Brands

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Dixon

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First of all, thanks for hosting a great website. It's bailed me out of trouble more than once doing past research, especially on shallow well operations. I finally decided to make the leap and become a bonified member and with some luck, an occasional contributor.

My shallow well is currently functional and I figure it's time to purchase two key replacements parts to have on hand for the inevitable. I want to purchase a pump and a 20 gallon pressure tank.

The current pump is a Myers HJ100s and the tank is a Flexcon Challenger model 66, date code 2000. Although Myers still offers the HJ100s, the pump housing itself on the website picture is physically different in appearance than mine. That said, I found a new HJ100s and HJ75s avaiable for @ the same price (NOS?) that is confirmed to be exactly like mine. Same is good because re-plumbing wouldn't need to happen.
The Flexcon is also still available though the model number is now PC66FR. It is a diaphragm type tank.

Although both pump and tank are the same age (19+ years) their actual work time is less. I purchased them from someone who removed them from a property after a couple of years of operating a well, went on city water as I recall...
I didn't use them for another few years after that so maybe 8-11 years of usage in all I'm guessing...

I am considering the same brands because the pump has lost prime over the years a few times, continued to operate, melting the pvc connections and survived without apparent damage, no leaks, no bearing noise and still unhappily chugging away.
These days, with continous use (no cycling) the bottom of the motor housing near the rear gets to about 130° F in an enclosed, insulated, pump house. Bottom line, seems like a keeper to me and replacement parts are available (shipped from Florida).

The tank, being a diaphragm type and though actual usage time is unknown also seems like an appropriate purchase.

The local plumbing supply offer Sta-Rite and I happen to have three used ones on hand that were working when removed (hand me downs, actual condition unknown)

What say you subject matter experts, are Myers and Flexcon good, reliable brands or are better alternatives available? Incidentally, my well supplies a small household and sprinkler system.

(I will have more questions but I will ensure they are less wordy next time)
 

Reach4

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What say you subject matter experts, are Myers and Flexcon good, reliable brands or are better alternatives available? Incidentally, my well supplies a small household and sprinkler system.
I have the Flexcon Challenger PC144R pressure tank. 44 gallons. I will not replace that unless there is a problem. You should normally check and maybe adjust the air precharge annually, although it has been longer than that for me. If it has been more than 5 years for you, I would get on that. The Well-X-Trol pressure tanks are most respected.

I have a Sta-Rite pump that is about 16 years old. I actually had my pit demolished, and the casing extended, when the pump was 13 years old. That involved pulling the pump. I opted to have the old pump put back down. I know Sta-Rite pumps today are not the same as mine. Today they are made by Pentair.
 

Dixon

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I have the Flexcon Challenger PC144R pressure tank. 44 gallons. I will not replace that unless there is a problem. You should normally check and maybe adjust the air precharge annually, although it has been longer than that for me. If it has been more than 5 years for you, I would get on that. The Well-X-Trol pressure tanks are most respected.

I have a Sta-Rite pump that is about 16 years old. I actually had my pit demolished, and the casing extended, when the pump was 13 years old. That involved pulling the pump. I opted to have the old pump put back down. I know Sta-Rite pumps today are not the same as mine. Today they are made by Pentair.

As a matter of course, my tank is checked annually, usually because of a problem, for example, losing prime, which seems more prone in the heat (NC summers). All manner of maintenance is conducted then or soon after when the second prime loss occurs predictably within 24 hours of the first as a result of expanded, leaking connections.

My Sta-Rites are the old ones, likely 15 - 20 years old. So do you recommend the Flexcon or would you opt for the enduring reputation of the Well-Xtrol if you had to do it over again? (I havn't compared prices between the two)
 

Reach4

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My Flexcon is doing nicely. But if it failed tomorrow, I would probably go X. If it failed after another 15 years, I am not sure.

When a diaphragm tank goes, that does not mean you are without water. You can pump some air in, and be good for a while, even with failed diaphragm. I have thought through what I would do.

I have a 44 gpm tank on my 7 gpm pump, which is probably pumping 8 or 9 gpm usually I am right on the border where a 1/2 HP 7 gpm pump would probably be good too.
 

Dixon

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My Flexcon is doing nicely. But if it failed tomorrow, I would probably go X. If it failed after another 15 years, I am not sure.

When a diaphragm tank goes, that does not mean you are without water. You can pump some air in, and be good for a while, even with failed diaphragm. I have thought through what I would do.

I have a 44 gpm tank on my 7 gpm pump, which is probably pumping 8 or 9 gpm usually I am right on the border where a 1/2 HP 7 gpm pump would probably be good too.

My current pump is 1 hp, I believe more than I need. My pump is adjusted to run continously when irrigating with my sprinkler stations setup to consume 6 gpm. I run each station (4) for ten minutes with a ten minute break between stations. The well by all measure appears to meet the demand so I'm debating how much I can downsize the hp. Pressure is 50 while running continuously and the switch is adjusted to cut out at 52 psi which it does when the station valve closes.
 

Reach4

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Your system seems perfectly balanced right now.

My pump is submersible, and a submersible is more efficient. I had not realized your pump was a jet pump until now.
 

Dixon

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Yes, it's a shallow well, forgive me for not making that clear earlier. Very nice to have a submersible.
Far as balance goes, it wasn't always that way. I had it set up (sprinkler system) to cycle on/off @ every other minute. I only learned that was the wrong way to do things recently. In this forum matter of fact. Sad old Myers pump, bad enough it struggled through hot prime losses, I had to flog it in between with unnecessary cycling. It and the tank. Probably why my old Sta-Rite was yanked years ago now that I think about it.
 

Dixon

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I've seen the JS10s mentioned quite a bit. Anyone aware of a thread here that discusses it at some depth? The search function, at least for me, hasn't turned up such a discussion.
 

Reach4

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I've seen the JS10s mentioned quite a bit. Anyone aware of a thread here that discusses it at some depth? The search function, at least for me, hasn't turned up such a discussion.
Did you try entering j10s into the search box above? If yes, then I guess the depth of discussion was not what you wanted.
 
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