I am not a pro, but I have done some reading. There are good pros on the forum.
I think your pump may have been from a time when pumps were a little better... just before the pump wars. Warning on this link... some people's virus checker indicates a virus. I think it is a a false positive, but I cannot be sure. Turn off Java before viewing if you want to be more careful.
http://justicewater.com/articles/baad-pumps In fact, here is a link to the Google-cached version:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...articles/baad-pumps+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us That has to be safe, I would think.
Pumps today may be as good as then... I don't know. I figure the first few years after the upheaval probably made for less reliable pumps.
Anyway, there are various factors in how long pumps last. If your pump runs at least a minute each time it runs, and if you don't use a lot of water, they can last longer. This summer I had my pump that was built in 2000 and installed in 2002 pulled out to extend the casing. Many suggest replacing the pump in that case, since it will cost an extra $450 or so to pull a failed pump... and then there is the potential that you cannot get service right away or might need to pay double for emergency rates. I had the pump reinstalled. If it lasts another 5 years, I figure I made a good choice. I am hoping for more
If you have a controller box, then there is a start capacitor inside, and you have a "3-wire" pump. Anyway, the capacitors can degrade. If the pump does not start, the motor could burn out. Those capacitors can be replaced even before there is any symptom. I have a 2-wire pump; no capacitor.
There are pump protectors that can sense no-start problems and shut down the power I think (they also protect against pumping continually after you run out of water). There are cheap pressure switches that will shut off if the pressure drops to maybe 20 PSI and need to be manually restarted to get things going again-- perhaps after a power outage that somebody used some water in. I have neither of those protections.
Some pumps degrade. Some fail immediately. That is the observation of others. I think maybe estimates may be a little on the pessimistic side... so if 10% fail after 8 years, maybe 8 years would be quoted as a normal life. I have no data to go on.
