Shallow well Jet pump issue

[Jim V]

Hi All, new to signing up for the site but have relied on it's advice for quite a while now.
I have a shallow well with an above ground Jet pump. A little over a year ago the pump on my well died on a Saturday afternoon the night before we we're hosting a graduation party. I had to run out and find a pump I could use and wound up with a Tractor supply County line 1/2 HP pump. I replaced a 1/2 HP (believe it was an older) red Jacket pump. It has not ever been able to keep up with max demand and now it's leaking from the shaft seal. So I want to replace it with something good. I'm just not sure which way to go for size. The old Red Jacket was 1/2 HP and was fine for water pressure max demand, etc. I'm looking at Goulds pumps J5S and J7S 1/2 or 3/4 HP. I don't want to over power it. The specs on the county line are as follows:

CountyLine Shallow Well Cast Iron Jet Pump delivers water from 25 ft. or less. Rugged cast iron construction for long life.

• 1/2 HP
• Maximum Depth to Water: 25 ft.
• Maximum GPM: 8.5 GPM
• Suction Port Size: 1-1/4 in. NPT
• Outlet Port Size: 1 in. NPT
• 19 in. x 10-5/6 in. x 10-1/2 in.
• 38 lb.
• Cast Iron
• CSA Approved
• 1 year limited warranty

They don't give the detail the Gould specs do:
Pressure 1/2 HP: 20 30 40 50 3/4 HP: 30 40 50 60
Ft 20 11.5 10.4 7.1 2.3 57 Max 13.6 13.2 8.3 2.0 63 Max
I don't know if the 1/2 HP is enough or not. It seems like the goulds output is much better than the county line pump?
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Reach4]

Here is a more readable version of your data:

If you plan to use 30-50 PSI setting, with the AN017 nozzle, and if your water is at 15 feet below the pump, that pump can deliver 12.5 GPM. Some would say that combination only delivers 3.6 GPM. I understand their logic, but I respectfully differ.

I think the 1/2 would be good for an average house. I think 7 GPM is enough for the average house. A current showerhead is about 2 GPM. I am not a pro.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jim V]

Here is a more readable version of your data:View attachment 30586 If you plan to use 30-50 PSI setting, with the AN017 nozzle, and if your water is at 15 feet below the pump, that pump can deliver 12.5 GPM. Some would say that combination only delivers 3.6 GPM. I understand their logic, but I respectfully differ.

I think the 1/2 would be good for an average house. I think 7 GPM is enough for the average house. A current showerhead is about 2 GPM. I am not a pro.

Thanks, couldn't figure out how to copy & paste chart.
Not sure if the 8.5 max on the County line is at 0 feet and 20 psi or what.

 

[Reach4]

Thanks, couldn't figure out how to copy & paste chart.

The snipping tool of Windows makes that easy. You do have to save the snip to a file, and upload the file.

Not sure if the 8.5 max on the County line is at 0 feet and 20 psi or what.

If they will replace it under warranty, and it gives the house enough water, great. If it is out of warranty, you will probably want a more reliable pump, maybe keeping the leaker in the attic as a backup.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...ow-well-cast-iron-jet-pump-1-2-hp?cm_vc=IOPDP specificatons tab says

GPH @ 0 ft.: 8.5 GPM
GPH @ 10 ft. of Head: 6.5 GPM
GPH @ 15 ft. of Head: 6 GPM
GPH @ 20 ft. of Head: 5 GPM
GPH @ 25 ft. Head: 3.5 GPM
GPH @ 5 ft. of Head: 7.5 GPM
​

Also, they don't seem to specify an output PSI. So the mystery remains.

​

I see what you mean about the specifications being surprisingly different.

 

[Jim V]

The snipping tool of Windows makes that easy. You do have to save the snip to a file, and upload the file.


If they will replace it under warranty, and it gives the house enough water, great. If it is out of warranty, you will probably want a more reliable pump, maybe keeping the leaker in the attic as a backup.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...ow-well-cast-iron-jet-pump-1-2-hp?cm_vc=IOPDP specificatons tab says

GPH @ 0 ft.: 8.5 GPM
GPH @ 10 ft. of Head: 6.5 GPM
GPH @ 15 ft. of Head: 6 GPM
GPH @ 20 ft. of Head: 5 GPM
GPH @ 25 ft. Head: 3.5 GPM
GPH @ 5 ft. of Head: 7.5 GPM
​

Also, they don't seem to specify an output PSI. So the mystery remains.

​

I see what you mean about the specifications being surprisingly different.

 

[Jim V]

The county line was definitely not giving enough water (the old 1/2 HP pump did give enough) and it's past warranty.
It looks like the better pump (1/2 HP Gould) is good for twice the GPM as the County line if I understand the info above; but wasn't sure with the numbers. Just looking to see if this is true. If it does give even 30% more it would be more than large enough with the 1/2 HP gould.

 

[Texas Wellman]

In my humble but experienced opinion nobody makes a better jet pump than Gould's. I would go with the 3/4 hp.

 

[Jim V]

In my humble but experienced opinion nobody makes a better jet pump than Gould's. I would go with the 3/4 hp.

Thanks Wellman - so you don't think I need to worry about overpowering my system with the 3/4 HP?

 

[Texas Wellman]

That is hard to say. It just depends on how much water your well makes and since I'm not familiar with your area I have no way of knowing. Here where I am the only wells these can be used on are shallow wells to about 100' that have high water levels. Most of these wells make 20-30 gpm. I like the 3/4 HP better because it will keep the pressure up when you're using water. I like the 1/2 hp for livestock wells.

 

[Reach4]

I like the 3/4 HP better because it will keep the pressure up when you're using water.

What size pressure tanks do you like with that shallow 3/4 HP Grundfos?

 

[Texas Wellman]

Almost all of our tanks here are standard galvanized tanks. An 82 gallon galv. tank works well with that pump. If I was using a bladder tank I would use a well-x-trol that would give me enough drawdown for at least a one minute cycle.

What size pressure tanks do you like with that shallow 3/4 HP Grundfos?