Filter Placement Question

[Yar02169]

My irrigation well has always had a silt problem. With the help from this place, I've come along way, learned a lot, have a functional system now. Just a final question.
The silt isn't always, but enough to clog sprinkler heads. My solution was to install a Whirlpool 10" whole house filter (with the cheapest corrugated filter). I usually get two seasons out of the filter, and the system works fine.
Last year I had a pump issue, so I upgraded from my old Flotec to a Goulds pump. The silt would do a job on the pump, and I would have to replace the impeller now and again. Considering the cost of the new pump, I would like to relocate the filter, from after the pump, to before it.
That is where the questions start. Can the filter deal being on the suction instead of pressure side?
The draw pipe is 2" and the filter is 1", will that cause any issues? There is a 1.5" version filter out there, which would reduce issues, if any, but would it be usable as well? The filter is currently installed in-line on 1.5" pipe.
Just wondering if should leave well enough alone, or can I improve things.

 

[Texas Wellman]

Filter cannot be before the pump.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Valveman]

If there is any hole left below the foot valve, you could add about 5' of 4" or larger suction pipe. The velocity in the larger pipe won't be strong enough to bring up the sand, and it will just fall to the bottom of the well. The drawback is that it falls to the bottom of the well, and sooner or later the well will have to be cleaned out. With a shallow well it might pay to drill a new well with a screen to keep out the sand.

 

[Yar02169]

Filter cannot be before the pump.

I'm going to sound like a 3 year old, but why can't it be done? Is it because the filter isn't designed for the suction side of the pump? Is there such a filter system?

It's a 2"draw pipe in a 4" drilled hole. Originallyiti had a 1.5" pipe as the draw, 4-5' above the bottom of the well, and that didn't help. It's not sand, it's silt, really, really, really fine sand f you insist it's sand. Once water borne, it's not settling quickly. It is shallow, 28' to bottom, it's only used to keep the grass greener than the neighbors.

More of a hobby than anything else, but I figure if I can reduce pump wear due to silt, I'd check into it.

 

[Texas Wellman]

If you put the filter before the pump the restriction is too great for the pump to be able to suck through. Remember, the only thing "pushing" the water into the pump is the atmospheric pressure (14.7 psig at sea level). So you only have ~14 psig to start with. Adding the filter will greatly restrict flow.

I have seen pumps that had to pump sand. The sand will not hurt the internals of a goulds pump as bad as you think. Eventually the sand will clog the passages in the pump or perhaps wear down the plastic impeller but it won't hurt the metal parts. Eventually you should take apart the pump (4 bolts) and wash out the innards every few years.