Goulds Balanced flow constant pressure pump

[RT520]

I need to replace my well pump and was considering getting a Goulds balanced flow constant pressure 3hp 18gpm pump. Just wondering if anyone has used this pump or have any recommendations on a different constant pressure pump. Thanks

 

[ThirdGenPump]

Does the thought of inexplicably waking up to no water appeal to you?

I'll install them if people really want them. They are pretty intelligent and include some great features but they are rather unreliable. I'll use them for irrigation systems but avoid them for domestic supply.

Unreliable is not a trait unique to Goulds. Same problems with every manufacturer. It's a computer controlled unit and computers screw up. Sometimes turning it off and on fixes it other times you have to swap out the whole controller as there is nothing field serviceable about them. Only good news is the manufacturers know they are POS's so never give us a hard time swapping them out under warranty.

Look into a cycle stop valve. It's a mechanical valve that can replicate some of the beifits of constant pressure systems without all the head aches.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[RT520]

Thanks, I'll look into it. One of the big reasons I was looking to get a constant pressure was to try and save some space in my laundry room. Would I still be able use a smaller pressure tank? Thank you!

 

[Phonedude]

Yes.

 

[ThirdGenPump]

Adding a cycle stop valve would be significantly cheaper than replacing everything for a constant pressure system. Both can run rather small tanks.

If you know what your current pump is let us know.

 

[RT520]

The date is 78, I was told it was more then double it's life expectancy. The hot water heater and pressure tank take up a lot of room in your laundry room. I would like to get a smaller pressure tank when I replace the pump.

 

[PumpMd]

Your system is already designed to make a pump last a long time the way it is, I wouldn't change a thing!

What size tank do you have? Have you been checking the Precharge in your tank from time to time?

 

[RT520]

Here is my set up now. I was hoping to gain some space by getting a smaller pressure tank and going to tankless hot water heater. We want to also install a sprinkler system and don't want the pump to keep cycling.

 

[Valveman]

That looks like a 62 gallon tank (model WX251). Even with a CSV I would use a 20 gallon size tank (model WX202) because it is a 3HP pump. But that would cut the tank size by 2/3rds, and with a tankless water heater you would have a lot more room. However, we really need to know more about the pump and/or well. If that is a 18 GPM, 3HP with a static water level of 10' from the surface, you could have up to 250 PSI on the pipe before the CSV. That pressure won't hurt anything as long as the pipe can handle it. You just need to know what kind of pipe is prior to the CSV and how much pressure your particular pump can build.

If you can't find out the depth to water and the GPM of the pump, you can test it. Just put a gauge on a tee before a ball valve and slowly close off the valve. If the pressure exceeds about 160 PSI, don't close the valve any more until you can verify the pressure rating of the pipe. Also if you place the CSV right at the well head, only the pipe in the well will see that kind of pressure, and it should have been designed to handle as much as the pump can produce. After the CSV the pipe will never see more than 60 PSI or so and is not important.

A model number of the pump and a depth to static water level would answer all these questions.

Either way the CSV will be much easier as you would have to pull the pump and replace it with another pump and a three phase motor so it can run on a VFD like the Goulds Balance Flow.

 

[RT520]

I'm don't know what pump I have. here is a picture of my well log. The well is about 30o yards down a hill from the house.

 

[Reach4]

I'm don't know what pump I have. here is a picture of my well log. The well is about 30o yards down a hill from the house.

You want to know the vertical distance from the well to the house.

 

[Valveman]

Well we know it is a 3HP, and now we know the static is at 250'. So if it is a 18GS30 you will only have 151 PSI backpressure before the CSV. I would think your worst case scenario would be a 13GS30, which would still only produce 175 PSI before the CSV. The 250' to static takes off a lot of the backpressure I was worried about, so you should be good with a CSV. You would need a CSV2W and a minimum of a 20 gallon size pressure tank.