Irragation well pump pressure goes up and down

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Tony from N.C.

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I installed my own irrigation system. I now call irrigation irritation. I don't know how men do this for a living. I would factor in a number for cutting wires and anything else in the ground and go wild. Thats a different story in its self. I had a shallow well drilled (irragation only)4 inch hole with a 2 inch pvc pipe. The well is 80 feet deep the casing is 40 feet deep with a static line of 9 feet. The well was rated at 30 gpm. I installed a 1 1/4 suction pipe with a foot valve on the bottom. At the top of the well I changed the suction from 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 and ran it over to my well pump 20 feet away. I have a 2 hp. flowtec shallow well pump. I have a pressure gauge on the pump and have wired the pump 220v. The output side of the pump is put into a manifold to 1 inch. The question is ? The pump pressure will vary from 20 psi to 35. I understand different zones have different flow rates. Im talking about the same zone will vary from 20 t0 35 psi. My irragation run much better at 35 than 20. I have also install a check valve befor my pump so the water doesn't back feed back into the well. The check valve has a very small spring. I have asked everyone in the area and they all blame me the well driller the pump knowone has a real answer. I would like to have the pressure at 30 psi. I have pulled the suction pipe out and checked the foot valve and its clean and have redone the suction pipe so that the is no air leaks. I would like to make the pressure more of a constant pressure. I have seen the special pumps made by flowtec to build more pressure(booster pump). The money isnt the problem I would like the system to work well every time. Thank you Tony from N.C.
 
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hj

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pump

Can you check the water level in the well while the pump is running? If the water level drops significantly the pressure will be affected. If it drops near the 25' below the pump jet level you won't get any water.
 

Tony from N.C.

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power up the well at 5:00 am.

Hi. I power up the well at 5:00 am. this morning. I watch each zone and then watched the pressure. It sounded like the water was being cavitated in the pump. My thought was then there must be air being introduced into the system. I know everything up to the pump is air tight. I looked at the pump and asked where could this pump be sucking air?. I looked at the band ring on the flotec pump and said it must be there. I lightly taped the band ring with a hammer and tighten the band ring as I went a round the band. I tighten the band atleast an inch more than the clamp started. The band has a tight sound to it now. I turned the pump on and the pressure went to 40 psi. and only varied 2 psi thru all zones. The pump sound much better too. I guess the guy in the plumbing store didn't know that about a flowtec pump. He said I must have done something wrong. I must have asked 25 people about this problem and know one even came close. I service boats for a living and had never had one beat me yet. I wasn't going to let this irration problem beat me. The heads on my irragation system work great. At 40 psi they work great. Thanks for the reply. Tony. N.C.
 
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CaptWally

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I was going to say air in the line even though you insisted all your fittings were airtight. You were right. And so was I-- the stainless ring, even though I have seen it before on more than one occasion, slipped my mind until you had already found and fixed the problem. Good detective work! While FloTec pumps do the job they say they do, and I've seen some last for years, be careful, folks. Remember, most stores, no matter what type, don't care what you buy, just as long as you buy something. 30 years ago, the folks in the store knew their products and actually helped their customers. In this day and age, the customers usually know more than the store staff. You get what you pay for, and more often than not it is wise to be armed with information before buying as you will seldom get helpful information at the time of purchase other than what aisle the product you are looking for is in...
 

Tony from N.C.

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I went to the largest plumbing supply house here. I asked plumbers and men who do irrigation everyday about my problem. The problem for me was I don't know what a flotec pump should sound like. Most of the plumbers I ask either told me I didn't know what I was doing and should leave it to a pro or would not even give one hint of information. I am in the boat business and have learned that if a man is seeking information he will find the right information. The real story about this project is I didn't want to do it. I tried to hire three different irrigation contractors. I started in Oct. The first one wouldn't show up week after week the next one never called back after I signed his contract. And the third one I could never get to call back. I did my own irrigation because I wanted it done. It was never about the money everyone of the prices I got I never questioned. I didn't ask for a better deal I asked if they were using the best controler and heads that I could buy. I own a boat business and have plenty own work. I would rather be at work anyday than digging in the dirt. Thanks
 
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