Need to replace Aqua Boost II

[LAD]

Ok, my last post was a plea for help to repair our Aqua boost II and its looking like a repair is a pipe dream. Bad joke but its the best I can do. The question now is what to replace it with. We have a 5000 gallon tank that is about 75 feet from the house. We have 1 1/4 inch pipe from the tank to the house. The tank is above the house so even with out the booster pump we have enough gravity feed to take an adequate although not entirely satisfying shower. The house is a two bedroom, two bath and we need enough pressure to irrigate a small vineyard/garden with drip irrigation that when in use needs about 2-3 gpm. We have 220v power at the tank. My priorities are: cost (I saw a pic of an old fashion hand pump and it was starting to look pretty good...), cheap to run, (our power bills are about $50.00 a month now), and something that will last longer than the 6 years we've had the Aqua boostII that is formally being renamed "The piece of cr** that may be repurposed soon as an anchor". Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[DonL]

So you want to go from a 1.5 HP pump, to a hand pump ?

I agree, you need to lay off of the Magic Pipe.

You should get a pump that does not need a control box.


Good luck.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Valveman]

Get a regular 1.5HP jet pump like a Goulds J15S or a Sta-Rite as in the picture below. You could also attach a Cycle Stop Valve and little tank like the Pside-Kick kit shown in the picture. The CSV will make it variable flow like the “Aqua Boost”, without the complications and expense of varying the speed. This is important when using a drip system at 2-3 GPM, and helps with everything else as well.

 

[Reach4]

Consider a submersible on its side in a flow inducer (piece of PVC pipe). Note the "upthrust" discussions. This may be an application for CSV, especially since you do some irrigation. A submersible pump is generally more efficient. Don't oversize the pump. I see 1/2 horsepower max. I have not noticed such pumps rated under 1/2 horsepower.

Note that 1/2 horse submersible does more than a jet pump with similar power.

Here are a couple threads I found, but there have been others that I remember but did not find.

https://terrylove.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-46468.html

https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?14955-submersible-pump

 

[DonL]

I think valveman's idea is best.

Unless you have a submersible laying around, it does not make much sense to buy one for your application.

Maybe Reach4 can explain how it would be a better way to go.


Good Luck.

 

[Reach4]

I think valveman's idea is best.

Unless you have a submersible laying around, it does not make much sense to buy one for your application.

Maybe Reach4 can explain how it would be a better way to go.

I did not post my post as a critique. When I started trying to find the previous posts to cite, there were no replies.

I figured the advantage would be less power consumed. I have the feeling that submersibles tend to be more reliable than jet pumps, but I don't have a study to cite.

You might find that Valveman was active on one of the posts I cited. There have been others that I failed to find.

Regarding having a spare submersible pump laying around, good idea. I expect that there are a lot of working pumps pulled from service, but because the pump had to be lifted for another reason, a new pump is put down the hole.

I expect there could be some suitable used pumps a local well provider might be eager to sell a used pump at a significant discount. Might last 20 more years. Might last 20 months.

I wonder if the Goulds 10SB05422 I see in an auction on * would be suitable. Maybe the 7GS05422 would be more suitable for upthrust reasons, but I think not. Both are 1/2 HP. I'll bet that somebody good at navigating pump curves would suggest if either would be good or a different one would be better.

Hallmark Industries Submersible Pump, Deep Well, 1/2HP, 220V, 20 GPM, Model: MA0343X-6A looks interesting, but I don't see that company being talked about. With such a low head, that might be getting into a better pump curve for this.

 

[DonL]

If he has a 1.5 HP, then a 1 HP may work, but he may not be happy going as low as 1/2.

Just a guess.