New well. Too many options!

[DollarBill]

Here's my problem... I need to supply occasional supplemental water to my (when full) 2 acre pond due to drought and slow seepage loss. I considered having a a new well dug to supply the water and am hoping for around 80 gpm of flow. Initial estimate over $10k! I am now considering using my existing well to supply water for both the pond and my house. Currently 2 people but with 3 beds and 2.5 baths it could be more someday. My well is 450 feet deep with water to 150. My pressure tank is in my crawlspace. A well company is suggesting a constant pressure system using a 5 hp pump that can use my existing wire and tank that will both run my house and supply my pond needs by just adding a 2" water line the 350' to the pond. Asking about $7k. Do I need to be as skeptical as I am? Can this work? Should I be looking at a cycle stop valve? Totally ignorant on this and could use some opinions! Thanks, Bill

 

[Valveman]

If your well company is suggesting a “constant pressure system” using a variable speed pump (VFD) you are right to be skeptical. If they really think a VFD is your best option they could also be wrong about other things as well.

A Cycle Stop Valve will make a constant pressure system without all the expense and side effects that go with varying the pumps speed. This will allow you to pump a lot of water to the pond and still being able to use the same pump for a shower that needs very little water.

If the pump in the well is large enough to do a well test, it would help you size the larger pump. Do you know anything about the existing pump?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[DollarBill]

If your well company is suggesting a “constant pressure system” using a variable speed pump (VFD) you are right to be skeptical. If they really think a VFD is your best option they could also be wrong about other things as well.

A Cycle Stop Valve will make a constant pressure system without all the expense and side effects that go with varying the pumps speed. This will allow you to pump a lot of water to the pond and still being able to use the same pump for a shower that needs very little water.

If the pump in the well is large enough to do a well test, it would help you size the larger pump. Do you know anything about the existing pump?

If your well company is suggesting a “constant pressure system” using a variable speed pump (VFD) you are right to be skeptical. If they really think a VFD is your best option they could also be wrong about other things as well.

A Cycle Stop Valve will make a constant pressure system without all the expense and side effects that go with varying the pumps speed. This will allow you to pump a lot of water to the pond and still being able to use the same pump for a shower that needs very little water.

If the pump in the well is large enough to do a well test, it would help you size the larger pump. Do you know anything about the existing pump?

Thanks for helping! It's an Aermotor 1 1/2hp 230v 10.6A model 2443099004. 4" submersible pump.

 

[DollarBill]

Thanks for helping! It's an Aermotor 1 1/2hp 230v 10.6A model 2443099004. 4" submersible pump.

Workorder from 10 uears ago also states 12 gpm, pump set at 340ft in 450ft well.

 

[Valveman]

A 12 GPM pump will probably put out 16+ GPM running wide open. This would at least let you figure out the pumping level while using up to 16 GPM. Since you know the pump model we can look it up on a pump curve. Just let it run for several hours through a wide-open pipe. Then do a bucket test to see how many GPM it is putting out.

If it is pumping 15 GPM we know the pumping level is 240’. If it is only pumping 13 GPM the pumping level is 340’, and that is all the water you have. If it is pumping 16+ GPM you really don’t have a large enough pump to test the well, which would be a good indication the well will handle a larger pump.

At a pumping level of 340’ and adding 50 PSI a 5HP will only produce about 30 GPM. But if the water level stays at 200’, a 5 HP can do 40 GPM at pressure.

Also have you considered how much you want to put in the pond? The more you put in the pond the larger the pump must be and the more it will cost to run it. Figure a 5HP can use $400 a month if your filling the pond 24/7.

 

[DollarBill]

A 12 GPM pump will probably put out 16+ GPM running wide open. This would at least let you figure out the pumping level while using up to 16 GPM. Since you know the pump model we can look it up on a pump curve. Just let it run for several hours through a wide-open pipe. Then do a bucket test to see how many GPM it is putting out.

If it is pumping 15 GPM we know the pumping level is 240’. If it is only pumping 13 GPM the pumping level is 340’, and that is all the water you have. If it is pumping 16+ GPM you really don’t have a large enough pump to test the well, which would be a good indication the well will handle a larger pump.

At a pumping level of 340’ and adding 50 PSI a 5HP will only produce about 30 GPM. But if the water level stays at 200’, a 5 HP can do 40 GPM at pressure.

Also have you considered how much you want to put in the pond? The more you put in the pond the larger the pump must be and the more it will cost to run it. Figure a 5HP can use $400 a month if your filling the pond 24/7.

Ill do a pump test at my first opportunity. Based on rainfall, or the lack thereof, there will be months where I'll need to add a foot of water. Based on brief research i figured I'd need to put 40gpm in for 9 hours a day. Every day that month.

 

[DollarBill]

Ill do a pump test at my first opportunity. Based on rainfall, or the lack thereof, there will be months where I'll need to add a foot of water. Based on brief research i figured I'd need to put 40gpm in for 9 hours a day. Every day that month.

Using that same math in theory i can run a garden hose at 16 gpm 24/7 for 28 days and get the same result... how long can a pump do that and how would that effect my home water use? Forgive my newbility!

 

[Reach4]

Using that same math in theory i can run a garden hose at 16 gpm 24/7 for 28 days and get the same result... how long can a pump do that and how would that effect my home water use? Forgive my newbility!

You might see if your electric company offers loser rates during off hours. You could time the pump to only run from midnight to 6 AM or whatever gives the best rates.

I am not commenting on the rest, although an 80 GPM well for $10,000 sounds lower than I would have guessed.

 

[LLigetfa]

Using that same math in theory i can run a garden hose at 16 gpm...

Check your math. The average garden hose might move about half that amount.

 

[Valveman]

Using that same math in theory i can run a garden hose at 16 gpm 24/7 for 28 days and get the same result... how long can a pump do that and how would that effect my home water use? Forgive my newbility!

Now you are talking. You can do a lot with 16 GPM and won’t even have to change pumps. You just have to keep it running for longer. You might have to choke it back to maybe 14 GPM at times to still have some water and pressure left for the house, but that depends on the water level in the well during this pumping.

Pumps like to run 24/7. It can even make them last longer. With a CSV you would be able to restrict the flow to the pond as much as needed when the house needs water, and the CSV will still keep the pump running steady instead of cycling on and off.

Check your math. The average garden hose might move about half that amount.

Actually a fairly short ¾” garden hose can easily do 20+ GPM. It just needs to be connected to a frost free hydrant or ball valve instead of a faucet or hose bib. It is the size of the opening in a boiler drain/hose bib that limits a garden hose to 5-7 GPM.