2stupid2fixit
Active Member
Sometimes questions are asked in this forum about cheap deep well pumps. Many places sell cheap pumps that enable youtube video posters of some schmuck rasing up a dead pump and changing it out lickety split. The videos on youtube don't show you the guy that followed a video and accidentally dropped his old pump through a living room in China. Skill is required for this. Valveman and reach4 might remember when I had no money and bought a $150 Hallmark MA0459X-14A to replace my 1/2 horse 1970s Golds/Franklin.
This is not an advertisement for this particular pump. It's just an update of where I am 6 months after lowering this ebay find into my 250 foot well.
The power-on surge amperage draw is the same as the day I installed it within 2-3% give or take.
The running current draw has not changed, it is within 2% of when I first installed it.
The output pressure has not changed.
The well professionals around me told me to never waste a penny on garbage as I bought, but I can tell you this in my little update...
Either I have been very fortunate, or the variables that make cheap pumps work have, so far, been in my favor. I did somehow by accident end up with a much more powerful brand new and free hallmark 2hp replacement pump in storage and waiting to be dropped down on the day this 3/4 horse quits. From an accounting perspective, as of right now I am still ahead of the game. Back to the pump's construction... The wire harness on a Nintendo controller looked to have better engineering behind it. I think it's 14ga stranded. I connected that to the 10 ga solid wire that went back to my house and felt silly. The outlet adapter and "internal check valve" look to be made of a cheaper plastic than disposable packing material. Hallmark tech support even tells purchasers "do not rely on the internal check valve, there is a sticker on the pump that says an external check valve is required".
It is still working just fine.
I am NOT endorsing this pump for any personal gain whatsoever, I am simply providing a status update on a cheap deep submersible as promised.
I will let you know 6 months from now if my 3/4 hallmark pump is working without any issues, and immediately when it does crap out.
Sidenote:
I had lots of time on my hands (no, I was not in prison) and I like to read everything I can. For no good reason, I studied all the material I could find for the education track of NGWA's Certified Pump Installer. I will be taking the exam in the quick future. Will I ever install professionally or need my certification in a professional setting? Probably never. Maybe Amish thinking has overtaken how I operate because I refuse to own anything that I cannot repair myself. I have the ability to yank up a cheap dead pump and slap on another free cheap soon-to-be-dead pump, but your mileage may vary.
This is not an advertisement for this particular pump. It's just an update of where I am 6 months after lowering this ebay find into my 250 foot well.
The power-on surge amperage draw is the same as the day I installed it within 2-3% give or take.
The running current draw has not changed, it is within 2% of when I first installed it.
The output pressure has not changed.
The well professionals around me told me to never waste a penny on garbage as I bought, but I can tell you this in my little update...
Either I have been very fortunate, or the variables that make cheap pumps work have, so far, been in my favor. I did somehow by accident end up with a much more powerful brand new and free hallmark 2hp replacement pump in storage and waiting to be dropped down on the day this 3/4 horse quits. From an accounting perspective, as of right now I am still ahead of the game. Back to the pump's construction... The wire harness on a Nintendo controller looked to have better engineering behind it. I think it's 14ga stranded. I connected that to the 10 ga solid wire that went back to my house and felt silly. The outlet adapter and "internal check valve" look to be made of a cheaper plastic than disposable packing material. Hallmark tech support even tells purchasers "do not rely on the internal check valve, there is a sticker on the pump that says an external check valve is required".
It is still working just fine.
I am NOT endorsing this pump for any personal gain whatsoever, I am simply providing a status update on a cheap deep submersible as promised.
I will let you know 6 months from now if my 3/4 hallmark pump is working without any issues, and immediately when it does crap out.
Sidenote:
I had lots of time on my hands (no, I was not in prison) and I like to read everything I can. For no good reason, I studied all the material I could find for the education track of NGWA's Certified Pump Installer. I will be taking the exam in the quick future. Will I ever install professionally or need my certification in a professional setting? Probably never. Maybe Amish thinking has overtaken how I operate because I refuse to own anything that I cannot repair myself. I have the ability to yank up a cheap dead pump and slap on another free cheap soon-to-be-dead pump, but your mileage may vary.
