Bypass frozen booster pump?

[Zengenie]

I'm doing some unrelated work in a house but the homeowner stated that her booster pump hadn't worked in some time so she simply shut it off but left it hooked up. I don't see any bypass. Isn't she losing a fair amount of water pressure through the pumps stationary impellers?

I'm curious about how much pressure she may be losing & if she'd be better off cutting it out. She is not planning on replacing it.

The inlet side has a 3/4" line (as does the outlet). She has a 3/4" branch after that (reduced to 1/2") for her house and another branch T'd just off the inoperative tank as well which runs with 3/4" plastic pipe to her horse barn.

There is an old pressure gage (lots of rust in the gage) that reads 25psi.

Thanks for any help

DD

p.s. The booster pump was originallyu put in because the house is about 40' uphill from the street. She does have a jockey or booster pump at the barn (haven't seen it) to assist the water pressure there (barn is another 20' above house).

 

[Gary Slusser]

I would ask her about her pressure, or if I were there I'd see for myself what the flow is like. I suspect it is OK for her or she would have probably mentioned it.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Zengenie]

I'll check the pressure next time I'm there. The tank of the defunct pump is pretty rusty and I imagine would eventually start to leak. Would that warrant cutting it out of the system? There is a mix of copper & threaded black pipe. I'm thinking if it does get cut out that I'd used threaded with a union between the water meter & the T where the pump is now. The copper ground jumper would still be copper-copper.

 

[Gary Slusser]

Yeah if I were taking anything out I'd take it all out.

 

[Zengenie]

Tested the flow from the tub spigot and get a rate of 3 gmp. Compared with rate at my house (different community) of almost 7 gpm. My local plumbing supply house said 4-10 gpm is not uncommon range. Toilet seemed to take about twice as long as mine to fill.

Also got clarification from homeowner who stated she DOES NOT have a booster pump to the barn, it simply T's off the 3/4" line after the defunct pump.

The defunct pump is a Goulds (Seneca Falls, NY) jet pump P/N JO3831
Motor Mod.# S48H2DB145 115VAC (single phase) 1/3 HP 6.5A and turns [turned] at 3450 rpm. The tank portion is Mod.# V60MP (made by A.O.Smith) s/n GE8608. It looks like there are 3 'ports' off the impeller housing; one being used for the domestic supply, a second is plugged, and the 3rd (on the bottom) goes into the tank under the pump & motor. I don't see any outlets on the tank.

I was told that a jet pump is for a well but this house has city water.

If, when I cut out the pump/tank from the system, the pressure does not improve and a replacement pump is entertained again, what should she be looking at for type (jet, booster, etc.), size (1/3 hp, 1/2 hp, etc.) , and with / without tank & if with size of tank. H/O has 1 full bath, a kitchen sink, & a washer. No d/w or sprinkler or 1/2 bath. Occasional use of water in barn.