Jet pump conversion trouble

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Rivet

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Hello,
I’m having trouble maintaining constant pressure after installing a 1/2 hp submersible pump in a 5” casing in a farm well pit that previously had a 1-1/2 hp jet pump with 1-1/4 and 1-1/2 drop pipes.
An old timer in the area always referred to it as a spring fed shallow well. The water level was at 34’, the old jet/foot valve was at 36’, and the bottom was at 38’ which I suspended the submersible pump about 6 inches above.
It immediately seems to pump with an audible surge into the pressure tank for a few seconds but then it sounds like the pump starves for 10 or 15 seconds until it surges again. But when it does surge, it adds 3-4 lbs. of pressure to a 100 gallon tank!
I have the pump on a 1-1/4 drop pipe thinking I was doing it some kind of favor, but now I’m thinking maybe it is allowing it to pump out too fast? I also installed a brass check valve immediately on top of the pump in addition to the built in flapper check valve in the pump outlet, could this be creating some kind of restrictive turbulence?
Seems like it needs to pump slower maybe?
Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Thank you.
 

Reach4

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If you think you are pumping faster than the well can replenish, then I agree you are probably right. You can alternatively use a partially closed valve. Make really sure that valve never closes, or maybe parallel your valve with a piece of 3/8 OD 1/4 ID copper tubing. I am not a pro.

6 inches off the bottom is unusually low. You would expect to pick up a lot of sediment.

Check out "Dole valve" in your searches. They limit the flow in a somewhat calibrated way.

There are also devices that can monitor the current draw, and shut down the pump for a programmable interval when you run out of water.
 

Valveman

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That is certainly a sign of pumping the well dry. Like Reach says, use a ball valve and restrict the flow to match how much the well can make. Not much room for error with only a few feet of standing water. You can restrict that pump down to as little as 1 GPM without hurting it. But do not let it run at less than 1 GPM or it won't last long. Probably still going to need a Cycle Sensor to protect the pump from running dry.

 
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Rivet

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Thank you so much for your replies!
Where would I look for indications of pumping sediment?
Would reducing the size of the drop pipe from 1-1/4” to 1” or maybe even 3/4” measurably reduce the output of the pump?
 

Valveman

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Even 3/4 pipe will put out a lot of water. You will need a ball valve to reduce the flow rate of the pump regardless of pipe size. Sediment will settle in the bottom of a glass of water, the tub, or a bucket.
 
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