Selfixer
New Member
I am providing a lot of detail on this because I have contacted the actual pump manufacturer and resellers and they cannot answer my question with a simple yes or no. This is exactly what I sent to them and they said they could not provide a definite answer because I am using a 1 inch suction pipe, not a 1-1/4 inch suction pipe. Any real world help and experience on this would be much appreciated to answer my question.
I am interested in purchasing the A.Y. McDonald 8651 Convertible Jet Pump, but have questions and concerns about my current piping/ejector system. I am providing some in-depth details, and could use some expert help in determining if this pump will work in my current configuration before I purchase it.
I live in rural southeastern Indiana and have a hand-dug well lined with stone which is approximately 4 feet in diameter, 39 feet deep from the concrete well top, and from the horizontal pipes going to the pump to the bottom of the well it is 36 feet deep. We were told the well was dug in the late 1920’s. It is a good well and always produces water, but the recovery rate is very slow, only about 1.0GPM. The well is located right next to the house, and the horizontal pipes are only about 12 feet in length, which go underground through the basement wall to the pump bench.
When we purchased the home the well had all galvanized pipes, with a 1-1/4” suction and 1” drive pipe. The pump was a Sears Craftsman Hydroglass convertible deep well jet pump, 0.5HP, Model 390.251101, which was setup for a 30/50psi pressure system, which is what the pressure currently is along with a Water Worker 44 gal pressure tank (which is less than a year old). Shortly after we purchased the home the foot valve failed and we had a plumber do the repairs. They replaced all the galvanized pipes with poly pipe. The plumber used 1” poly pipe for both the suction and the drive pipe. The original ejector was re-used in the new plumbing setup, and everything worked fine for nearly 30 years until recently the Sears Craftsman pump failed due to a crack in the thermoplastic housing. I wanted to replace the pump with a high-quality pump which would last many years and was looking at the A.Y. McDonald Model 8651 pump. I also figured the nearly 30-year-old foot valve, and the original ejector were probably needing replaced also along with the old poly pipes. Since this is a hand-dug well we chlorinate the water to 0.5-1.0ppm to prevent bacteria growth from shallow ground water seeping in. The chlorination is hard on the galvanized fittings and foot valve seal and also the cast iron ejector. So, I planned on replacing the entire pipe assembly with stainless steel fittings, a stainless-steel foot valve with a Viton seal, and all new poly pipe with stainless steel hose clamps. Until I had time to do that, I went to Home Depot and purchased an inexpensive 0.5HP jet pump to replace the failed Craftsman pump. The pump from Home Depot is a 0.5HP Acquaer Model CJE050-1 convertible jet pump. This pump worked fine in place of the Craftsman pump and had no issues building pressure to 50psi using the same pipe system and ejector.
Just recently I had opportunity to replace all the pipes and fittings and the ejector, due to the foot valve leaking and would not hold prime. I used all new 1inch 160psi Poly pipe, stainless steel fittings, hose clamps, foot valve with Viton seal, and patterned the lengths of the suction and drive lines to match the existing pipe setup. I wanted a new ejector made of stainless or brass to resist the chlorination and decided to purchase an A.Y. McDonald 7508JP Single Stage Deep Well Jet Ejector Model No. 5999-008 (with plans on pairing this with the A.Y. McDonald Model 8651 pump in the future) and installed this ejector in the new system. I used a 1-1/4” diameter X 9” long stainless-steel pipe on the suction side of the ejector to house the Venturi, from there it is reduced to accept the 1inch poly pipe. From the horizontal pipes going to the pump to the top of the ejector inside the well it is 22 feet deep, from the bottom of the ejector’s suction line fitting to the foot valve is another 12 feet of 1inch poly pipe. The foot valve is about 2 feet off the bottom of the well. The well does not maintain a static water level and depending on rainfall it can vary anywhere from 8 feet from the top of the well, to down near the foot valve if we have a prolonged drought, and anywhere in between. I assume and have read the reason for a longer (in my case 12-foot) tailpipe is to slow draw down and prevent the pump from sucking air into the foot valve if the water level gets too low. However, the water level rarely gets down to the foot valve because our water usage is low, with only two of us living here, and since the well diameter is so large, it typically has hundreds or even thousands of gallons of water above the foot valve most of the time.
As mentioned, I wanted to pair the 7508JP Single Stage Deep Well Jet Ejector with the A.Y. McDonald Model 8651 pump in this setup, so that’s the reason I purchased this ejector. The problem I am having now is that the Acquaer Model CJE050-1 convertible jet pump can only produce about 40psi in the new pipe and ejector setup (this is with the static water level a couple feet above the ejector), so I am currently running it at a 40/30psi pressure setting using a Square D M4 30-50 PSI W/ Low Pressure Cut-Off Pressure Switch, which was on the old system and worked fine, especially if the water level got too low in the well and it started sucking air. At this point, I don’t understand the reason why the Acquaer pump can no longer produce 50psi? I checked and double-checked, and there are no leaks in the pipes or fittings anywhere, and no signs of air in the water from suction leaks. The only thing different in the new system is the ejector. I noticed the nozzle and venturi diameters are larger on the 7508JP than the original ejector, which had a Ø.200” nozzle and a Ø.300” venturi, compared to the 7508JP which has a Ø.250” nozzle, and a Ø.422” venturi, so I am assuming this might be the problem, but not sure? (Just for information purposes the ejector which came with the Acquaer pump has a Ø.345" nozzle and a Ø.495" venturi, which obviously I did not use). I realize the pump will not be as efficient using a 1inch suction line as compared to a 1-1/4inch suction line, but it has worked fine this way for many years and was able to build pressure to 50psi even with a very low static water level. I provided all this information to ask this one question:
If I purchase the A.Y. McDonald Model 8651 pump, will it work and build pressure to 50psi using the current pipe and ejector system I have, even if the static water level is down near the foot valve?
Please help!
I am interested in purchasing the A.Y. McDonald 8651 Convertible Jet Pump, but have questions and concerns about my current piping/ejector system. I am providing some in-depth details, and could use some expert help in determining if this pump will work in my current configuration before I purchase it.
I live in rural southeastern Indiana and have a hand-dug well lined with stone which is approximately 4 feet in diameter, 39 feet deep from the concrete well top, and from the horizontal pipes going to the pump to the bottom of the well it is 36 feet deep. We were told the well was dug in the late 1920’s. It is a good well and always produces water, but the recovery rate is very slow, only about 1.0GPM. The well is located right next to the house, and the horizontal pipes are only about 12 feet in length, which go underground through the basement wall to the pump bench.
When we purchased the home the well had all galvanized pipes, with a 1-1/4” suction and 1” drive pipe. The pump was a Sears Craftsman Hydroglass convertible deep well jet pump, 0.5HP, Model 390.251101, which was setup for a 30/50psi pressure system, which is what the pressure currently is along with a Water Worker 44 gal pressure tank (which is less than a year old). Shortly after we purchased the home the foot valve failed and we had a plumber do the repairs. They replaced all the galvanized pipes with poly pipe. The plumber used 1” poly pipe for both the suction and the drive pipe. The original ejector was re-used in the new plumbing setup, and everything worked fine for nearly 30 years until recently the Sears Craftsman pump failed due to a crack in the thermoplastic housing. I wanted to replace the pump with a high-quality pump which would last many years and was looking at the A.Y. McDonald Model 8651 pump. I also figured the nearly 30-year-old foot valve, and the original ejector were probably needing replaced also along with the old poly pipes. Since this is a hand-dug well we chlorinate the water to 0.5-1.0ppm to prevent bacteria growth from shallow ground water seeping in. The chlorination is hard on the galvanized fittings and foot valve seal and also the cast iron ejector. So, I planned on replacing the entire pipe assembly with stainless steel fittings, a stainless-steel foot valve with a Viton seal, and all new poly pipe with stainless steel hose clamps. Until I had time to do that, I went to Home Depot and purchased an inexpensive 0.5HP jet pump to replace the failed Craftsman pump. The pump from Home Depot is a 0.5HP Acquaer Model CJE050-1 convertible jet pump. This pump worked fine in place of the Craftsman pump and had no issues building pressure to 50psi using the same pipe system and ejector.
Just recently I had opportunity to replace all the pipes and fittings and the ejector, due to the foot valve leaking and would not hold prime. I used all new 1inch 160psi Poly pipe, stainless steel fittings, hose clamps, foot valve with Viton seal, and patterned the lengths of the suction and drive lines to match the existing pipe setup. I wanted a new ejector made of stainless or brass to resist the chlorination and decided to purchase an A.Y. McDonald 7508JP Single Stage Deep Well Jet Ejector Model No. 5999-008 (with plans on pairing this with the A.Y. McDonald Model 8651 pump in the future) and installed this ejector in the new system. I used a 1-1/4” diameter X 9” long stainless-steel pipe on the suction side of the ejector to house the Venturi, from there it is reduced to accept the 1inch poly pipe. From the horizontal pipes going to the pump to the top of the ejector inside the well it is 22 feet deep, from the bottom of the ejector’s suction line fitting to the foot valve is another 12 feet of 1inch poly pipe. The foot valve is about 2 feet off the bottom of the well. The well does not maintain a static water level and depending on rainfall it can vary anywhere from 8 feet from the top of the well, to down near the foot valve if we have a prolonged drought, and anywhere in between. I assume and have read the reason for a longer (in my case 12-foot) tailpipe is to slow draw down and prevent the pump from sucking air into the foot valve if the water level gets too low. However, the water level rarely gets down to the foot valve because our water usage is low, with only two of us living here, and since the well diameter is so large, it typically has hundreds or even thousands of gallons of water above the foot valve most of the time.
As mentioned, I wanted to pair the 7508JP Single Stage Deep Well Jet Ejector with the A.Y. McDonald Model 8651 pump in this setup, so that’s the reason I purchased this ejector. The problem I am having now is that the Acquaer Model CJE050-1 convertible jet pump can only produce about 40psi in the new pipe and ejector setup (this is with the static water level a couple feet above the ejector), so I am currently running it at a 40/30psi pressure setting using a Square D M4 30-50 PSI W/ Low Pressure Cut-Off Pressure Switch, which was on the old system and worked fine, especially if the water level got too low in the well and it started sucking air. At this point, I don’t understand the reason why the Acquaer pump can no longer produce 50psi? I checked and double-checked, and there are no leaks in the pipes or fittings anywhere, and no signs of air in the water from suction leaks. The only thing different in the new system is the ejector. I noticed the nozzle and venturi diameters are larger on the 7508JP than the original ejector, which had a Ø.200” nozzle and a Ø.300” venturi, compared to the 7508JP which has a Ø.250” nozzle, and a Ø.422” venturi, so I am assuming this might be the problem, but not sure? (Just for information purposes the ejector which came with the Acquaer pump has a Ø.345" nozzle and a Ø.495" venturi, which obviously I did not use). I realize the pump will not be as efficient using a 1inch suction line as compared to a 1-1/4inch suction line, but it has worked fine this way for many years and was able to build pressure to 50psi even with a very low static water level. I provided all this information to ask this one question:
If I purchase the A.Y. McDonald Model 8651 pump, will it work and build pressure to 50psi using the current pipe and ejector system I have, even if the static water level is down near the foot valve?
Please help!
