Well Help and Recommendations Most

[Ufengineer]

I have a deep well jet pump, 1hp Myers pump with two 1.25 galvanized pipes going down 60-70 feet. The system was installed about 30 years ago. The well was installed in 1989, is 500 feet, and I believe has a 4 inches in diameter well casing. Don't know if it is pvc or steel. I believe the water is about 40-50 feet down. The system lost prime the other day and it was difficult to get it back. The jet pump pumps into an 80 gallon tank which feeds a spraying air actor to remove sulfur, egg smell. I have a second 1hp pump that pumps water into the house.

Aside from loosing prime, my biggest complaint is that the deep jet pump only produces about 3 gallons a minute. The two pumps have been working well for years. When I switched from a shallow well setup to the deep well setup I lost the ability to irrigate my garden and yard. With my recent problems, I find myself considering a submersible. I never installed one years ago because I didn't like the idea having the pump 70-80 feet underground.

To compound problems, the well is inside a 14'x16' shed. I installed the galvanized pipe in 5 foot sections. The pump I'm considering is a grundfos 25s10-7 or 25s07-5.
I'm also considering pulling the foot valve and jet, replacing them and just keeping the same setup. I just replace the jet pump.

The deep well jet pump does come up to pressure. I have it set to 20/45.
Any recommendations would be appreciated.
Also, years ago the well was able to produce 20/25 gpm but it hasn't seen that flow rate in years. Would the high flow rate damage the well or create failure at a week point in the well casing. I live in Florida, i.e. Sandy soil and lime rock foundation.

 

[Ufengineer]

Please ignore the "most" in the title.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

I believe has a 4 inches in diameter well casing.

A submersible pump will be a great upgrade. Quieter. No priming. More flow. Less power consumption. No drama.

A magnet will not stick to PVC.

4 inch casing is 4.5 od. Measure that.

 

[Valveman]

Might just have to drop the pump a little deeper. Use 1 1/4" Sch 80 PVC threaded with metal couplings, and it will be much easier setting the new pump.

 

[Ufengineer]

Should I cut a hole in the shed roof and install 20 feet lengths of pipe or stay with the 5 foot sections.

Is my pump selection a good one. I was trying to avoid the Sq or sqe series of grundfus pumps.

 

[Reach4]

You would want to avoid putting that 25s10 etc into an old 4 inch steel casing. That, like most submersible pumps, is 3.9 inch OD published size. A 4 inch PVC casing would not be a problem. Steel grows protrusions.

Besides the SQ pumps, there are 7 GPM pumps that have 3.75 OD published. They go by names of slimline, trimline.

I wonder if poly would be flexible enough to work with your shed.

 

[Valveman]

Nothing wrong with the SQ if you need a 3" pump. You just do not want the CU301 controller that makes it an SQE. I would cut a hole in the roof and use 20' sections. But you could also use 1" poly in 125# or 160# and just roll it through the door. With poly pipe the important thing is to use metal extra long barb fittings with two hose clamps each.

Oh and BTW this makes an excellent control for the SQ and delivers constant pressure as well,
https://cyclestopvalves.com/collections/frontpage/products/custom-pk1a-pside-kick-kit

 

[Ufengineer]

Confirmed that the casing is 4 inch pvc. Would I be better off with a slimline pump or Sq pump instead?

 

[Reach4]

Not really. If you have PVC, a 3.9 OD pump will be fine. Good deal on the PVC.

I would tend to think that a 1/2 HP pump might be a better fit. While you will have to water for more minutes or have more zones, it is less likely to run the well dry. 1/2 HP would get you maybe 10 gpm. Maybe your well would support 25 gpm. We don't know at this point.

 

[Valveman]

Confirmed that the casing is 4 inch pvc. Would I be better off with a slimline pump or Sq pump instead?

The SQ is the "slim line" 3" pump. The SP is the 4" pump, but it is really 3 7/16 or something so it will fit in 4" as well.

 

[Ufengineer]

UPDATE.
I found the original receipt. The receipt says 4 inch galvanized down to 125 feet. 2 inch galvanized from (125 to 548) feet.

Should I get a slimmer pump like an SQ grondfos or are there other manufacturers to consider. Would a 4" pump be to risky to install even it the casing is galvanized. How likely is it that the galvanized pipe corroded.

The reason I originally said 4 inch pvc is because I can see the pvc from the surface. I think the pvc was added to raise the top of well casing above the shed slab.

 

[Ufengineer]

Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[Valveman]

4" Galvanized? Better go with the SQ pump.