Well pump issues

EBEBRATT-Ed

My brother has a well with a jet pump above ground. It has the two-pipe system down into the well with the venturi set up. I think the venturi is about 130' down…not sure.

he installed a new pump and tank 30 years ago and its worked fine all these years.

Recently he is having issues with pump cycling and taking a long time to build pressure.

He had a well guy out and they pulled the venturi and checked it it was ok. They replaced the foot valve and put the well back together.

Still not performing that well and the well guy recommended a new pump (same size) and a new well tank due to age etc.

They replaced pump and well tank ( with the exact same equipment) and its not any better. If he sets the pressure switch 20-40 its just ok but the pump starts and at 30 psi it struggles to get to 40 with no water usage ..dead ended. We ran a garden hose of the discharge into a tub of water and no bubbles so no air. When the pump satisfies the switch, it shuts off at 40 psi and is rock steady absolutely no drop in pressure so no leaks. Air tank pressure is 2psi below cut in.

So two issues.

Pump struggles to get to 40 psi and he would like a little more pressure he wants to run 30-50.

Pump and well are 50' from house with 11/4 plastic to house so no flow issue there. Pump is within 18" of well casing.

Pump is a J5 Goulds

Jamie Hall

Has anyone checked the well itself? Over time, it is possible for the well screen to become clogged. This will result in the water level in the well dropping further than it did when it was new, and the pump performance will be affected since it has to lift the water farther. Another possibility is that the overall static ground water level has decreased over the years, with the same result.

Since this is a deep well jet pump, it might be worth looking at the water level in the well with the pump off (the static level) and the water level in the well with the pump on (called the dynamic drawdown). Since you do not see bubbles — and the pump shuts off at 40, though it takes longer than it used to — you are not likely drawing the water down far enough to dewater the well — so that's good. But even so, you may need a pump capable of a greater lift and shutoff pressure.

pumpcontrolguy

After lurking here for ages, I feel like I should actually sign up so I can comment when I feel like it.

Anywho, My initial thought is in the same line of reasoning as Jamie. I'm guessing the water table has dropped or something else is interfering with well replenishment, so the pump is falling farther to the left on its curve.

retiredguy

These may sound like stupid questions but did the well guy check to see if the motor is running in the right direction? Did they check the wiring of the motor and also did they make sure that the motor is the correct one; volts, amp draw, and 60 cycles? When the well guy replaced the whole pump, venturi and foot valve did he make sure that all of the piping was not corroded, plugged or have any pin holes? Is the bottom of the well full of mud or debris? Just asking, Since I did not check it myself I have to ask because I have learned to trust almost no one.

hot_rod

water level in the well dropping is a common occurrence this time of the year is not unusual. If the major aquifers are dropping it may not come back

Seems a well or pump pro would check that?

EBEBRATT-Ed

The well guy pulled the venturi, piping and foot valve out of the well (I wasn't there that day) he said everything looked fine and he replaced the foot valve just because its been there 30 years.. The water level at that time was 5' below the pump. The casing I am told is 80 feet. My brother thinks the foot valve/venturi is about 100 feet down.

The pump we installed is a J5 Goulds the same as the original pump. All the pipe is clean and it primed up quick and the pipe instantly got cold and sweaty.

Pump rotation is correct (motor is non reversable), 120 volts is fine I didn't check amps. Motor and pump came assembled so thy are a matched set 1/2HP.

The instructions call for a "control valve" on the drawing although the original pump and piping didn't have one. I don't understand its purpose but what I think is they want the pump discharge to be maintained at 30 psi minimum, so the venturi works properly. I am just guessing here.

PDTech

I hope you meant the water level was 5' above the pump valve

mattmia2

I think he means the water level was about 5' down in the casing.

Jamie Hall

Nothing wrong with that static water level. Now… what is the water level after the pump has been running for a while?

And you are right about the control valve. The ability of the pump to lift the water out of the well is very dependent on the pressure supplied to the venturi 30psig is good for about 70 feet of lift — which is why I'm interested in the dynamic drawdown.

EBEBRATT-Ed

@Jamie Hall

TY. Guess we would have to unbolt the flange from the well casing and slide it over to measure that. i have done a lot of pumps and understand them pretty well but this is my first 2 line from the well and venturi pump.

Jamie Hall

Cheer up. Submersibles can have drawdown problems as well — and it is a lot harder to measure the dynamic drawdown in a well with a submersible than it is in a deep well jet pump!

Intplm.

@EBEBRATT-Ed

Deep well jet pumps can be a bit of a hassle to set up at times, as your brother/you are experiencing.

Some of what you are describing suggests the jet is plugged or partially plugged down in the well. The pump can only show a low pressure when this happens. The tail piece on the jet cannot be lengthened to more than 25 or 30ft to the foot valve.

Does the jet have a tail piece? Was any piping changed? Was the regulator at the pump adjusted to accommodate the jet down in the well? Is there a regulator at the pump? Or are they using a regular valve, like a ball or gate valve, to regulate the water discharge to the jet? Seems to me the regulator is out of adjustment after the service call and needs to be corrected by the company that did the work.

As to the thoughts expressed above about the water level/water table. That could very well be. He could have lost his well, meaning the water level has dropped, or, simply, that the well has been disturbed so much from the repairs that there is a lot of debris in the water, and the jet continues to get fouled by pumping that debris. If this is the case, he may just need to wait it out and let the debris settle.

If the water level has gone down and there is a short tail piece off of the jet or none at all, you can add one, extending the foot valve to twenty-five feet into the well and into the water. Either way, the regulator at the pump will need to be adjusted, and if adjustments do not satisfy the pump to get the pump up to pressure, the jet is probably plugged and will need to be pulled from the well and cleared.

EBEBRATT-Ed

@Intplm. ty

Sent you a pm.