boost pump brand recommendation needed - Plumbing Forum

jhm · 02-03-2012, 06:35 AM

I have a 1-1/2 hp well pump which will put out 17 gpm unrestricted. it supplies water to the house, garden and sprinkler system. Pump runs approx 6 hrs a day. I'd like to add a boost pump to increase pressure to 50 psig across the board. Currently the house and sprinkler running pressure are about 30psig. Searching the web for boost pump brands, I've come across Davey, Towle Whitney, Pentaire, Grundfos and a host of other manufactures. Can anyone make a brand recommendation. Thanks

Valveman · 02-03-2012, 01:01 PM

Probably just need to turn up the pressure switch on the well pump. A 1.5 HP should be able to build as much pressure as you need. Adding a booster pump will just complicate the issue. And most of those brands you mentioned are troublesome. Davey and Grundfos hve the little tankless type controllers, stay away from those. Pentair still makes a regular style jet pump, used with a regular pressure switch and pressure tank, but stay away from the ones with plastic housings.

**speedbump** · 02-03-2012, 02:19 PM

I'm confused as to why your pump runs 6 hours a day. Do you run your sprinklers every day? When you run the sprinklers during the day or at night? Or are you just running everything at once to see what pressure you have as an end result? Do you have a ground water heat pump (or whatever they are calling them these days?)

If your running your submersible wide open at 30 psi, a booster pump can't pull more water from the well to boost pressure. It may put negative pressure on the line, but I don't think the effect will be too dramatic.

jhm · 02-04-2012, 05:16 AM

16 landscape sprinkler zones; 1/2 on every other day = 4hrs. 4 garden drip irrigation zones 2 hrs every day. Plus laundry, dishwasher showers etc. The landscape and garden lines are lenghty. I'm not sure the rest of the questions are relavent. The 2 stage well pump sits on top of a 120 foot sand point and the water table is rarely more that 4-5 feet. As stated I can dump 17 gpm on the ground but I need more pressure at the tail end. I know I can get the needed pressure with a boost pump. My request to this forum and its collective experiance is a recommendation for a residential boost pump brand that is affordable and durable.

**speedbump** · 02-04-2012, 01:02 PM

I have two booster pumps, 1hp and 1.5hp that will do either 80 or 110 lbs at 20 gallons per minute. They are made by National Pump Company. If your interested in them, check out the link at the bottom of this post.

jhm · 02-04-2012, 03:07 PM

Thank you for your recommendation.
How do you typically submerse the recommended jet pump in an above ground installation? If I understand your recommendation correctly, the motor isn't submersible but the jet pump must be run submersed. I reviewed the boost pump diagram on the referenced web site and it shows a jet pump and motor submersed in what appears to be an above ground tank. An above ground tank is probaby not practical for my situation.
Thanks again for your consideration.

**speedbump** · 02-04-2012, 03:44 PM

You said you had a two stage pump sitting on top of a sand point well, so you would need another above ground type pump to boost the pressure. The Betta Flo's on the website are jet pump motors with a submersible pump bolted on. Submersible pumps have more impellers than jets or centrifugals do, so they make more pressure. There are other ways to do what your trying to do, a jet pump for instance, would give you about 30 lbs more depending on hp.