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StevenW1969

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Jun 27, 2013
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Location
North Muskegon, MI
Hi Guys I'm new here and would like to ask for your help on my well pump configuration.

Simer Model No. 3110-P10 Shallow Well Jet pump 1HP 115/230V

Maximum pumping capacity to 16.4 gallons per minute
Flow at 10 feet and 40 PSI: 16.1 gallons per minute
Dual voltage motor, 230/115 volt, is preset to 230v (Mine is set to 115V)
Maximum shutoff pressure of 67 PSI
30-50 pressure switch Mine is set to (35-55)

I also have some pictures of the plumbing configuration. I have used 3/4 pex, will this hinder my flow to get the 8.5 GPM to the iron filter in the house? What I have not changed yet is the line from the house to the Pump. I was going to dig a trench to my garage, lay Ø2" watertite non-metallic conduit which I can then snake the pex tubing into out to the well pump. My thought was that if the 3/4 pex was not big enough I could replace it with 1" without having to re digging the trench.(I hate digging).

The garage is kept at about 47°F all winter just warm enough to keep the snow melted of my cars and keep stuff in the garage from being frozen like my paints and other stuff. I will filter the water with the Iron Filter then it will go thru a Water Softener and then into the house to the Manabloc Manifold which will distribute it to the tankless Hotwater heater and other faucets ect. ect.

Also I added a second Check Valve after the pump but before the bladder tank, I read somewhere that these help with the hammering you get with some plumbing systems. This also why I went to pex because it is supposed to help eliminate the hammering sounds you get with some systems.

I really need some direction here guys if anyone has any input that would help me get it right the 1st time I would be forever in your debt. Any and all feedback are welcome.

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The way this is plumbed, if the 3/4 pex is restricting the flow, the pressure switch will bounce the pump on and off a few times on pump start. Other than that, that short piece of 3/4" should not cause much restriction up to about 10 GPM.
 
I know this is not a helpful comment, but that is a very nice clean setup there. I wish my well area was that clean.
 
I agree, it's clean. I'm not fond of the brands of pump and tank.

John is absolutely correct, that check valve between the pump and tank has to come out. With it there, the pressure switch does not see the pressure in the tank. One drip and the switch will start hammering the pump on and off like a Woodpecker on a tree.
 
The way this is plumbed, if the 3/4 pex is restricting the flow, the pressure switch will bounce the pump on and off a few times on pump start. Other than that, that short piece of 3/4" should not cause much restriction up to about 10 GPM.
Now as long as I have 10 GPM at the well area how much will it drop before it gets to the Iron filter. The company rep stated it needs to have a minimum of 8.5 GPM at the iron filter. This is going to be about 35'-40' from the well pump and will be the next inline from the tank.


I know this is not a helpful comment, but that is a very nice clean setup there. I wish my well area was that clean.
&
I agree, it's clean. I'm not fond of the brands of pump and tank.
It wasn't that pretty when I started. My wife and I just paid cash for a house built in 1948 and this thing was a mud pit with big roots and trash inside. I cleaned all the garbage out, dug down about 2 foot to get rid of as many roots and sand as possible. I then went to the local landscaping supply and bought a half a yard of crushed dolomite and filled in the pit. The dolomite will compact down like cement but be porus and drain like sand. Then I removed the electrical tape that they had keeping the wiring together and added the cut-off box and the wip so I could turn off the pump in the well area (before it was just the breaker in the house, running back and forth got old quick). I also pulled the well point out and replaced it with a new 5' stainless steel one. Clean all the pipes inside and out and then pound the point back down the same hole. The point is at about 23' down. I was goin to drive it a bit further than it was before but I hit something very hard and decided to stop.

As far as the pump and tank they are all I could afford I have to still replumb the whole house and my budget is getting tighter. As long as it gets us through the next 2-3 years I will be able to upgrade to a more reliable brand.


I for one see no need for the check valve on the discharge line.
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John is absolutely correct, that check valve between the pump and tank has to come out. With it there, the pressure switch does not see the pressure in the tank. One drip and the switch will start hammering the pump on and off like a Woodpecker on a tree.

I added the extra check valve because I read in an article that if you add an additional one after the pump that it would help the pipes from hammering. I will remove it because I'am getting the wood pecker effect and could not figure out why it was doing that.

I do have another issue I'm concerned with. The top of the tank is about 2 inches from the bottom of the cement slab cover that goes over the well. I live in Zone 5 which has a frost line at about 42". Should I be concerned with this tank freezing and causing me issues? Maybe if I move the tank into the garage next to the iron filter. I read that the tank needs to be within 10'-15' from the pump or it causes issues. What are your thoughts on this.

The information you guys have given me so far is worth it's weight in gold. Thank you so much for your help so far I really appreciate your time.
 
As far as the pump and tank they are all I could afford I have to still replumb the whole house and my budget is getting tighter. As long as it gets us through the next 2-3 years I will be able to upgrade to a more reliable brand.

I don't know too many people that have gotten much past a year and a half on that pump tank combo. Their longevity is real questionable.

You can put the tank anywhere you like, but the pressure switch has to go with it to prevent more Woodpeckering. I think the 8.5 gpm at the iron filter is probably for backwash not normal flow. It's hard to even use 8 gallons per minute at any given moment in a normal household.

I'm not sure if you said you had irrigation or not, but if you do, you can't run that through the iron filter.
 
If that is the case then I will move the tank to the garage.

Well I guess if the tank and pump last me that long then I will hopefully be able to get something better at that point.

The 8.5 GPM is for the backwash. I do have a different pump for irrigation but have not started that project yet, probably next summer after the house renovation.

I know 23' seems shallow for an aquifer but I'm like 2 miles from Lake Michigan and the water table is very high in my area. The city engineer told me that 80% of the homes in my neighborhood use that aquifer and that I would have to go 300-350 foot deep to get the other aquifer which has its own issues. I currently do not have the money for a new well that deep it's quite expensive and I'm tapped out since I bought the house. If we choose to keep the house after the renovation I will probably get the deeper well.
 
The information you guys have given me so far is worth it's weight in gold. Thank you so much for your help so far I really appreciate your time.

This is why we come here daily.
 
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