FAQ - Water Well Systems
Are there any devices available to protect a submersible water well pump from running dry?
Franklin Electric manufactures a control called the PumpTec, for Franklin motors, which senses no water situations and stops the pump for a short period of time to allow the well to re-charge. The PumpTec then will re-start the pump after a pre-determined amount of time. The PumpTec can be used on 1/3HP to 1-1/2HP pumps in both 115V and 230V. The PumpTec Plus can be used on 1/2HP to 5HP 230V pumps. A similar control is manufactured by Coyote and can be used on the Faradyn (Pentek and CentriPro) as well as the Franklin and Grundfos motors. You can find the Franklin PumpTec, PumpTec Plus, and Coyote Control on page 27 of our On-Line Catalog.
How do I determine how many bags of Bentonite I need?
The general rule of thumb is as follows: 1-Bag will fill 6.3' of a 4-1/2" Diameter Hole; 1-Bag will fill 4.2' of a 5-1/2" Diameter Hole; 1-Bag will fill 3.0' of a 6-1/2" Diameter Hole. It is always a good idea to add 1/2" to the well diameter. Some drill holes are 'bulb' shaped beneath the casing due to drill hole wall collapse. If you are not sure you will have enough Bentonite for your job, it is always good to get 1 to 2 extra bags. It will save you both time and money - better to have too much rather than not enough.
Tips On Selecting A Water Well Pump
1. Determine capacity requirements expressed in gallons per minute (GPM). 2. Choose a pump series rated for your capacity requirements (e.g. 10GPM, 12GPM, 20GPM, 25GPM, etc.) 3. Determine needed discharge pressure (e.g. 30/50 Switch = 50# Discharge Pressure, etc.) 4. Calculate pumping level -- expressed as "Depth to Water in Feet" on a Capacity Table. 5. Add in any unique job characteristics (e.g. excessive friction loss, water treatment equipment, valves, elevation, etc.) that may modify your pump selection by increasing head or capacity requirements. 6. Choose the pump from a Capacity Table using: A) Capacity; B) Depth to Water; C) Discharge Pressure. If you have further questions, please contact your nearest McDermott or Lyon Pumps Location.
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