Single Line Jet Pump FAQs

1 Line Jet Pump Piping

Can the jet pump be lower than the water line?

Can a jet pump be lower than the supply line?

Line comes in at floor level, goes up to ceiling, across room, down to pump? On 2017-08-04 by Sandy

by (mod) - yes if you don't exceed total pump lift height capacity, but that's not recommended

Sandy,

Supply line? From the well to the pump?

Assuming we're talking about a 1-line jet pump here.

If that's the question, yes the pump can be lower than the line, BUT assuming, for sake of illustration that a "supply line" from the well for a one-line jet pump is routed such that the TOTAL PUMP LIFT from the foot valve in the well to the highest point in the piping, say the ceiling, is more than about 27 feet then the pump may have trouble lifting or trouble priming.

In principle, if the total lift AFTER we get back down from the ceiling to the pump was under 17 ft. then you'd be in-range of capability of a one-line jet pump, even if the ceiling was pretty tall (more than 27 ft total lift) because the portion of pipe coming back down from ceiling to pump will help the pump overcome that portion of the lift - as a sort of siphon.

But in the real world where we sometimes lose prime, you could find it very difficult to prime the pump in that condition.

And your installation is NOT what the pump manufacturers recommend. You'll see in the IO manuals for one line jet pumps that you should keep the number of elbows and fittings to a minimum lest you reduct the pump's output in gpm or lpm.

Everbilt Jet Pump & Pump Control Manuals

• EVERBILT DP550C PUMP INSTALLATION and OPERATION MANUAL [PDF] - Everbilt is a Home Depot brand, website: homedepot.com Everbilt Customer Service at 844-241-5521
  
  Watch out: the apparent Everbilt pump websites found by web search for "everbilt pumps) at everbiltwaterpump [dot] com and at everbiltinfo [dot] com are flagged by AVG as a malware infected site so is not linked to here. (2026/08/13 - Editor)
• EVERBILT PRESSURE CONTROL SWITCH MANUAL [PDF] for Models EBPS3050 EBPS4060 EBPSL3050 - provided by Home Depot

Well Pump Types & Choices Q&A

What kind of jet pump do I need for my well?

What type of jet pump should I buy for my home shallow well jet water pump. Or do I need Deep well jet water pump. Because water level of my land is low. On 2016-09-09 by Amit

by (mod) - Here are 5 well or water pump choices to match to your well

Amit: as we have outlined in our drawing above:

A typical one line jet pump works for shallow wells, say 25 ft. or less of total water lift height. That's most-appropriate for a shallow water well of 25 feet depth or less.

A two line jet pump works for deep wells and higher lift heights.

So if your well depth and its water depth are deeper than 25 feet below the ground surface (that is if the height to which the pump has to lift water is more than 25 ft.)

you need to use one of the following

1. ONE LINE JET PUMPS - above ground pump useful if your well water pick-up depth is no more than 25 feet below ground
2. ONE LINE JET PUMPS for DEEP WELLS - powerful above ground one-line jet pump capable of drawing water from more than 25 ft.
3. SUBMERSIBLE WELL PUMP - the pump is in the well, capable of drawing water from more than 25 ft.
4. TWO LINE JET PUMP - the pump is above ground and your well casing is larger than 4" in diameter, capable of drawing water from more than 25 ft.
5. TWO LINE JET PUMP 1-PIPE DEEP WELL OPERATION - pump is above ground and your well casing is 3-4" in diameter, capable of drawing water from more than 25 ft.

I want to add a pressure booster pump to improve our too-low water pressure

I have a well which has a pump that puts water in a 4-5' tall pressure tank. The pressure is too low and I would like to install an inline pump to increase pressure in the house. What things do I need to consider? The ability of the current pump to feed to pressure tank I assume? What else? On 2016-03-21 by Dave

Answer by (mod) -

Dave you could review WATER PRESSURE BOOSTER PUMP where we include pumps that do not themselves require a pressure tank,

Watch out: in my view you are not taking the best approach.

I'd start by finding out what is wrong with the present pump and tank and piping system.

Normally a well pump delivers adequate pressure to your home without needing a boost. Let's find and fix the actual problem rather than treating the symptom.

1-Line Jet Pump Damage Indications & Repairs

Bad Vibration & Hum at StaRite DS3 Shallow Well Jet Pump

Hello all,
I have a StaRite DS3 1 1/2HP shallow well pump running on 220VAC on a 1 1/4" suction line, no tee or gauges, sits about 10-12" away from the well pipe, discharges about 5-6 feet through a 1/4 turn ball valve to my indexing vale on 1 1/4" pipe.

I had some noise coming from it so I decided to remove the pump, pour a 4" concrete pad with rebar, reinstall pump on thick rubber feet and anchor to pad.

Now I have a very ominous vibration that picks up into a loud hum that can be heard through both mine and my neighbors' homes.

All the wells around me are setup the same. My system ran, and still runs, fine I just have this hum. Any thoughts? On 2017-04-30 by Deven

by (mod) - here are the most-common jet pump vibration sources to check

• If you use a mechanic's stethoscope to confirm if the vibration is specifically coming from your pump motor then I suspect a failing motor bearing.
• The other possibility would be a damaged pump impeller. But in that case you would probably see reduced flow.

Other jet pump vibration and noise sources:

• Loose pump mounting bolts
• A clogged or damaged impeller

What can I do: my shallow well now gives NO water?

Shallow well ...have no water this a.m. people said they didn't leave any water running I've got a nozzle on the hose so water can't just run out of house. The pump is above water down in the well. Please help I'm freaking out I rent this home On 2017-04-23 by Kelly

Suggestions by (mod) -

Kelly

Try not to freak out as that can only increase the ultimate repair costs of any home fix it problem.

If the pump is "above the water" but is "in the well" then I think the well water level has fallen too low to be functional.

f waiting a few hours doesn't show water level having risen in the well it's time to call a well contractor to see if they can take steps to increase the yield of the well.

If you want a more complete guide of what to do when you're not getting any water from your well

see NO WATER PRESSURE

Ran a Berkeley 5PN-10 pump dry for 3 hours: is it damaged?

I have a Berkeley 5PN-10 pump. The water feeding it went dry and the pump ran dry for 3 hrs. What is the likely hood I have damaged the pump, and how would I know if I ruined the seals? Thanks E bittner On 2015-07-10 by Edward Bittner

Diagnostic suggestions by (mod) -

Edward

I don't know the Berkeley water pump brand's resistance to damage from running dry but certainly for many pumps 3 hours dry running is enough to mess up a seal or impeller.

You'll know if the pump was damaged as when water returns the pump either won't deliver water or will have trouble reaching the original cut-out pressure to which its control was set.

An expert well and pump diagnostician might also make current draw measurements as knowing the current draw can sometimes tell us what's going on with a motor and pump assembly.

The Berkeley 5PN-10 shallow well jet pump is a Pentair product. Take a look at these Berkeley Pump Manuals

• Berkeley Myers Sta-Rite PRO SHALLOW WELL JET PUMPS INSTALLATION & OPERATION MANUAL [PDF] (pumproducts.com website) - local copy saved as Berkeley_PN_Series_Installation_And_Operation_Manual.pdf
  
  This manual contains the same warnings as I quote just below.
  
  
• BERKELEY (PENTAIR) SHALLOW WELL JET PUMPS / TANK SYSTEMS OWNERS MANUAL [PDF] (2013) (Pentair Website) Berkeley Pumps, 293 Wright Street, Delavan, Wi 53115 USA Website: berkeleypumps.com PH: 888-782-7483 - local copy saved as Berkeley-Pump-Manual.pdf
  
  Excerpt: Never run pump dry. Running pump without water may cause pump to overheat, damaging seal and possibly causing burns to persons handling pump. Fill pump with water before starting.
  
  Watch out: Berkeley also includes this warning:
  
  Never run pump against closed discharge. To do so can boil water inside pump, causing hazardous pressure in unit, risk of explosion and possibly scalding persons handling pump.

Water tank won't keep pressure & our 1-line jet pump is very hot

We changed everything except the air tank and well pump. But we still cant get pressure to stay in the tank and pump gets extremely hot - (June 23, 2011) leticia

Reply:

In other words, if your well pump is getting very hot it AND you area getting no water, then the pump must be running continuously, unable to reach cut-off pressure, or it is running dry. That suggests loss of prime, a bad check valve, a damaged pump impeller, a well piping leak, or loss of water in the well.

Leticia, has anyone checked for

- low voltage

- seized or damaged pump bearing or impeller?

Read CAUSES of LOST WELL PUMP PRIME for detailed help on how to proceed.

 

Will it damage the pump if the well flow rate is less than the pumping rate?

Will it damage the pump if the well flow rate is less than the pumping rate? - Stan

Reply:

Stan

if the well water level or well recovery rate are low the pump might run continuously and not reach cutoff pressure - and could become damaged. Also an older pump could have a worn or damaged internal pump impeller that no longer can reach the shutoff pressure.

If you set down the cut-out pressure to a lower number - say 40 psi, and the system operates normally, I suspect the pump. If even at lower cut-out pressure the system can not pump water, either the pump is still more worn or the well water level is poor. Just check that your safety switch that shuts off the pump in event of no water is itself working.

 

How do we diagnose and fix this erratic pump operation problem: sometimes pump won't turn on

I have a new shallow well jet pump that works fine sometimes and others times it kick on but deliver no water I can unplug it for few seconds and plug it back in and it will start pumping water and work fine for a week or two and then it will do this again.

This has went on for 6 months. Any idea's what wrong. (Jan 13, 2012) scott

Reply:

Watch out: when the pump won't pump water turn it off immediately and then check to see if it has lost prime. Sometimes a system will only lose prime when the pump doesn't run for a time - such as when the foot valve or well piping has a slow leak.

A foot valve leak can indeed be intermittent and could cause the trouble you describe.

But I also see intermittent pump refusal to turn on when the pressure switch or its pressure sensing tube is debris or silt clogged.

I'd try changing the pressure switch and cleaning or replacing the pressure tube.