Two Line Jet Pump FAQs-2

2-Line Jet Pump on a 1-Down-Pipe Well?

Tip: See 2-LINE JET PUMP 1-PIPE DEEP WELL OPERATION - 2 line jet pumps operating a 1-pipe deep well

My 2-line jet pump uses just one suction line going down to 40 feet. How does that work?

I have a 2 line jet pump but only a suction line going down about 40 ft with a single pipe jet it lifted water fine.

How is this when everyone says 25 ft max it not a shallow well.my well head cracked and i dropped pipe to bottom.

Got it up put new well head on now it won't hold water in the outer casing. Someone says the leathers are messed up. On 2018-02-22 by Scott favorite

by (mod) - How a deep one pipe well can be served by a 2-line jet pump

Scott.

You are describing a deep one pipe well served by a 2-line jet pump that we describe in detail at

2-LINE JET PUMP 1-PIPE DEEP WELL OPERATION - 2 line jet pumps operating a 1-pipe deep well

Your one pipe well works like the deep well ejector shown in illustration I include here, adapted from A.Y. McDonald and described in the data sheet given below.

You can see from our annotated illustration that if the ejector leather cup seals are leaky then the drive water being sent down the well casing from your 2-line jet pump will leak past the seals and so reduce or even stop the movement of the drive water up through the ejector and nozzle and venturi.

If that happens the the water output from your one drop pipe well will fall off and eventually will stop entirely.

Your well repair company will have to pull the well pipe and replace the leather cup seals, or they may replace the entire 1-pipe deep well jet ejector assembly.

• AY McDonald, EJECTOR for SHALLOW WELL DATA SHEET [PDF] (at a pump vendor website, not found at McDonald's website, local backup copy saved as Jet-Ejectors-AYMcDonald.pdf) A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co., 4800 Chavenelle Rd., Dubuque, IA 52002 USA Toll Free: 1-800-292-2737 sales@aymcdonald.com aymcdonald.com
  
  This catalog illustrates jet pump ejectors (for the company's 8630 or 8631 series well pumps) for convertible (1-line to 2-line) and shallow well pumps .

An alternative one-line jet pump can also pump from deep wells, as we describe at DEEP WELL 1-LINE JET PUMP CAPACITIES - we explain that these one line jet pumps can lift from over 300 feet.

2-Line Jet Pump Installation Q&A

Is our new jet pump horsepower too weak - explaining why we don't get water?

I had a 3/4 horsepower jet pump in the basement. My son called me and said he didn't have any water. The pump was continually running. I was told that the pump is probably shot. I changed it out with a 1/2 horsepower. I called a plumber out.

He said there is probably a break in one of the pipes going to the well. I had the pipes dug up and found that the steel pipe was connected to a plastic pipe and the steel pipe had a hole in it.

I replaced the steel with a plastic pipe, I tried priming the pump without success. Is the problem that the pump horsepower (1/2 horsepower) is not strong enough?

The jet pump used to have a 3/4 horsepower. Maybe its not enough to pull the water. I don't know. On 2018-11-22 by gary

by (mod) - it's not a horsepower issue

Watch out: I agree that if you run an aboveground water pump continuously without any water it's likely that the pump bearings or impeller are damaged.

But when replacing a pump, I don't think that the difference in Horsepower would explain getting no water at all. You're talking about a two-line jet pump that can lift from considerable depth.

So more likely you haven't adequately primed the system or there's a bad check valve or foot valve.

See the help at WATER PUMP PRIMING PROCEDURE

and the diagnostics at CAUSES of LOST WELL PUMP PRIME

Can an Everbilt jet pump model DP550C Jet Pump Be Installed in a Horizontal Position?

i just bought an Everbilt jet pump model DP550C. It shows a vertical installation can i install it horizontally On 2018-10-29 by kirk

by (mod) - your Everbilt model shows it installed horizontally

Kirk,

A review of the Everbilt pump manual for your pump shows the pump mounted horizontally - not vertically.

So unless we're mixing up "horizontal" (parallel to the ground) and "vertical" (up and down) your pump is intended to be horizontal.

The Everbilt DP550C is a convertible jet pump but all of the illustrations in the manual (given below) show the pump installed horizontally.

See this EVERBILT PUMP INSTALLATION and OPERATION MANUAL [PDF] - you can also call Everbilt Customer Service at 844-241-5521 for an authoritative answer to your question.

and also the illustration I will show here in its 2-line deep well set-up.

You can see that installing this pump vertically would be quite awkward as the piping to and from the well would have to be routed in an inverted "U" that would at the very least add some resistance to water flow. Typical well pump manufacturer pump manuals recommend that you keep the number of elbows (and other fittings) to a minimum.

You'd also make priming and service of the pump quite difficult, and finally the pump's bolt down feet are aimed at a flat surface.

Below: The Sta-Rite SLE-L convertible jet pump designed for horizontal mounting.

Set up as a 1-line jet pump the Sta-Rite SLE-L can pump water from no deeper than 25 ft. But when converted to its 2-line or double pipe setup this pump can lift water from 70 feet.

However there are other jet pump models that are designed to be positioned vertically DEEP WELL 1-LINE JET PUMP CAPACITIES such as those we show at DEEP WELL 1-LINE JET PUMPS and illustrate just below. This vertical one-line jet pump can lift water from much greater depths, ranging from 30 feet to 260 feet of lift.

Installing 2-line jet pump, Plumber wants to use the same size of pipe for suction pipe and pressure pipe?

I plan to set up a deep well jet pump with 2 line pipe. The pump installer want to use the same size of pipe for suction pipe and pressure pipe wherein the motor hole for suction pipe is 1 & 1/4 " and 1" for the pressure pipe.

Is this possible to use the same diameter of pipe for suction and pressure pipe? On 2016-05-04 by wztrac@yahoo.com

by (mod) -

Usually the smaller pipe is sending water down to the ejector and the larger diameter pipe brings a greater quantity of water back up to the pump.

If the return or "suction" line is no larger than the down-pressure line you are probably limiting the ability of your pump to pull water from the well.

I've not seen the setup your installer intends. Give your pump manufacturer a call to confirm its OK.

Does it matter if you use plastic, brass, or iron fittings?

I had a new pressure tank put in, and now the 1" line is leaking. I put in so long ago, I can't remember what fittings I used. Does it matter if you use plastic, brass, or iron fittings? It looks like I used two different fittings, so maybe I did an iron fitting, and then did a plastic adapter.

I want to replace the fittings first, and check to make sure the housing is intact. I can't see where the leak is coming from. On 2016-04-05 by Paula -

by (mod) - galvanic action that occurs if copper and iron are put in contact.

You can mix fittings but

Watch out: you will want to look at the problem of galvanic action that occurs if copper and iron are put in contact.

See GALVANIC SCALE & METAL CORROSION 

What pipe type can I use to fix my jet pump piping?

I have a jet pump that is not in use. Two galvanized lines out of basement wall and a copper line that goes straight down into the concrete slab.

The copper was cut, and a garden hose attached. In the spring water will come out. The hose leads to a utility sink but I'd like to get rid of the hose.

What is this copper pipe and can I use a shark bite to cap the copper? I'd like to finish my basement and get rid of the hose. This was a previous owner setup. On 2016-01-06 by Seth

by (mod) - Shark Bite plumbing fittings solve hookup troubles on plumbing

The Shark Bite fitting has been a real boon to plumbers - fast and apparently, if properly installed, quite reliable. Nevertheless, if I were going to cement over a stubbed off pipe (a step I do not recommend, it's better to leave access to it), I'd probably use a soldered fitting.

(Do soldering in winter when no water is emerging). I speculate that the copper pipe may be delivering water from a spring, a weak artesian well, or even from an old cistern that fills up with rainwater or surface runoff. I don't know as I don't know a thing about the home, age, location, construction, local water table.

I take it you now are on municipal water or have a completely different pump and well set-up, right?

by Seth The water that comes out of the hose has a light sulfur smell

I am on municipal water. The house was built in '65 in Ithaca NY. We moved in 10 years ago. The water that comes out of the hose has a light sulfur smell and eventually leaves rusty residue in the utility sink. Could the runoff be "saving" the basement from water intrusion? It's a very dry basement. My fear is removing the house would allow whatever is underneath to overflow. Not sure if that is possible.

by (mod) - rotten egg smells in the water

Seth please search InspectApedia for SULPHUR ODORS in WATER or ROTTEN EGG ODORS in WATER to see the typical causes and cures;

by Seth

I'm not concern about the smell as all I want to do is cap off the pipe so I can refinish the basement. Do I have to be concerned that "whatever" the pipe is connected to will overflow and cause water to seep into the basement. Or is generally is it so far down its not a concern?

by (mod) - want to cap off an old pipe

You can cap the pipe; keep in mind that if the pipe breaks, corrodes or otherwise leaks in the future you may still have a leak or water entry problem.

How do I get the 2-line jet pump pipes & ejector out of the well?

How do I get the 2-pipe well pipes out of the well? Do I need a new well?

I bought some property that has an old house on it and a drilled well which looks like it is set up for a two-line jet pump

I'm trying to pull the water lines and the pump out and find it is stuck. A well driller told me there was a metal plate preventing the pump from coming out. He suggested I drill a new well for $8,000. Does anyone know what could cause the plumbing to get jammed up in the pipe and if it's something I can fix or do I have to figure out how to buy a new well? On 2018-05-04 by Marilyn Cook

Answer by (mod) -

Before drilling a new well I'd try harder to get the old pump out, maybe sending down a camera to see just what's going on. See WELL BORE CAMERA SYSTEMS

There are cutting and retrieving methods for stuff stuck in a well - see WELL PIPE RETRIEVAL TOOLS

by cowboys2ndchance

Marilyn Cook, I am attempting to save the drilled well on the property I purchased. After removing 30+ tons of household trash getting a working well will be a plus. I am hopefully including a picture of what I currently have

I am thinking if I wrap a tow strap around the pipes and then secure the strap between the pipes using a hose clamp above and below the strap. Then I plan on using my small tractor to pull up on the tow straps and hope to get some positive movement with the pipes.

Right now I have tried to physically pulling on the pipes and they feel like they are stretching when I pull. There seems to be water as I can hear a sloshing. I do not have a camera to look down the well. On 2018-05-18

by (mod) - use a tow strap to pull the 2-line well piping?

I'm assuming you want to pull the well piping to inspect it possibly replace a foot valve, and that you intended to provide a sanitary cap at the well top as well as additional piping to your two-line jet pump, pressure tank, and building water piping.

A well driller would have a lift that can pull it pipe from the well or sometimes a do-it-yourselfer rigs a tripod and pulley system. Don't just pull the pipe directly with a rope or you'll probably break it.

You might contact local well service companies to see who has a well bore camera that would make your pipe retrieval problem go better by knowing exactly what's happening down in the well. - Daniel

Replacing jet pump piping: can't get the pipes out of the well

I'm trying to help a friend pull out his Gould 1.5 hp Jet Pump out to replace the piping.

We removed the motor and everything down to the collar holding the pipe, but have pulled it seriously tight with a car engine hoist and it must be stuck around the foot valve with rust from the 2" well casing and/or that and possible small pieces of limestone from these aquifers here in Central Florida.

My only other thought was to lower the hoist and start raising it again with one of us trying to turn it with a pipe wrench.
Any thought? On 2019-12-01 by Bill

- by (mod) - pull out his Gould 1.5 hp Jet Pump out to replace the piping

Congratulations for being smarter than me by knowing when to stop.

I would be tempted, if there is space, to send a camera down the well to see exactly what's going on. It may be that you can juggle the pipe up and down sufficiently to Breakaway scale to retrieve things but I'm a little worried about pulling too hard and snapping off a pipe and then dropping stuff down what sounds like a rather small diameter Welborn. So let's inspect first.

See WELL BORE CAMERA SYSTEMS

Jet Pump Ejector / Venturi / Foot Valve Unclog, Repair, Replacement Q&A

Can I use chemicals to un clog the jet pump venturi without pulling the pipe?

Can you clean the venturi with chemicals so as to not have to pull the foot valve? On 2017-11-30 8 by Jeff

Answer by (mod) -

Jeff,

There are chemicals that are sometimes used to try to clean a driven point well, but I've not seen them applied to foot valves.

I would be extremely careful about pouring anything into a well or well piping before reviewing exactly what the product is and how it is intended to be used.

For example if some person made the mistake of pouring Acid into their well they might have a devil of a time getting it flushed out again and of course the risk is poisoning the people in the building when they drink the water.

by Jeff

How about iron out? Last time I pulled the injector the venturi had chunks of rust. I use iron out a few times a year in my softener.

if not iron out how about if I hook up a compressor to the incoming line and blow it backwards??

Answer by (mod) -

Jeff, give Cotey Chemical a call and let us know if their advice works for you

http://www.coteychemical.com/solutions/

 

Can I fix a bad foot valve on a two line pump by adding a check valve at the pump

I have a bad fort valve on a two line pump. It would be very expensive to get at the foot valve. Can I use a check valve at the pump instead of replacing the foot valve? On 2017-04-09 by Anthony -

by (mod) - Doubtful

Anthony

A check valve at the pump might help but ultimately you'll need to replace the bad foot valve. My OPINION is that leaving the leaky foot valve and relying on a check valve at the pump risks repeated loss of pump prime. You can try that anyway (we don't know the depth of your well) but

Watch out: take care not to let your pump run "dry" without prime or it'll be damaged.