Submersible well pumps:

This article describes the components of a submersible well pump water system, how the pump, well and controls work, what the well pump components look like, and what they do.

We give submersible well pump troubleshooting advice and invite questions. We include definitions of water well and water well drilling terms, the typical capacity of drilled water well pumps, and we include descriptions of methods used to fish materials out of a water well if you've dropped the pipe, well pump, or tools down into the well casing.

We explain how to use a torque arrestor & other methods to stop damage to well pump wiring & piping caused by twisting forces as the pump starts.

In our page top photo we know that this well uses a submersible well pump. How? Notice that electrical conduit running up the left side of the well casing and into the well cap? That's carrying electrical wiring down into the well - that's how we power a submersible pump.

What are the Components of a Drilled Well with a Submersible Water Pump?

Here we provide detail about the individual components and operating characteristics of drilled wells using a steel casing where a submersible water pump has been installed in the well to deliver water to the building.

Our photo (left) shows the process of pulling a well pipe and submersible pump.

Article Contents

• SUBMERSIBLE PUMP - home
  • DEFINITIONS of WELL PUMP COMPONENTS
  • SUBMERSIBLE PUMP CAPACITY TABLE
• SUBMERSIBLE PUMP OPERATION
• SUBMERSIBLE PUMP TORQUE PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS

We introduced the different types of drilled wells and bored wells

at DRILLED WELLS, STEEL CASINGS. This article discusses submersible in-well pumps - those water pumps located within the well bore or casing itself, typically close to the bottom of the well.

Rather than an in-well submersible water pump, other wells use a one line or two line jet pump (depending on well depth) - in those wells the pump is above ground rather than in the well. Those well types are discussed in more detail at

WATER PUMP, ONE LINE JET used in shallow wells

and
TWO LINE JET PUMP used in deep wells

Definitions of well and water pump items shown on the above sketch left side, top to bottom

Sketch & Definitions of the Components of a Drilled Well with a Submersible Pump

Refer to this illustration of a deep well with a submersible pump. This list and definition of water well parts and terms is organized from the top of the drawing towards its bottom and uses names that correspond to those shown in our drawing.

In the list of submersible pump type well components, please also refer to both the illustration here and my ink sketch of well parts in the next illustration below. Referring to the second inky sketch, we first describe items listed on the right side of that sketch, second we describe items and terms listed on the left side of that sketch.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Definitions of well and water pump items shown on the ugly ink-drawing sketch below, proceeding from sketch right side, top to bottom:

• Well cap which you can see at the top of the sketch as well as in the photographs just above, is a seal intended to keep surface runoff and debris out of the well casing. Many well caps are not water tight, which is why modern drilled well casings extend above ground level.


• Wiring to the well pump is sketched entering at the well cap and is also visible as the gray conduit in the above left hand photo of a well casing.
  
  When this wiring is visible we know that the pump is in the well and therefore a submersible pump is installed. If this wiring is absent we expect to find that the well pump is either nearby in a well pit or is located inside the building it serves.
  
  At SUBMERSIBLE PUMP TORQUE PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS we describe how to avoid damage to well pump wiring, piping, or even loss of the pump due to well pump motor torque twisting as the motor turns on and off.


• Pitless Adapter is the special fitting that seals the hole in the well casing where the water piping makes its right angled turn and then exits the well casing to pass on to the building.
  
  See WELL PIPING PITLESS ADAPTERS


• Water piping to the house rises vertically inside the well casing from the top of the submersible pump to a point (below the frost line in cold climates) where it makes a right angled turn and passes out through the well casing and onwards to the building.
  
  See WELL PIPING LEAK DIAGNOSIS

• Well casing is in this sketch the 6" diameter steel pipe which is driven into the well from above ground into bedrock, then sealed against groundwater leaks.
  
  See WELL CASING LEAK REPAIRS


• End of Casing marks the point at which the well casing (usually about 6" diameter steel pipe) has extended into bedrock and has been sealed. The remainder of the hole drilled to form the water well is drilled (usually) through water bearing rock.


• Water flow through cracks in rock is shown in the drawing, indicating that water enters the well by flowing through multiple fissures in the water bearing rock. (We don't usually tap right into an underground lake or stream of water though that's possible in some areas.)


• Water Pump, in this case a submersible water pump since it's inside the well, is located near but somewhat above the very bottom of the well. If your well pump won't start
  
  see ELECTRIC MOTOR OVERLOAD RESET SWITCH for some electric motor or pump motor troubleshooting suggestions.


• Well recovery rate or well water flow rates (marked as R1, R2, R3) indicate that water actually flows into the well at different flow rates from different rock fissures at different depths in the well.
  
  The well flow rate is the sum of all of these water in-flows, measured in gallons per minute that water flows into (or can be drawn out of) the well over a standard measurement period, usually 24 hours. So a 5 gallon per minute yield well indicates that the water flow into or recovery rate of the well is the same as the rate at which we can draw a sustained water flow out of the well for some time period.
  
  See WELL FLOW RATE


• Pump Clearance from Bottom shows that the water pump is inserted into the well some distance from the very bottom of the well (inches to a few feet). We need this clearance to reduce the tendency of the well pump to pick up mud and debris from the bottom of the well.

Below we see an illustration of the details of a submersible well pump in the first sketch, and in the second larger sketch you will find additional details of a submersible pump well design, courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates' sketch. The letters at each definition are keyed to our rough deep well sketch higher on this article .

[Click to enlarge any image]

• Ground level marks the actual ground surface level in the sketch. Note that the well casing extends above ground level to avoid surface runoff entry into the well (where it would contaminate the well water and local aquifer).


• Air (a) marks the distance from ground level extending down inside the well casing which is filled with air. Except in cases of artesian wells, the at-rest level of water in a drilled well is always some distance between the ground's upper surface. This is one of the reasons that knowing the "depth of a well" from ground level to well bottom does not tell us how much water is inside the well casing.


• Water Top (WT) marks the level to which water rises inside the well casing when the well is at rest (not in use). This level often varies seasonally, dropping lower in dry seasons and rising during the rainy season. (WT) marks the very top of the amount of water which is available to the water pump when it is turned on to send water out of the well on to its destination.


• Slurry shows the slurry which is pumped around the outside of the well casing after the casing has been inserted into the drilled well opening. The slurry acts to seal the well casing against surface water entry and contamination.


• Bedrock shows that for a typical drilled water well, the lower portion of the well, below the end of the well casing, is a hole drilled into bedrock.


• Rock fissures and recovery rates R1, R2, R3 indicate that water actually flows into the well at different flow rates from different rock fissures as we discussed just above where we explained well recovery rate.


• Well Depth (d) is a vertical arrow showing that the total drilled depth of the well is the distance from the ground surface to the very bottom of the well. Well depth is also the sum of Air (a), Static Head (h), and Pump Bottom Clearance (c).
  
  See DEPTH of a WELL, HOW TO MEASURE.


• Static Head (h) is the height of the total column of water which is available to the water pump to draw on inside the well. This amount or vertical distance inside the well extends from the very bottom of the well pump itself to the at-rest top of the water column in the well. Inside a 6" diameter well casing we find about 1.5 gallons per foot of height of the column of water.
  
  See WELL DYNAMIC HEAD & STATIC HEAD DEFINITION


• Pump Clearance from Bottom of Well (c) as we mentioned earlier, shows that the water pump is inserted into the well some distance from the very bottom of the well (inches to a few feet). We need this clearance to reduce the tendency of the well pump to pick up mud and debris from the bottom of the well.

What is the Pumping Capacity in Gallons per Minute for a Submersible Deep Well Pump?

A submersible deep well water pump (the pump is physically inside the well and at or close to the bottom of the well piping) can typically raise water from depths of 30-feet to hundreds of feet, and at water delivery rates of 4 gpm 25 gpm depending on the variables that we list below. Submersible well pumps are typically offered in horsepower ratings of 1/2 HP, 3/4 HP, 1 HP, and 1 1/2 HP.

At WATER PUMP CAPACITIES TYPES RATES GPM we compare the pumping capacities of one line jet pumps, two line jet pumps, submersible well pumps, and other water pumping methods.

Rated water flow rates for pumps range (by horsepower and model) from a nominal 6 gpm to 35 gpm.

Watch out: installing a higher capacity well pump may indeed give faster water flow and higher water system pressure, but if the pump is not properly matched to the well's safe flow rate (by pump selection or pump controls) you can pump all of the water out of your well, run dry, damage the pump, etc.

See WELL YIELD, SAFE LIMITS

A nice example table of Deep Well Submersible Well Pump Capacities is provided in the Water Ace 4-inch (diameter) Submersible Well Pump Installation Manual and excerpted below to illustrate the factors that determine well pump capacity. We have sharpened the text and provided a larger, more legible table (click to enlarge) than the original.

In selecting a well pump the well depth as well as water flow requirements must be considered. While jet pumps have a pickup placed typically 5-feet above the well bottom, when installing a submersible pump it is placed ten feet above the well bottom (maximum) or ten feet below the draw down limit for the well.

[Click to enlarge any image]

The Water Ace charts (shown in part above) make clear that the capacity of a deep well pump to deliver water at a given flow rate varies by these factors:

1. the depth of the well (the bottom scale in the two charts)
2. the pump horsepower (the color codes indicate pump model and horsepower HP variation)
3. The well pump model (the right hand table is for the company's more powerful well pump series of 2-line jet pumps)
4. The condition of well piping, including pipe diameter, length, number of bends or elbows
5. The presumption that the entire piping system has no leaks

Permission requested, Water Ace Corp. Aug 2010 - Pentair Pump Group.

Water Ace asserts that a typical 3-4 bedroom home requires a water delivery rate of 8-12 GPM.

Watch out: the water delivery rate at plumbing fixtures is determined by the water pump as well as building water supply piping and controls. But it is a number independent of the ability of the well itself to deliver a sustained water flow - the well yield. The water delivery rate is also independent of the total quantity of water that can be run before you run out.

See WELL FLOW RATE

Watch Out: Safety warnings  are throughout any pump manufacturer's instructions. Because some pump models are capable of developing internal pressures of more than 100 psi, if your building piping, pressure relief valves, safety controls, wiring, and plumbing are not properly installed, very dangerous conditions including electrical shock, tank explosion, and leaks or floods can occur.

Submersible Pump Torque Problems

This topic has moved.

Please see this new article: SUBMERSIBLE PUMP TORQUE PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS

Submersible Well Pump IO Manuals & Contacts

• Access Water Energy, PO Box 2061, Moorabbin, VIC 3189, Australia, Tel: 1300 797 758, email: sales@accesswater.com.au Moorabbin Office: Kingston Trade Centre, 100 Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin, VIC 3189
  Australian supplier of: Greywater systems, Solar power to grid packages, Edwards solar systems, Vulcan compact solar systems, water & solar system pumps & controls, and a wide rage of above ground & under ground water storage tanks: concrete, steel, plastic, modular, and bladder storage tanks.
• [2] Alberta ARD, DEEP WELL JET PUMPS PDF, Government of Alberta, Agriculture and Rural Development, toll free in Alberta at 310-FARM web search 07/24/2010, original source: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex639
• [3] BETETA-FLO Jet Pump Installation Manual, National Pump Co., LLC., includes helpful well pump troubleshooting tips as well as basic jet pump installation details. Web search 07/24/2010, original source: http://www.nationalpumpcompany.com/Documents/OIM/Betta%20Flo%20IOM%20Jet%20Pump.pdf
• Ferguson, Flint & Walling, SUBMERSIBLE PUMP INSTALLATION & OPERATION OWNERS GUIDE [PDF] (2012) Ferguson, Customer service: 1-800-742- 5044 retrieved 2019/04/28 original source: https://api.ferguson.com/dar-step-service/Query?USE_TYPE=INSTALLATION&PRODUCT_ID=496014
• [5] Flexcon, Smart Tank, Installation Instructions [ copy on file as /water/Smart_Tank_Flexcon.pdf ] - , Flexcon Industries, 300 Pond St., Randolph MA 02368, www.flexconind.com, Tel: 800-527-0030 - web search 07/24/2010, original source: http://www.flexconind.com/pdf/st_install.pdf
• [6] Grove, Typical Shallow Well One Line Jet Pump Installation [ copy on file as /water/Jet_Pump_Grove_Elect_Jet_Pumps.pdf ] - , Grove Electric, G&G Electric & Plumbing, 1900 NE 78th St., Suite 101, Vancouver WA 98665 www.grovelectric.com - web search -7/15/2010 original source: http://www.groverelectric.com/howto/38_Typical%20Jet%20Pump%20Installation.pdf
• [7] Grove, Typical Deep Well Two Line Jet Pump Installation [ copy on file as /water/Jet_Pump_Grove_Elect.pdf ] - , Grove Electric, G&G Electric & Plumbing, 1900 NE 78th St., Suite 101, Vancouver WA 98665 www.grovelectric.com - web search -7/15/2010 original source: http://www.groverelectric.com/howto/38_Typical%20Jet%20Pump%20Installation.pdf
• [4] PSCAS, Water Fact Sheet #3, Using Low-Yielding Wells [ copy on file as /water/Low_Yield_Wells_Penn_State.pdf ] - , Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, Cooperative Extension, School of Forest Resources, web search 07/24/2010, original source: http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/XH0002.pdf
• [8] WATER ACE JET PUMP Installation Manual, instructions from Water Ace Pump Co., Website: http://www.waterace.com/ 08/28/2010, original source: http://www.waterace.com/pdf/R510%20R520%20and%20R100%20Jet%20Pumps%20Manual.pdf
  Consumer hotline: 800-942-3343 - instructions for the installation and maintenance of
  
  Water Ace shallow well pump Model R510 1/2 HP
  Water Ace deep well pump Model R100 convertible 1HP and
  Water Ace deep well jet pump Model R250 convertible 1/2 hp.
  
  Quoting from the company's website:
  The Water Ace Pump Company is a dynamic, rapidly growing retail pump manufacturer, backed by a tradition of over 125 years of excellence. We offer a complete line of sump, sewage, lawn sprinkler, swimming pool, submersible well and jet pumps as well as pressure tanks and accessories.
• [9] WATER ACE JET PUMP Pump Installation Manual #2 , from Water Ace Pump Co., Website: http://www.waterace.com/ 08/28/2010, original source: http://www.waterace.com/pdf/RTS5%20RTS7%20RTS10%20RC5%20and%20RC10%20Jet%20Pumps%20Manual.pdf
  
  Consumer hotline: 800-942-3343 - instructions for the installation and maintenance of Water Ace pump models:
  
  Water Ace Shallow Well 1-line Jet Pump Models RTS5 (1/2HP), Model RTS7 (3/4 HP) and RTS10 (1HP)
  Water Ace Deep Well 2-line Jet Pump Models RC5 (1/2 HP) and RC10 (1HP)
• [10] WATER ACE SUBMERSIBLE PUMP Installation Manual, from Water Ace Pump Co., Website: http://www.waterace.com/ retrieved 08/28/2010, original source: http://www.waterace.com/pdf/23833A019%20Well%20Pumps%20Eng.pdf
  Spanish and French language submersible well pump installation manuals are available from the company.
  
  Consumer hotline: 800-942-3343 - instructions for the installation and maintenance of Water Ace pump models
• Also seeReferences or Citations at the end of this article

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2020-11-28 by (mod) - cloudy metallic tasting well water after pump replacement

Kathi

Quite possible that the water in your well was disturbed during the submersible pump removal and replacement. It should clear up in a few days. If it doesn't there's a question of whether the pump is too close to the bottom of the world. If the distance from the world bottom has not changed then it might be worth sending a camera down low to check the condition of the casing to be sure that there are no leaks from higher in the well bore.

On 2020-11-28 by Kathi

Above well pump replaced to submersible pump. Water taste before excellent. Water before clear. Now slightly cloudy, metallic taste. Replaced four days ago....will it become clear and taste good again? When? How long?
Thank you.

On 2020-11-01 - by (mod) -

I think you may be exceeding the well flow rste and running out of water

On 2020-11-01 by John

My Submersible Well Pump System is losing prime when I turn on more than 1 faucet.

On 2018-12-29 - by (mod) -

It's common for a new well to give cloudy water for a brief time until the well has had time to settle down;

It's also possible for a new well to be supplied by an aquifer that contains taste elements or even fine clay.

So if these complaints persist I think it would make sense to have your water tested by a local Water Testing Lab.

Discuss your complaint so that they can suggest specific things that ought to be included in the screening test. You might also want a well drilling company to inspect the well casing interior for damage by using a camera.

Sticky bentonite is a form of bentonite clay, a material commonly used to seal around the outside of the steel casing when a drilled well is installed.

Properly located and installed that won't be the cause of bad tastes in your water;

On 2018-12-28 by Joan

We have a drilled well that is 265 feet deep with a submersible pump in it. I don't remember exactly when the well was drilled but it was about 20 years ago. The piping is 6" in diameter and what I saw brought here looked like black iron pipe with some rust on it.

The driller said we have an over-flowing well and that he put something that he called "sticky betonite" on the ground around the well so that we wouldn't have wet ground there. My question is about a sudden, very strong metallic taste we are getting in the water.

The taste is so strong that even a water filter on the tap cannot remove it completely. In the past, we would notice this taste from time to time, and then it would go away. Now it's relentless and very strong.

On 2017-11-21 - by (mod) -

Leak in through well casing or water level in well extremely low

On 2017-11-20 by Shiv

mud water from submersible pump

...

Continue reading at PUMP, SUBMERSIBLE OPERATION or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see SUBMERSIBLE PUMP DIAGNOSTIC FAQs diagnostic questions & answers posted originally on this page.

Or see this

Submersible Well Pump Article Series Contents

• DIAGNOSTIC TABLE for WATER PUMPS
• SUBMERSIBLE PUMP - home
  • DEFINITIONS of WELL PUMP COMPONENTS
  • SUBMERSIBLE PUMP CAPACITY TABLE
• SUBMERSIBLE PUMP OPERATION
• SUBMERSIBLE PUMP TORQUE PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
• WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE

Suggested citation for this web page

WATER PUMP, SUBMERSIBLE at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to WATER SUPPLY, PUMPS TANKS WELLS

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

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