Water well pump capacity questions & answers:

Frequently-asked questions and answers about the flow rate, pressure, or pumping capacity of water pumps or well pumps.

This article series compares the pumping capacity in gallons per minute of one line jet pumps, two line jet pumps, submersible pumps, and well pumps of different models and horsepower.

Well Pump Capacity Questions & Answers

Recently-asked Questions & Answers about Well & Water Pump Capacity Requirements

These questions and replies were posted originally

at WATER PUMP CAPACITIES TYPES RATES GPM - be sure to review the pump capacity details given there.

[Click to enlarge any image or table]

On 2021-12-16 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - is a bigger pump better for my sand point driven well?

@Jeff,

I can only answer in general concept that a larger driven point will generally get better water flow if the surrounding water table can support it.

But we don't know the rate of water flow into the soil around your well point.

On 2021-12-16 by Jeff

@Inspectapedia Com Moderator, Thank You for the information. So a silting in very old sand point wells flow can't be improved with a higher horsepower pump. Would going from a 1 1/4" to a 2" point and pipe delivery likely offer any effective improvement.

On 2021-12-14 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator

@Jeff,

Yes, in general, for the case in which we keep all other factors exactly the same:

• pumping depth
• well type
• well pipe properties
• controls
• pumping distance

a higher horsepower pump motor can deliver faster water flow measured in gpm - that's tantamount to saying "more suction capability"

but

Watch out: if you are using a sand point driven point well, there is virtually zero meaningful static head in the well - just the volume of the small diameter pipe for its height. So the ability of that well to deliver water is almost entirely dependent on the well's flow rate - the rate at which water will enter the well in the ground - essentially around the perforated well point itself.

Therefore, if your well has a weak or poor flow rate, say 2 gpm, then putting in a more powerful pump won't help you one bit - you can't pull water out of a spot underground faster than water flow INTO that spot from the surrounding soil (or sand).

On 2021-12-14 by Jeff

Does a 1 hp shallow well jet pump have significantly better suction capability in a typical sand point well static water level than a 1/2 hp pump ?

On 2021-11-26 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - my water pump won't stop running

@Caleb,

Sure we have some very clear diagnostics for the problem you described, found in the article

WATER PUMP WONT STOP RUNNING

So do read through that material, and don't hesitate to post a status update.

On 2021-11-25 by Caleb

I lost my prime from a water line I installed charged 800 feet from the pump location which the pump is lower then the water level usually but air must have got up the line somehow

So I just checked and I have a 11 foot lift then 400 feet of travel kinda level then the remaining 400 feet is down a gradually sloped bank so I usually have 10 psi gravity feed at the pump location…

the other day the hose burst at the pressure side of the pump I replaced the hose and now the pump will not pressure up to 60 psi any more it acts like it is running out of water at the pump I have a check valve on the pressure side so the pressure tank holds water but the pump looses its water somehow

I am using a 1/2 horse smith jet pump

So I now have the back water valve, as well as a foot valve on the suction side and the pressure tank on the pressure side and it seems to no longer be able to pressure up like it used to the pump runs and runs my flow meter shows that around 50 psi pressure it stops flowing

so I have just been turning the pressure down until the pump shuts off but I have now turned the pressure down twice so I assume I should just get a new pump? Any ideas

On 2021-10-28 by inspectapedia.com.moderator - how do I figure out my pump's gallons per minute rate?

@Neal Wittels, MD,

Every pump manufacturer provides pump output curves for each specific pump brand and model, giving the pump's gpm or gallons per minute as a function of the total lift involved.

It looks like your pump has a 40 ft. total lift.

So look at the pump output gpm table in your specific pump's IO manual to get the GPM at that lift height.

A cistern is a water-tight container that holds a reserve of water.

If your cistern were 10 ft deep and 6 ft. in diameter and round, it would hold about 282 cubic feet of water.

280cuft / 7.5 gal/ft = 2100 gallons - enough to fill your 1000 gallon storage tank and still leave water in the cistern - if my math is right.

Using an EXAMPLE (This is not necessarily your pump's capacity) you might see a maximum of 7 gpm

On 2021-10-28 by Neal Wittels, MD

Equipment Setup in Pump House:

Shallow cistern 10' deep. AO Smith 1HP jet pump on the ground. 2" pipe to the house up a hill 300' 10% incline. House has 1000 Gallon storage tank. Question: How long will it take to fill the house tank?

On 2021-08-21 by inspectapedia.com.moderator - what you need to know when increasing water usage quantity and rate

@Allen,

You are increasing the planned total water usage quantity and rate for your property; knowing the well's flow rate and recovery-rate are probably more critical than the well pump's GPM rate. Those are discussed in the articles I've recommended.

On 2021-08-21 by Allen

@inspectapedia.com.moderator,

I am trying to measure the existing system, as we are adding on a new cottage and landscaping. Hopefully, not thinking about a new pump.

On 2021-08-20 by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod)

@Allen,

What problem are we solving here? Measuring the existing system or guessing at the capacity of a replacement pump;

Sure it's informative to measure flow rate at the well, but that's not telling us what the pump's original rating data were.

So we're still not quite comparing actual pump specifications.

IMO if your question is "what GPM water flow rate am I going to get from a new pump"

then you need to know well depth or / and total lift height, and of course

you really need to know the well's flow rate since it doesn't matter how fantastic a pump's capacity is if it pumps the well dry.

See our WELL FLOW RATE articles in the Index to Related Articles given at the end of this article.

On 2021-08-20 by Allen

@inspectapedia.com.moderator,

Thank you for the information. Unfortunately, the well company does not have records from 25 years ago on the 1 HP pump they installed.

They suggested disconnecting the water line from the well to the house (they used some other term for this), and just filling 5 gal buckets straight from the well, and see how long it takes to fill them.

On 2021-08-20 by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod) - well pump GPM capacities

@Allen,

You'd think maybe so, but no, not really.

You need to read the specific pump flow characteristics for the specific brand and model and type (above ground 2 line jet pump, 1 line jet pump, submersible pump) of the same voltage;

For example a brand A 1hp well pump with a 50 foot total lift and all other piping details identical, pump 50 gpm while another pump brand B 1hp well pump with the same lift and piping details might pump 40 gpm.

We need to get specific.

But you can get a GENERAL answer comparing well pump GPM capacities from tables given above on this page.

You'll see that when you plot pump HP and lift against GPM capacity the results are plotted in curves, not a straight-line linear function such as your example would suggest.

On 2021-08-20 by Allen

Original well pump was 1-1/2 HP with a flow of 60 GPM. Would the flow with a 1 HP motor be 40 GPM?

On 2021-07-30 by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod)

@Khanh,

sure just use the on page search box above to find our articles on SUMP PUMPS to see the type of pump you need and several options.

On 2021-07-30 by Khanh

Hi
I have a slanted driveway 20 ft X 40 ft. We built a drain 3X4X20 at the end of the drive way. When it rains our drain fills and floods our garage. We put a 1/3 HP utility pump and it helps, however can any one recommend a pump we can use?

I was looking at a 1 HP models, but can't find a good one. We have a outlet outside, and we submerge the pump in the drain. We push water back up using a garden hose to the street. Thanks for your help.

On 2021-07-29 1 by Anonymous

@Bob Kuhl,

On the page above you will see a colored line chart with pump capacity curves that go to & beyond the depth in your example, please take a look at

Well Pump Capacity Charts Plot Pumping Head vs GPM Flow Rate Curves vs Pump Horsepower

On 2021-07-29 1 by Bob Kuhl

What is GPH for 3 HP (10CS30) Gould well pump. The well is about 850 ft. and the pump is set about 725 feet.

On 2021-07-04 by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod) - what size submersible pump is needed

@David,

In the article above on this page, in the section on deep well submersible pumps, you will find a nice table that compares lift capacity with pump size or horsepower and gallons per minute of water flow.

The table include depths to five hundred feet.

In addition to the table above, the following page will give more details on how to determine submersible pump size:

SUBMERSIBLE PUMP SIZING AND SELECTION

On 2021-07-04 by David

My well elevation is 198 ft it's 100' to 150' deep I am pumping it up to a storage tank that is at elevation of 505' how many hp submersible pump do I need

On 2021-05-13 by (mod)

@Diego,

yes probably, but ...

Watch out:

1. there is a risk that you pump water out of the well faster than its recovery rate- running the well dry and damaging the pump; you need to know your well's flow rate or capacity to deliver water continuously (see FLOW TEST in the ARTICLE INDEX)

2. at that higher horsepower you will probably have to run new electrical power to your well and will need new controls - probably a separate HD 220V relay

On 2021-05-13 by Diego

can i replace my homes 1/2 or 3/4 hp sumersible pump with a 2 h/p 220 volt 42 gpm submersible pump. I like to install a few sprinklers don't know how many. Well is 250ft deep. Never had a storage of water. I have a storage tank and a 30/50 pressure switch.

On 2021-04-10 - by (mod) - desired GPM rate may require a commercial pump instead of a residential model

@Wade I.,

There are certainly portable gas powered water pumps like the Honda WX10TA that can pump at higher rates (that model claims 32 gpm)

Watch out: however to take a much closer look at the pump's intended use and at the effect of pumping distance and head on its GPM rate. For example the WX10-TA shown here comes with a 16 foot hose
and

- has a pumping suction lift head limit of 26 ft

- has a total head lift capacity of 121 Feet

- uses a 1" inlet and outlet

and I'm not confident of its heavier duty use over a longer or more regular interval much less over a long pumping distance.

If you can get power to the pumping site, I'd look at a submersible pump that can deliver water perhaps at a slower rate but as you suggest, over a longer interval, filling storage tanks.

There is a tremendous number of portable, gas-powered water pumps, some of very high capacity, some used for transfer, for trash liquids, and for fire-fighting (higher delivery pressure, smaller diameter hose);

It's worth noting that across manufacturers a number of pumps use Honda engines,.

Look at transfer pumps and irrigation pumps.

On 2021-04-10 by Wade I.

Thanks for the assistance If a gas powered pump could deliver 10 gpm that would suffice. However, we've also considered using a submersible electric pump to fill the holding tanks rather than a gas powered pump.

We have decent flow to our house from a 200' deep alkaline well located appx. 400' horizontal and 80' below our house, by way of a submersible. Bottom-line: we're not so concerned with how quickly the two tanks get filled as the alternative is hauling fresh water 200 gal. at a time from a public source that's 7 miles away - which BTW takes about 7-8 hours to accomplish.

On 2021-04-09 - by (mod) -

@Wade I., If you take a look at the pump performance charts and curves given in the article above, you will see that none of the residential water pumps are capable of delivering 30 or 40 gallons a minute much less at the pumping head that you describe.

We're going to need to look for a commercial gas-powered pump with that capacity. Let's both research further in the commercial range. I'll see what I can find.

I think with that pumping rate you're also going to want to take a look at the pump duty cycle.

On 2021-04-09 by Wade I.

I need to pump water from a river that is 500' horizontal plus 100' vertical from two 600 gal. holding tanks locateded near our house. What size gas pump/hose combination would I need to achieve a 10, 20 or 30 gpm flow rate.

On 2021-03-10 - by (mod) -

@chris,

Any two-line jet pump or submersible pump - see the pump lift capacity and gpm tables in the article above, Chris.

On 2021-03-10 by chris

What Goulds pump do I need to pump water up from a deep well to 60 plus feet

On 2021-02-06 - by (mod) -

Virgil,

I think that the ability to vary pump output is different across Brands and models. For your present circumstance I would consider either installing a suitable pressure tank to stop the short cycling problem Or having a conversation with technical support at the manufacturer to see if they will permit Control that will vary the pump speed and output.

On 2021-02-05 by Virgil

I replaced a 2HP submersible pump with a 1 1/2HP submersible pump with a 35 GPM wet end hoping to achieve about 43 GPM because the 2HP pump was delivering 60 GPM which is more than I want.

Instead, I am achieving 60 GPM and the well itself is only producing 50 GPM thus the pump is out pumping the well and the pump saver is repeatedly stopping and starting the pump. I was told by my well tester that the 1 1/2HP pump with a 35 GPM wet end would give me 42 or 43 GPM which is what I want.

How is it possible that it is pumping 60 GPM and what can I do about it?

On 2020-11-01 by (mod) - How long can a lancaster sumersible deep well 3/4 hp pump run without water

Robert:

Probably just about a minute or possibly even less.

The company warns in the LANCASTER SUBMERSIBLE PUMP INSTALLATION MANUAL [PDF] https://inspectapedia.com/water/Lancaster-Submersible-Pump-Manual.pdf

CAUTION: DO NOT run pump dry. Pump can be severely damaged if run dry.

Also see this LANCASTER SUBMERSIBLE 4" PUMP INSTALLATION & SERVICE MANUAL [PDF] https://inspectapedia.com/water/Lancaster-Submersible-Pump-Service-Manual.pdf

On 2020-11-01 by Robert Ondo

How long can a lancaster sumersible deep well 3/4 hp pump run without water an will not damage the pump itself

On 2020-09-02 - by (mod) -

Jon

You can certainly measure the PSI that your pump delivers against a closed system but beware of injuring yourself if you burst a pipe or a pressure tank or any other pressurized device. I think if you're watching the pump pressure and you don't let it get much above 65 PSI you're not going to destroy the pump during the test. Just don't let it run for prolonged period of time or overheat.

On 2020-09-01 by Jon Yeager

I believe it's a Sta Rite, pump. Submersible. 7.5 HP. Runs a wheel line system, with 33 heads. 30psi with some leaks. Well is 60 feet deep, 8 Inch casing, 4 Inch main to pump. Specifics are unavailable, without pulling pump, however, I'm certain pump is 7.5. HP.

Am told, 'with leaks fixed' psi would reach around 45psi. Water table remains at 15 feet at all times. To have any more information, would require removal of pump.
Pump had been replaced years earlier,without any manuals available, receipts and the like.

Control panel remained and was used with new pump, strongly suspected to be a Sta Rite.
Control panel stats are as follows,

Model CP6K02,,,
Serial 1D77 (April, 1977) But this existing pump was replaced in early 1990's with one that works with this control panel
Volts 230,,, three wires, one is ground.
many numbers faded at this point, but, "RPM 3450", PH 1 Single phase,

,,,Max amp 44.6,,,,SF-1.2
then, '1118-1285',,,,235-1652 'both'
metal capacitors made by 'Mallory'
3.5 MFR
370 volts ac

60 degree centigrade v-c, or perhaps,,,'cvc'
"18 Inch" with perhaps more faded inl numbers below the '60 degree centigrade' mark.

So, the question is, is there enough information here, to determine if this pump is capable of running a 'Big Gun Sprinkler Head', that requires 65 psi to operate? The idea would be to plug off enough sprinkler heads and 'leaks', in order to reach that 65 psi and run the gun.

Based on this info, do you guys suppose that would work or could such high psi pressure ruin the pump?

Was told I could crank down valves, wait until I reach 65 psi, then measure how fast I fill a 50 gallon barrel and then they could calculate whether or not pump would run that Big Gun under these conditions. I'm just a little nervous about even trying that, obviously I would not want to ruin the pump and am not certain of the earlier test suggestion.

Can you weigh in? Any advice? And thank you even though I'm sure it's something of a thankless job, it sure isn't with me. Jon

On 2020-08-25 by (mod) - how much water am I pumping out of my well?

Thanks for an interesting question.

Nobody can give a completely accurate answer to your question as you pose it because we don't know the pumping capacity of your pump in gpm - though you might get close to that by identifying the pump brand and model and then checking it's owner's manual.

There you'll see that the pump's output is affected by at least six factors that we list above in the article on this page.

And on this same page in our section titled "What is the Pumping Capacity in Gallons per Minute for a Submersible Deep Well Pump?" you'll see that a typical 1hp submersible pump with a 20 ft. lift with an average of 40 psi output might pump around 40 gpm. From there you can do the math.

Watch out: however as you'll see in our pump capacity tables on this page, the pump's output varies a lot by pump model, even when the horsepower and all other factors remain the same.

On 2020-08-25 by David

I have a shallow well ( 25ft ) submersible 1 h.p. pump sucking from about 20ft deep.

I am pumping through a 2" pvc pipe with no restrictions - just free flow for a length of about 200ft into a swimming pool.

Pump pressure is 40-60 psi . I can pump for about 1 hour before the water level drops from the well full level ( 10 ft ) down to 20 the 20 foot level ( just above the pump intake level )
How many gallons per hour am I pumping ?

On 2020-08-24 by (mod) - what's the gpm from a Franklin 1.5 horsepower pump at 30 feet with a 2-inch line. 13 gpm?

See this catalog that gives pump capacity tables for Franklin Electric's submersible pumps:

FPS SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS, RESIDENTIAL, LIGHT COMMERCIAL CATALOG [PDF]

You'll see that you will want the pump model name and model general rating, such as 4" Series V Pump, 10 gpm (catalog p. 32).

For that EXAMPLE which is NOT YOUR PUMP, we see this typical table of pump capacity in U.S. gallons per minute.

This pump, at 1.5hp (not necessarily your model) at 30 ft. is pumping around 13 gpm.

On 2020-08-24 by Andrew Taveira

I have a Franklin motors1.5 horsepower pump at 30 feet deep with a 2-inch line. How many gallons per minute will that produce?

On 2020-08-14 by (mod) pump loses power and can't keep running

That sounds as if

Your pump motor is failing

or

The pump wiring is under-sized for the length of run

On 2020-08-14 by Rey

I have 1HP deep well pump that cannot run continuously due to sudden decrease in power supply (230 volts to 115 volts when pump starts running). Well depth is 140 ft and casing is 4 inches. Please advise what should I do. Will Auto Voltage Regulator help? Thank you.

On 2020-08-06 - by (mod) -

Joyce,

Typical pressure ranges are 20/40 psi or 30/50 psi.

On 2020-08-06 by Joyce

What is the PSI for a 3/4 horsepower submersible pump.
6 inch pipe
Well is 100 feet deep

Thank you

On 2020-07-27 by (mod) - How far will the pump push the column of water in a 2 inch line?

As best I can answer: the horizontal pumping distance that your pump can push water doesn't drop to zero, but rather the longer the piping the slower the pumping output rate will be in gpm.

The pump capacity tables given above on this page give more-specific answers for various well pump depths and pipe diameters and pump horsepower but you will want to find the pump capacity table for your specific pump brand and model.

Keep in mind that it is the lift, not the horizontal distance, that is the hardest work that the pump has to do, so it's the pump depth (probably something less than the 120ft. depth of your well) that is critical.

On 2020-07-27 by Peeweehenson@charter.Net

I purchased a piece of property with a well (120 feet deep, 6 inch casing, 3hp well pump in the well).

I understand that the 3 hp well pump will need 9kw power source to drive the pump. How far will the pump push the column of water in a 2 inch line?

On 2020-07-26 by (mod) - how high a hill can we pump over with a 7 hp pump?

The effect of the height to which your pump has to lift water is to reduce the pump's output rate; it won't fall to zero except in extreme cases.

So you add together the height of the hill PLUS the depth of the well from which water has to be lifted.

Then find the pump capacity table for your specific well pump brand, type, and model and you'll see its rated output capacity in gph or gpm.

Above on this page our table titled

Table of Submersible Pump Stages vs HP vs Total Dynamic Head vs. GPM Flow Rate Capacity

has some sample data. For example, even a pump smaller than yours, say a 5 hp. submersible, will have an output rate that might fall from 43 gpm to 4 gpm if it has to face a total lift of 700 ft.

On 2020-07-26 by (mod) Total lift capacity of a 7 hp water pump?

You need to ID the specific pump brand and model as well as the total lift height to be able to get the pump's output rate in GPM at a specific height.

Take a look at

• API-Ferguson, Zoeller Pumps, Flint & Walling, FOUR-INCH SUBMERSIBLE PUMP CATALOG [PDF] (cited in detail above on this page)

and you'll see a 7 1/2 hp F&W pump with 23 stages can lift water as much as 700 ft total vertical distance, with a flow rate of about 24 gpm at a 20 psi output pressure.

On 2020-07-26 by Robert W. Dyess

we have a 7and half hp submersible pump pumping through a 4 in line . how high a hill can it go over?

On 2020-06-21 by (mod) - what size submersible pump do I need?

You'll see in the pump output capacity tables we give on this page that you need to specify a few more parameters, such as the desired delivery pressure.

A 70 meter deep (230 ft deep) well can be served by a 2 hp. submersible pump delivering about 30 gpm but at close to zero discharge pressure!

To get to a 20 psi discharge pressure a typical submersible in the 3 hp. range can deliver 35 gpm, and at 40 psi discharge pressure, the same pump will deliver about 30 gpm.

Other readers: see the Flint & Walling example pump output capacity table we show just above on this page.

On 2020-06-21 by vusa

what size of submersible pump would i need if the borewell is 70meters deep and has an estimated yield of 20 liters pr minute? the distance from the well to the tank is 100 meters.

On 2020-05-31 - by (mod) - proper pressure tank air pre-charge

Bob

Be sure that you set the water pressure tank AIR pre-charge to 2 psi below the pressure control switch CUT IN pressure setting,

AND that the pre-charge is done with the pump off and all water pressure relieved from the system.

On 2020-05-27 by Bob

I cannot get the pump to run unless it runs 22 psi on to 68 psi off. with tank at 18 psi. switch is set at 30 psi on and 50 psi off.

On 2020-04-19 - by (mod) - you need to specify up to 6 parameters to figure out the volume of water delivered by a pump at a given horsepower

Andy

The volume in gallons per minute of a 1HP pump will vary depending on important variables including

- pump type (1 line jet, 2 line get, submersible)

- pump lift height - how high does the pump have to lift wter

- pipe diameter and other restrictions like elbows and valves

so there's no single "right" answer.

But to give a reasonable example,

a 1 hp. submersible well pump - varying by model - can deliver 10 gph while lifting water from a 200 ft. deep well.

a 1 hp submersible well pump - varying by model - can deliver 23 gpm at 40 foot lift, down to 14 gpm if that same pump has to lift water from greater depth.

Take a look in the article above on this page and you'll see a table of typical well pump capacities that map

- pump horsepower
- pump lift height (or depth)
- gpm of water delivered

On 2020-04-19 by Andy

How much volumn of water will one quarter Hp pump put out ?

On 2020-03-01 - by (mod) - use a submersible pump with enough horsepower

Bashar

Probably easiest is a submersible well pump with sufficient horsepower, as you'll read in the article above on this page. You may need multiple check valves on the well piping too.

On 2020-03-01 by Bashar iranaon

What kind of pump should i use to lift water from the source which is about 400 meters+- below the ground?

On 2018-11-01 - by (mod) -

Shiddeshar,

The horizontal distance and pipe diameter should not affect the pump requirements unless the friction and other losses (such as from many elbows or bends in piping) are unusually great.

Beyond that point,

It's not just the pump horsepower that is important to get water lifted 60 feet from a water source.

It is also the type of pump.

A one-line or single-line jet pump can only lift water about 7.5 meters or 25 feet.

A two line jet pump of the same horsepower will have no trouble lifting water 60 feet.

Finally, the larger pump will deliver a faster water flow rate in liters per minute, but

watch out: if the pump rate out of the well exceeds the well's water in-flow rate then you'll pump the well dry.

On 2018-11-01 1 by Shiddeshar horure

Sir my question is.:in my farm pipeline is 90mm lenth is 1700 feet and height is (from starting point to end point)50to 60 feet pumpset is 7hp then for which pumpset i buy for beter flow of water for agri in river and which type of valve i use for no comes pressure on pipeline i am a farmer and total land is 10 hector in this place

On 2016-08-23 by (mod) - can the 1.5hp pump that came with pool supply the roof solar collector that's 15 ft. high?

Almost certainly, Anon. But to be sure, find the pump brand and model and then consult the manufacturer's installation booklet for that pump: you'll usually find a lift capacity that gives the pump's output in GPM at different TOTAL lift heights.

On 2016-08-22 by Anonymous

Putting solar collector on garage roof to heat pool will the 1.5hp pump that came with pool supply the roof is approx 15ft high

On 2016-08-14 by (mod) -

Ram:

You need the manufacturer's brand and pump model number to answer your question; you'll see that the pump manufacturer usually includes a pump output flow rate table in GPM for various lift heights.

The lift height isn't only the above-ground distance you cite, it's also got to include the lift distance in the well.

On 2016-08-13 by ram

i have a 3 HP motor which is located at 40foot above the ground and pipe diameter is 40 mm what is the flow rate or water discharge

On 2016-08-03 by joseph l. delos santos

i have a water pump euorostar 3/4 h.p cannot supply water in 2 length pipe no. 1

On 2016-06-30 by lee brittenham

I want to pump 20 gallons per minute and push the water 135 feet in elevation. the system is a lawn sprinkler system and I have a large pressure tank installed at the pump site

On 2016-04-26 by David

I viewed a well report and it states it was tested for 4 hours at 150 feet with a 1 HP and the results were 2.5 Gal Per minute. Does this mean that there is no water or does it mean that a larger HP pump will increase the flow? Logically, if there is water to pump, there is something wrong with the pump, but I have no idea.

On 2015-11-07 by (mod) -

The question is more than a pump, Mike. You need to look at the daily water volume usage and the static head in the well too, as well as the total vertical lift. You'll see when you look at the pump capacity tables above that at higher lifts the same horsepower pump will give lower gpm.

Take a look at the table at the end of the article just above: you probably want at least a 2 hp pump.

On 2015-11-07 by mike

Had a well drilled 349 ft deep 8 gpm what pump would you recommend

On 2015-10-19 by (mod) -

Motor rpms (revolutions per minute) are standard for most consumer-use electric motors at either 1725 or 3450 RPM.

If you meant GPM (gallons per minute) or LPM (liters per minute) that too is not quite the proper question.

You need to look at the LIFT CAPACITY of the pump in feet - that number will be given by the manufacturer and varies by pump type.

The GPM capacity of a pump will be reduced as the lift height increases.

On 2015-10-19 by Akash

Dear all member here i have question please guide me

i want to fill my water tank which was placed at top of my house 45 feet . water source is at 8 feet depth . so the total distance is 50 feet. i want to lift 1/2 gallon per mint. please guide me how many RPM motor is required to lifting water from basement tank to top tank .. please guide me if any one know about it its my email id ; shaiganrana@yahoo.com whatsapp/wechat/line Number+9234332000901

On 2015-09-26 by (mod) -

Sanju

I doubt that anyone, not even a hydraulics engineer, could answer that question without knowing more information such as piping length, diameter, total lift, voltage, pump type and design. However you can get close to an answer by finding the manufacturer of your pump and looking there for their specification of the GPM capacity at various lift heights for your specific pump model.

On 2015-09-26 by sanju

our water pump is 5 hp and well depth is 30 feet so my qution is what is the volume of the discharge per hour

On 2015-09-22 by Anonymous

i need a basement sumerseble pump to pump water to 3 ft hight

On 2015-09-02 by (mod) -

In general A one line jet pump can lift (typically) from about 25 feet. For lifting from deeper depths you need a 2-line jet pump set-up.

Some one line jet pumps may be rated with a bit more ift than 25 ft.

On 2015-09-02 by Anonymous

Will this above ground pump pull water out of 40 foot deep well 1-1/2" fresh water, self-priming, 65 gallons per minute, 3.8 horsepower L40AE-D Yanmar diesel engine.
Pump assembly is capable of pumping 65 gallons of water per minute at a 50 foot head
and not more than a 10 foot static suction lift.

On 2015-08-04 by (mod) -

I don't know, it's an interesting question. We'll take a look through some submersible pump installation manuals.

If you tell us your pump brand and model we can make the research specific to your case.

On 2015-08-04 by Anonymous

a submersible pump with a 1 1/4 output, can the output be reduced to 1 inch without over working the pump

On 2015-07-24 by (mod) -

Jaf

I cannot answer your question as we do not know the well flow rate. The static head in your well, when it has fully recoverd, is about 200 feet. If the well casing is 6-inches in diameter, that's about 600 gallons. So at 100 gpm you could pump water for just 6 minutes before you'd run out.

At that point the maximum rate at which you could pump water out of the well would be exactly the well flow rate - the rate at which water flows into the well.

See WELL FLOW TEST for WATER QUANTITY - https://InspectAPedia.com/water/Well_Flow_Test.php

On 2015-07-23 by Jaf

Our water well is 275" deep and the water level sits at 63' presently. We'd like to be able to pump 100 GPM, with a pipe that will be 150' in length. We have no water restrictions on this property. What is your suggestions for the well, pump size.

On 2015-07-18 by steve

can pump rated @ 12 gpm pump more than 12gpm?

On 2015-04-22 by salman jaleel

I am calculating HP of pump for a plant, when i use formula (GPM*H*P/1715*E) it gives 121 HP and when i use formula (Q*H*SG/3960*E) it gives value 5HP, why there is so huge difference? ???

On 2015-04-19 by (mod) -

Ron you can find a table of pump capacities in the article above - click on the table to see an enlarged, sharper version.

As your pump has to lift 20 meters you'll need either a 2-line jet pump or a submersible pump. For lifting water from a stream I recommend a submersible pump with an inlet foot valve protected by a larger screen-box to avoid clogging. Be sure your pump and water pick-up point are located to minimize picking up debris and surface water, and do not presume that the water is potable.

As you are re-charging a holding tank most likely the flow rate supported by the pump can be modest.

On 2015-04-19 by Ron Channon

I have an extraction licence to take up to 1000 litres of water per day from a continuous flowing stream edging my property. I wish to transfer approximately 100 litres per day (or as required) from this stream and raise it via a submersible pump to a height of 20 meters to fill, and from time to time, top up, a 500 litre holding tank to supply a gravity fed irrigation system.

I intend to install a Hunter ProC 4 zone computerised unit to then irrigate a 4 X 3 meter greenhouse and 3 x (4x3 m) raised beds. The holding tank will be sited two meters above this unit and the total stream to tank 15m pipe run would be approx 30 meters long.
To summarise, what size pump do I require to meet my requirements.
Ron Channon. Mid Devon.UK.

I would be happy to donate £50 to any charity named by the person that can provide me with the specifications etc to enable me to complete this project.

I would be happy to donate £50 to any charity named by the person that can provide me with the answers and required specifications of what is needed to achieve the above.
Ron Channon, Mid Devon, UK. (rc@greenawaycottage.com)

On 2015-03-16 by (mod) -

Shawn

Please see https://InspectAPedia.com/water/Intermittent_Water_Pump_Cycling.php

On 2015-03-12 by Shawn

I've been reading many of these articles. They are very helpful, however I have a problem and am a bit confused

My water pressure switch is constantly going on and off. So i'm not sure if it is the switch or pressure tank. My pressure gauge reads 40PSI, i think the switch is set to about that and 60PSI cutout. I'm thinking it is my pressure tank, but i will turn off system and then drain water from tank and check to see if tank pressure is around 38psi?

my second question is if i'm replacing the tank (19gallon) I was going to replace with 65 gallon, but then i read all this stuff about right size of pump etc.

My current pump is 1/2hp and well is around 220ft deep. I have 3 bathrooms 2 with shower and tub (1 of which has 2 shower heads) another shower/tub combo.

So i figure i need about 12 GPM? but when i look at some of the detail my 1/2hp pump is probably only capable of 5gpm at 220ft deep?

Question: how do I calculate horsepower requirements for my well pump using depth, pressure, flow rate

Is there a rough calculation for horsepower using depth, pressure, and flow rate? - Zoe 8/8/12

Reply:

The well pump design engineers who made the reference tables above have both calculated and probably field tested the data shown there. There is a general calculation, but there are so many variables I'd be reluctant to provide nor use it. Examples of variables include

• Pump impeller or pumping assembly design
• Choosing between 120V and 240V
• Duty cycle

Question: My pump can't get above 40 psi - how do I get water to the house?

I have a 3/4 hp Jet pump, New pump, new foot valve, new water lines.

And i can not get more than 40psi to the pump, and once i turn on the valve to the house the pump stops pumping water.

even if i disconnect the line into the house and leave the water free flowing from the pump, i turn on the valve and the water still stops pumping. How do i get water into the house ? - Jose 9/5/12

Reply:

Jose, I'm not sure I've got a clear idea about this question - but it certainly doesn't sound right that a pump STOPS running when you open a valve feeding water from the pressure tank into the building.

I'm confused about "stops pumping" as you are describing a pump that is not delivering water in all conditions. When does the well pump actually run and under what conditions does it deliver (or not) water?

Question: pump loses all pressure as soon as I open valve to the house

The Pump pulls water from the Well, But as soon as i turn on the valve to the building, the pump seems to loose all pressure and will not pump water out until the valve gets closed then the pressure starts to build in the pump again.

So i guess my question is that as soon as i turn on the valve i loose pressure and can not get any water from them pump. What im i missing to continue getting water after i open the valve to the building ? - Anon 9/10/12

Reply:

Sorry Anon, I don't understand the question. If the pump is actually working and delivering water at any pressure, I'd expect to see the pressure on the pressure gage at the water pressure tank.

Perhaps you mean you are opening the valve between the water pressure tank and the building water supply piping.

If on opening that valve no water is delivered to the building then perhaps there is another valve closed between tank and building piping; You can confirm that there is actually water under pressure in the water tank by opening the tank drain.

...

Continue reading at WATER PUMP CAPACITIES TYPES RATES GPM or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see WATER PUMP CAPACITY & GPM FAQs-2 - more-recent questions and answers about well or water pump capacity

Or see these

Water Pump Articles

• WATER PUMP REPAIR GUIDE - home
• WATER PUMP CAPACITIES TYPES RATES GPM
  • TREADLE PUMP CAPACITIES & USE
  • WATER PUMP, ONE LINE JET
  • WATER PUMP, SUBMERSIBLE
  • SUBMERSIBLE PUMP TORQUE PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
  • WATER PUMP, TWO LINE JET
  • WATER PUMP, TWO LINE JET OPERATION
  • WATER PUMP VARIABLE FREQUENCY / VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE (VFDs)

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

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

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