Shallow well pump recommendation

[Ook]

Last year I used a Goulds JRS5 pump. I sucked up some gravel and damaged the impellor, so I replaced it with a Flotex el-cheapo that I got from Home Depot. I'm not a pump expert, so I judge the pump by how many impact sprinklers I can run at once. The Goulds ran 3, the Flotex ran 2. Within the last week, I've started to loose volume/pressure from the Flotex, and now it won't run one single impact sprinkler. I can get a reasonable volume out of the hose at low pressure for watering by hand, but not enough volume at

25+psi to run the sprinklers. I pulled up the intake tube from the well and examined it, screen is clean, water level is ok, no obvious problems, connections all tight. The pump does not loose it's prime, and I don't hear any air being sucked in, nor is there any air bubbles coming out of the output. For whatever reason, this pump is not longer usable, and I need water tomorrow.

To make a long story short, I want a good quality pump and I'm thinking of chucking the Flotex and getting something better. I haven't yet found a repair kit for the Goulds, and I need water tomorrow. Any pump recommendations, and any supplier recommendations? I live in Lebanon, Oregon, about 45 minutes south of Salem Oregon.

[Harry K]

Any farm supply store (Grange, TSC) will have pumps as will most plumbing shops.

Harry K

[Ook]

Hi, thanks - do you have and brand name recommendations? Pumps to avoid?

[Harry K]

Goulds is good. The places you buy from can advise on brands. In general when shopping for something like that, given choices, eliminate the cheapest one. I usually also eliminate the most expensive one. When you re-install be sure the footvalve is several feet off the bottom of the well.

Harry K

[Ook]

I ended up with a 3/4 horse Star pump. I looked up the specs, and it's of slightly lower capacity then the Goulds, but it was almost twice the capacity of the el-cheapo Flotec that I had. I wish now that I had looked up the specs in advance - the Goulds 1/2 horse was adequate, the Flotec is an overpriced piece of junk. This pump will probably drive 4 sprinklers, since the Goulds drove 3, and with pressure to spare :)

[HomerS]

Please post a follow-up to this. I'd like to know how the Star pump does, and number of sprinklers is a great real-world comparison.

[Ook]

It's a bit hard to compare because I replaced a 1/2 horse pump with a 3/4 horse pump. Right now it's driving two sprinklers. This bad boy zooms up to

45psi and shuts off. Tank discharges down to 25psi, pump comes on, zooms up to 45psi, shuts off. It's running at 25-35% duty cycle. I'll give it the acid test this coming week. I have a 3/4 gate valve between the pump and the tank, and I'll be running it through a 3/4 hose to several sprinklers, so I'll be able to see how many it can run, and I'll post results here.

For comparison purposes, the Goulds 1/2 horse pump would run 3 sprinklers, the Flotec would never run more then 2. I'm betting I can run 4+ with the bigger Star pump - I'll be dissapointed if it won't drive at least 4..