Choosing a submersible well pump can be confusing!
Maybe you’re asking “What’s the difference between these pumps?” or “All these pumps have the same description!” Today’s blog is to help you understand and dig for more information when comparing submersible pumps online. If you are interested in learning about the factors involved is selecting the correct well pump for your application, check out this blog!
To ensure that we helped clarify the factors involved, we are going to look at 2 different pumps that fit the description of “Goulds 1 HP Pump”.
Check out this 1 HP Goulds Submersible well pump on Amazon. The description describes it as a 25 Gallon per minute pump that has a 1 HP, 230 volt 3 wire motor and it comes with a control box. Most of this info is straight forward, but let’s quickly clarify the difference between 2 and 3 wire submersible pump motors.
2 wire motors are simple to connect and don’t require a control box because the components for the control box are located inside the motor of the pump. 3-wire motors require a separate control box that will have a few capacitors and a start switch located inside of it. Professionals typically only install 3-wire motors/pumps for the following reason: If a capacitor or start switch fails the fix is replacing an inexpensive control box that is easily accessible. Now, a 2-wire pump/motor is easy to install/wire and doesn’t need a control box, however, the failure of a start switch or capacitor means removing the entire submersible well pump from the well and replacing the entire motor. This is not a cheap process! Saving a few dollars initially can really lead to much larger costs down the road, so I encourage you to stick with the 3 wire option if possible. (Many newer pumps come with a 3-phase 3 wire motor that require special motor controllers to operate called “VFD’s” or “Drive’s.” These types of pump motors should not be confused with the single phase motors just described in the previous paragraph.)
Now, back to working through the linked examples to understand more about them. The 1 HP Goulds Submersible well pump link doesn’t give us any information on how much pressure this pump can produce. By getting the model number from the link and heading to google we can type in “Goulds 25GS10 pump curve” and then click on the images tab to find the appropriate pump curve. The pump curve is simply a graph of the flow rate vs pressure that a pump can produce. In this case we find that the Goulds 25GS10 produces a maximum pressure of 200’ TDH at a flow rate of 8 GPM and will flow up to 33 GPM at a TDH of 60’ of head.
This 1 HP Goulds pump provides the same basic, but again, incomplete information as the first pump we looked at. 1 HP Goulds pump, etc... When we google “Goulds 18HS10” for the pump curve we find out that it can provide 240’ TDH at 6 GPM and 28 GPM at 90’ TDH. The simple fact is that the 1 HP 25GS10 pumps water at lower pressures and higher flow rates than the 1 HP 18HS10 pump! Make sure you dig into the details before purchasing a submersible well pump.
Oakville Pump Service has trained professionals with decades of experience. Our professionals will help you select the correct submersible well pump for your residential, commercial or agricultural well in the Napa and Pope Valley areas. OPS knows pumps and pump manufacturers. Wether your water is deep, sandy, hot, or full of minerals; we can help you choose the pump best suited for your application. Our team will ensure you get the pump that will last the longest, work the most efficiently and be installed in a manner that represents the highest industry standards! Call us today at (707)944-2471
To learn more about choosing the best pump, motor, wire and pipe for your pump installation, check out our 2 part blog that will help you understand the details. If you have additional questions you’d like our blog to address, please contact us and we will try to address them in future blogs!
Oakville Pump Service has trained professionals with decades of experience. Our professionals will help you select the correct submersible well pump for your residential, commercial or agricultural well in the Napa and Pope Valley areas. OPS knows pumps and pump manufacturers. Whether your water is deep, sandy, hot, or full of minerals; we can help you choose the pump best suited for your application. Our team will ensure you get the pump that will last the longest, work the most efficiently and be installed in a manner that represents the highest industry standards! Call us today at (707)944-2471
If you have additional questions you’d like our blog to address, please contact us and we will try to address them in future blogs!
Amazon or other links have been provided to provide illustrations of products mentioned in this blog. These links are not intended to show the exact product for your specific application, rather a generic example of the product(s) referenced. While purchasing these items is possible, please do so after having done your own due diligence and understanding that these links may generate commissions.