Need more GPM out of my well....

Dieselbear · 06-23-2012, 02:22 PM

I have city water for the house, however all outdoors water needs are supplied via a well. Previous owners I dont think could have ever done any more than water some flowers with this thing becuase it's pretty poor output..
Ive been trying to clean and power wash siding on the garage but I can only get about a minute's worth of washing before it starts to hiccup and be starved for water. I'm brushing in Wolman's wood cleaner so needless to say a lack of water is leaving me frustrated with blotchly results attm.
I have a 1.6gpm electric washer that I just bought and reailly dont want to fry it...
I dont really know much about pumps, but it 's tagged as a jet pump and was 1/2 hp . The blue holding tank next to it I dont think could be more than 8-12 gals..
So is this issue a lack of hp pulling and pushing the water or lack of water storage to pull from?
Im a big fan of power washing/clean my truck and other toys so it will get used pretty often...

Akpsdvan · 06-23-2012, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dieselbear

I have city water for the house, however all outdoors water needs are supplied via a well. Previous owners I dont think could have ever done any more than water some flowers with this thing becuase it's pretty poor output..
Ive been trying to clean and power wash siding on the garage but I can only get about a minute's worth of washing before it starts to hiccup and be starved for water. I'm brushing in Wolman's wood cleaner so needless to say a lack of water is leaving me frustrated with blotchly results attm.
I have a 1.6gpm electric washer that I just bought and reailly dont want to fry it...
I dont really know much about pumps, but it 's tagged as a jet pump and was 1/2 hp . The blue holding tank next to it I dont think could be more than 8-12 gals..
So is this issue a lack of hp pulling and pushing the water or lack of water storage to pull from?
Im a big fan of power washing/clean my truck and other toys so it will get used pretty often...

You will need to find a well driller to find out just what the recovery rate is for your well.
You can only pump out of the well what the well will recover at.
ie if the recovery rate is 5gpm then that is the max you should pump at.

md2lgyk · 06-23-2012, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akpsdvan

You will need to find a well driller to find out just what the recovery rate is for your well.
You can only pump out of the well what the well will recover at.
ie if the recovery rate is 5gpm then that is the max you should pump at.

I beg to disagree. Depends on how deep the well is and what the static water level is. The recovery rate of my well is around 2gpm, but it is 700 feet deep. The static level is around 100 ft. I could pump 5gpm (or more) for a very long time.

Akpsdvan · 06-23-2012, 05:29 PM

But if your well recovers at 2gpm and a flow rate of 5gpm will equal running out of water at a point and do damage to the pump.

At a 5gpm flow and a recovery of 2gpm and starting with about 400 gallons in the well, most likely at about the 3 hour mark your pump will start to cavite or pull air.

Dieselbear · 06-23-2012, 07:56 PM

Crisis averted.... I think... As I was putting things away, I went to shut off the hydrant in the garage and noticed that the rod w/in wasn't moving up/down or opening/closing... Break the set screw free and adjusted it, washer worked full tilt for 5 mins straight... Thankfully a easy remedy, but D'oh since I struggled all day with it!!