Well pressure boost for lawn irrigation system.

wernerp · 08-21-2011, 10:47 AM

I have a well installed for lawn irrigation. It is a 26' deep sand point well. It doesn't appear to be putting out sufficient pressure to cover the sprinkler areas. I don't believe the prior owners ever pulled the pump to perform maintenance or winterize. Is there any maintenance that can be performed to increase pressure, or is there any kind of jet pump or booster I can add?

wernerp · 08-21-2011, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wernerp

I have a well installed for lawn irrigation. It is a 26' deep sand point well. It doesn't appear to be putting out sufficient pressure to cover the sprinkler areas. I don't believe the prior owners ever pulled the pump to perform maintenance or winterize. Is there any maintenance that can be performed to increase pressure, or is there any kind of jet pump or booster I can add?

I also do not have a pressure tank installed. The well pump discharges directly to the sprinkler system.

plumberboy69 · 08-21-2011, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wernerp

I also do not have a pressure tank installed. The well pump discharges directly to the sprinkler system.

the first question i have for u is how old is the pump? another question is what size is ur pump? i have a similar set up at my house and i have a pressure tank and switch controlling the well so i can regulate the pressure alot more. you could be dealing with a simple problem that ur pump doesnt deliver enough water because ur pump is to small of a gpm pump. but there is alot that goes into sizing a pump for a well. if u put a pump in that is to big them u take a chance of pumping ur well off. i would find out the gpm of the zones in ur irrigation and make sure that ur irrigation isnt trying to use more water than ur pump can deliver. if that is the problem there are many different solution to that problem. the fastest solution would to be to change out the nozzles on ur sprinkler heads and adjust the time that they run to make sure for proper irrigation.

wernerp · 08-21-2011, 06:03 PM

Thank you, I will look into it. I believe the pump is about 3 years old. The previous owner installed a couple of years before I bought the place.

Alan · 08-21-2011, 06:14 PM

If it doesn't have a pressure tank, what keeps the pump from burning up? IE : What controls the on/off points?

plumberboy69 · 08-22-2011, 07:50 AM

if u have a controller on the sprinkler system the controller can be set up to make the pump turn on and off as needed.

Alan · 08-22-2011, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plumberboy69

if u have a controller on the sprinkler system the controller can be set up to make the pump turn on and off as needed.

So the pump just runs continually while irrigation is turned on???

plumberboy69 · 08-22-2011, 02:57 PM

yeah it sure sounds that way from what u r saying. it is usually done like that on real big irrigation systems like small industrial or commercial.

Alan · 08-22-2011, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plumberboy69

yeah it sure sounds that way from what u r saying. it is usually done like that on real big irrigation systems like small industrial or commercial.

Yes, but THOSE kinds of systems usually have a much larger flow/recovery requirement, upwards of 30 GPM or even more, in order to keep the pump in water.

In a residential well, i'd say it would be safe to assume that the well recovery rate may not be enough to keep up with the demand of the irrigation.

BUT : without knowing specifics on the well itself, and the type of irrigation being supplied by said well, it's impossible really to figure out how much water is actually there.

Especially considering that some people consider "low flow" to be low pressure.

The pump may be pumping all the water it can, and there just aint no more.

08-21-2011, 10:47 AM	#1
wernerp Newbie Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 3	Well pressure boost for lawn irrigation system. I have a well installed for lawn irrigation. It is a 26' deep sand point well. It doesn't appear to be putting out sufficient pressure to cover the sprinkler areas. I don't believe the prior owners ever pulled the pump to perform maintenance or winterize. Is there any maintenance that can be performed to increase pressure, or is there any kind of jet pump or booster I can add?

08-21-2011, 06:03 PM	#4
wernerp Newbie Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 3	Well pressure boost for lawn irrigation system. Thank you, I will look into it. I believe the pump is about 3 years old. The previous owner installed a couple of years before I bought the place.

08-21-2011, 06:14 PM	#5
Alan Doing it myself Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Crescent City, CA Posts: 3,454	Well pressure boost for lawn irrigation system. If it doesn't have a pressure tank, what keeps the pump from burning up? IE : What controls the on/off points? __________________ Journeyman Plumber

08-22-2011, 07:50 AM	#6
plumberboy69 plumbing,softener,well Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: indiana Posts: 7	Well pressure boost for lawn irrigation system. if u have a controller on the sprinkler system the controller can be set up to make the pump turn on and off as needed.

08-22-2011, 02:57 PM	#8
plumberboy69 plumbing,softener,well Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: indiana Posts: 7	Well pressure boost for lawn irrigation system. yeah it sure sounds that way from what u r saying. it is usually done like that on real big irrigation systems like small industrial or commercial.

Well pressure boost for lawn irrigation system.