Solar Water Pumps

Well Water Pump:  Buying Guide

A well water pump draws water from a well that can go as shallow as less than 10 feet to as deep as 400 to 500 feet.  When you go to the shop, you might be confused with all of the sizes and types of pumps that are being offered.  You will surely be more confused on which pump to buy when you go to several online sites that offer the product.  How will you know the one that will give you steady supply of water 24/7?  Two of the most important things you need to consider are the depth of your well and how much water do you need for a day.

There are 3 kinds of well water pump:  shallow water pump, deep well jet pump and submersible pump.  Each kind has a specific purpose.  Let us start with the shallow water pump.  It is used for wells that are less than 20 feet.  It is usually installed on the ground near the well or in the basement of the house.  Water is drawn from the underground by creating vacuum that produces water pressure.  The water pressure creates a suction power that lifts the water up.

A deep well jet pump, unlike a solar powered water pump, has its electric motor and impeller on the ground and the jet assembly submerged in water. It uses 2 lines, one line that produces vacuum to pump water from underground. The other line pushes water back to the other line which produces added air pressure. This system makes it possible for it to pump water from deeper wells. It can be used to for wells that go as deep as 20 feet to several hundreds feet.

Submersible well water pump is used for deep wells that need a large quantity of water.  Mostly it is used for use on irrigation and water supply of villages.  The electric motor, series of impellers and the jet assembly are all in the well casing which is submerged in the well water.  It is submerged and pulled by a rope.  Since it doesn’t use suction but instead pushes the water up, it can provide greater pressure thus more amount of water is drawn for a small period of time.

Choose shallow well water pump if the well is less than 20 feet deep.  If the well is deeper than 20 feet and you will use it for basic home water needs, choose a deep well jet pump.  If you have a deep well and you need the large amount of water, your choice should be a good submersible water pump.

If you want to determine the rating of the pump that you will buy, you need to know that a pump is rated based on GPM or gallon per minute.  For every plumbing fixture in your house, you need 1 GPM.  For example, if you have 4 sinks, 2 tubs and 2 showers, you need a pump with 8GPM.

These are the two most important things that you need to know before you go out and shop for a deep water well pump. For more information, you can consult a plumbing contractor who knows a thing or two about solar water pumps or do your research on the internet.