The Deep Well Jet Pump – Things You Need to Know

Drawing water from deep down the ground was never easy until the advent of the deep water pump. It is used for getting water from a deep well, and irrespective of whether you live in the village or city, you might be utilizing water from a deep well. The deep well pump comes in different types and sizes. The number of manufactures of these pumps are also many and thus you can never run short of who to buy from. The only catch might be in getting a reputed manufacturer.

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Uses of a Deep Well Pump

Water drawn from a deep well serves many purposes. The deep well pump has solved the water problem in many areas and has helped many save a lot of money that could otherwise be spent in paying water bills. Areas which do not have electricity can now use the manual or hand pump. Others can use the electricity-driven, solar deep well pump.

Some of the uses of the water drawn using a deep well pump include: drinking, washing, bathing, irrigation, industrial uses, cooking, cooling, and many others. The deep well draws water from deep wells without much effort and this has made it easy to get water in areas where there is a water shortage. It is highly recommend to purify water drawn from deep wells before drinking.

The Deep Well Jet Pump

The deep well jet pump is a type of deep well pump that is designed for drawing water from wells of 22 to 120 feet. It ideally uses two principles when pumping water; an injector and centrifugal pump.

The deep well jet pump uses the following mechanism in pumping water from deep wells:

When the pump and the pipe system are full of water, the impeller pushes the water upwards by its spinning vanes.
When the water is thrown out, a vacuum is automatically created at the impeller’s eye. This draws in more water to replace what was pushed out. The process repeats itself as more water is thrown and more is pushed through the pump into the pressure tank.
The vacuum is created at the injector by the venturi and nozzle. It’s this vacuum that draws the water from the deep well. When the water passes through the venturi on its way to the suction line, pressure builds up which forces the water back to the impeller.

The pumping depth, pump size, and distance of the pump to the well determine the size of the venturi and nozzle chosen. Most of the manufacturers out there will give you a chart showing the dimensions to be chosen. For maximum efficiency to be attained, choose the proper size of drive lines and suction.

Pros and Cons of the Deep Well Jet Pumps

Pros

Easily adaptable to various depths and yields.
Quite inexpensive when compared to other pumps.
Less troublesome to maintain when chosen wisely and installed correctly.

Cons

The deep well pump tends to be affected by abrasives like sand. They cause the impeller and the mechanical seals to wear out. This will eventually result in water leakage through the pump shaft.

One other drawback associated with a deep well jet pump is that it tends to be less efficient with the increase in pumping lift. The general rule is that for lifts that are greater than 80 feet opt for submersible pumps. However, the well yield should be sufficient and the water free from sand. The deep well pump performs poorly when it comes to pumping water that has air or gases.

The prime of a deep well jet pump is lost as the water in the well goes below the foot valve. To avoid this weakness, fit to the injector an automatic pressure regulator and a weak well tailpipe. The regulator will automatically control the pumping rate depending on the well capacity.

Deep Well Jet Pump Maintenance

Jet pumps do not require regular maintenance. Nonetheless, on rare occasions the nozzle may become completely filled with plastic scraps or dirt. When such a blockage occurs the following will occur;

The pump loses its prime.
The pump draws water below its capacity.
Pump unable to build pressure
It becomes impossible to prime.

Another problem that occurs with a deep well jet pump is that mineral deposits accumulate on metal components. These eventually end up clogging the nozzle which will force you to remove the entire jet assembly from the well for cleaning.

The Life Expectancy of a Jet Pump

The life expectancy of any particular well pump will depend solely on the: type of pump, water chemistry, duty cycle, voltage levels, and usage. The jet pump will also last depending on the particular type in question. For instance, a one line above-ground well jet pump and a deep well jet pump can last for up to 20 years. On the minimum, it can take 4 years before it requires a replacement.

Ordinary well pumps last for up to 10 years in the US and at Mexico and Central America it lasts for approximately 5 years. Some of the factors that affect the life expectancy of a deep well jet pump include the following:

Duty Cycle – a pump that is subjected to heavy work will not last longer than a similar pump subjected to little or no pumping every day.
Motor size or Horsepower – a larger motor with more horsepower capability generally lasts longer than a smaller motor with little horsepower capability.
Motor quality – the quality of the motor and its components will affect the durability of the pump.
Compatibility between the well pump capacity and well’s output rate.
Water sediments will wear out the moving parts.

A Final Word

The deep well jet pump is essential for solving water shortage problems in not only the upcountry but also in the city. To get started, invest in your knowledge about the options at your disposal then seek advice from a professional before making a purchase. The wide variety of pumps available in the market do not come cheap and therefore it is wise to understand what you are buying before the investment is made.