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Well Pump Cycles every 30 seconds

11K views 73 replies 11 participants last post by  AI Inc 
#1 ·
Hello:

New poster here, but I have a 350 foot well, and the 5 hp motor cycles when I irrigate every 30 seconds. 30 seconds to recharge, 30 seconds to drain. I have an older style bladderless tank that is about 200 gallons.

So I thought I was water logged, so I drained it, then filled it. The water comes up, hits the air control valve and closes, so then it charges and runs between 45 and 75 psi.

No effect though, same 30 seconds. I am only running 4-5 rainbird 5000 sprinklers with 4-5 gpm heads, the well gets about 20-25 gpm, so this seems reasonable...

Is 5 hp motor just to big? should run more continuous shouldn't it?
 
#8 ·
and need to clarify, we didn't drill it 60 feet deeper, but we were getting something like 9 gpm in the well, but the pump was like 80 feet off the bottom... so we lowered it down 60 feet, so it's about 20 feet up from the bottom and then we now get 22 gpm just by lowering the pump down to the bottom.

as for stations, I have about an acre and I run a hunter pro c with all rainbird 5000's. I have 12 stations total. each station only has 4-5 heads on them, and they run 4-5 gpm nozzles on each... all pretty similar really.
 
#10 ·
hmm, when we got it, our local landscape company had put in 6 stations here and the whole system, so we just followed what they did on the stations when we added the next 6.

They all had 4 gpm heads on them and run 4 nozzles per station, so I followed their design... seemed logical :)

you think it's not keeping up? (delay between zones?)
 
#12 ·
I feel like we should have a 2 horse motor really...
That would be the norm.
You cant really use more water because you are already using almost all of it. So your only other real choice is to use less and slow down the cycleing. I happen to like delays It lets one valve shut completely , pressure build up , then next zone comes on under full pressure.
 
#14 ·
to do so on a pro c , from the run position push and hold the - button while turning the dial to set station run times . Your delay will appear.
Don't go to set start times while doing that. That is to turn the rain sensor off on certain zones.
 
#15 ·
I can add that, I know the hunter pro c lets me do a delay...

Not really going to do much other than spread out the cycle, but really the pump is going to come on and off the same amount of times...

What would you estimate in terms of moving to a 2 hp motor instead of a 5 hp motor? would a 20 gpm rate be more consistent and continuous? or at least back out to 5 or 6 minutes to cycle? I know it probably depends on depth, but whats your experience?
 
#19 ·
and need to clarify, we didn't drill it 60 feet deeper, but we were getting something like 9 gpm in the well, but the pump was like 80 feet off the bottom... so we lowered it down 60 feet, so it's about 20 feet up from the bottom and then we now get 22 gpm just by lowering the pump down to the bottom.

as for stations, I have about an acre and I run a hunter pro c with all rainbird 5000's. I have 12 stations total. each station only has 4-5 heads on them, and they run 4-5 gpm nozzles on each... all pretty similar really.
Something is funny here. Lowering the pump 80 should not have picked up in excess of 10 gpm. I have a feeling that oversized pump is giving the appearance the well is producing more then it really is.
 
#22 ·
sorry, didn't realize I wasn't suppose to post in these forums??? or in a home owner one. I just googled, found this forum, found a similar post, thought I would post...

for the pump lowering, that does make sense doesn't it, the water recharging the well is found in that extra 60 feet... Even if the water was there before, not having the pump down below it's level means it was never tapped.

The question I had to them was why was it so high off the bottom of the well.
 
#24 ·
Interesting and maybe educational topic Mike . Thinking other irrigation contractors may want to see it.
yes, I agree (and not to go too of topic) but we "try" to keep things in their appropriate forums and also figure most of you irrigation guys thought the same...anyway, I can move it back to the irrigation forum

thanks all, now back on topic :):waving:
 
#25 ·
Sure, that makes sense... well I do appreciate the help. I did adjust those nozzles and slowed the turn on time from 30 seconds to 1 minute, then 30 seconds to recharge... It's better than what it was.

I am thinking it's just the way it is for a high horse motor... I think looking at a 2 horse when this one does go in 15 years maybe a better aligned pump for my needs.

or I have a creek nearby, maybe hook into that for irrigation at some point...

I do appreciate the feedback, kind of reaffirms what I have been doing and thinking.
 
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