Coping with Dirty Water Conditions 5.7
PS pumps have good resistance to quantities of sand and
fine sediment that can normally occur in a well. However,
any amount of abrasive material will reduce the life of this
pump, like any other pump. Extreme sediment can cause
the pump to stick. Sediment can also settle inside the drop
pipe each time the pump stops, and block the flow. For
water sources that contain high amounts of sand, clay, or
other solids, consider the following suggestions.
To avoid pumping dirty water
Have your well purged, developed, or otherwise 1.
improved by a water well contractor before installing
the pump.
Temporarily install a more powerful pump to draw at 2.
a high flow rate until the water looks clean.
Set the pump as high as possible in the well. If the 3.
pump can be placed higher than the perforations
in the well casing, it will probably avoid all but the
finest suspended silt.
After lowering the pump in a well, wait at least 15 4.
minutes for sediment or debris to settle down.
If the water source is at the surface, dig a shallow 5.
well next to the water source to obtain clean water.
If the water source is at the surface, use a fabric 6.
screen to protect the pump. See section 6.5
If dirty water cannot be avoided
Use a reduced size of drop pipe. This will maximize 1.
the velocity of water flow in order to exhaust sand
particles. Refer to section 13.3, Water Pipe Sizing
Chart. Select the smallest size pipe that does not
impose excessive friction loss. Use a reducer bushing
on the pump if necessary, to adapt it to a smaller
pipe size. See the caution about plastic bushings in
section 6.3
Monitor the situation regularly by observing the 2.
volume of water pumped and/or the current draw of
the pump. For AC amps, see sections 9.3 and 13.8
As a pump wears, its flow rate (and current draw)
will decrease gradually. Replace the pump end when
reduced performance is observed, or before your
season of greatest water demand. Increased current
draw may indicate debris stuck in the pump and/
or pipe.
Before opening a pump that is clogged with dirt, see the
CAUTION about removing check valve, see section 9.1
QUESTION What effect does
hard, mineralized, alkaline or
salty water have? — ANSWER
Generally, none. Dissolved minerals and salts
are not abrasive.
QUESTION How is a pump
damaged from “dry run”? —
ANSWER If the pump runs
completely dry, parts will overheat and be dam-
aged. However, if water is only trickling into
the pump, it will usually provide enough
lubrication and cooling to prevent damage.
Utilizing a Low-Production Water Source5.8
PS pumps can make the best of a limited water source,
even if the pumping rate can exceed the recovery rate. You
want to draw the most water possible, without running dry.
PS-Pumps can handle this in two ways.
The low-water probe The low-water probe allows the
pump to work to its full potential until the water level
drops, see section 5.9. This is a good strategy because you
get all the water you can while the sun shines. Place the
pump near the bottom of the well to utilize the storage of
water in the well. When the pump is stopped by the low-
water probe, it re-starts after a 20 minute delay. The Low
Water OFF light will slowly flash even after the water recov-
ers and the pump restarts, to indicate that the level got low
at some time during the day. See section 5.9, Low Water
Probe. It may be feasible to hang the probe independently
and use it to locate the water level at any moment. See
section 6.4, Safety Rope and Binding
Reduce the Maximum RPM setting If the well has
little storage capacity, the supply may recover before the
20-minute restart delay. In this case, reduce the “Maximum
RPM” setting in the controller. See section 5.6
WARNING Do not use a valve as a
means of reducing the flow. With a
helical rotor pump, excessive
pressure may result. Use the
Maximum RPM setting instead.
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