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There are three basic types of pumps used to draw water from the well: submersible, jet and piston. All three can be used for either type of well but the submersible pump is used most frequently for deep wells.

The piston pump is a direct descendant of the old hand pump and is, therefore not in general use today. It derives its name from the fact that its operation consists of a piston that draws water into a cylinder and then discharges it on every alternative stroke.

A jet pump consists of two components: a jet assembly and a centrifugal pump. The pump is similar to a small water wheel which is driven by a motor. This wheel increases the velocity and the pressure of the water and diverts a portion of it to the jet assembly. The jet assembly has no moving parts but uses this recirculated water to create a suction which draws well water into the assembly and pushes this water back to the pump. The water passes through the pump as noted earlier and part of it is circulated again and part is sent on to the house water system.

A submersible pump is located in the well and the electric motor and centrifugal pump are both designed to operate under water. Since the pump is located in the well, water is drawn in through screened openings and is pumped up through a single discharge pipe. Although this type pump is difficult to service, benefits are its quiet operation due to its location and its ability to function in very deep wells. If a system consisted solely of the piping and pump, the pump would have to operate every time someone filled a glass with water or flushed a toilet. Since this would result in excessive wear and premature failure of the pump, a storage or "pressure" tank is installed in the system. This tank is partially filled with air and as the pump forces water into the tank, the air is compressed. This compressed air forces water through the household pipes when a faucet or valve is opened. As the water leaves the storage tank, the air inside expands and the pressure decreases. When the pressure in the tank drops, the pump is activated and forces water into the tank until the pressure increases. A gauge in the system will indicate the current pressure. A pressure switch in the system senses the pressure and activates the pump accordingly. This switch is normally adjustable with average pre-set start/stop pressure of approximately 30 to 50 psi.

Most modern systems do not require much maintenance, but the HouseMaster Technical Staff offers these points for consideration:

A waterlogged tank occurs when the air in the tank is slowly absorbed into the water. This condition causes the pressure to change rapidly in the system as the water enters or leaves the tank and, therefore, the pump cycles (starts and stops frequently). Introduction of more air into the tank corrects this condition.

Since the water from the well is usually approximately 52-55°F., condensation can occur in the storage tank and cold water piping. In order to minimize this sweating and consequent dripping and rusting, insulation can be installed on the tank and affected piping.


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INFORMATION SERIES: Private Water Systems
While a private water system may be a well, spring or cistern, the most common type of private water system is a well and, therefore, this guide will focus on that type. The fresh water which is the water surface of most wells is "ground water." This is the term which describes precipitation such as rain and snow which seeps into the ground and percolates down to a saturated layer of sand, gravel or rock. The top surface of this water is referred to as the "water table." It is the filtering of the water through the ground which purifies it although the water can pick up minerals and other pollutants as part of this percolation process. In general, deeper wells provide better quality water due to this filtering, but the quality of the water should never be taken for granted. An analysis of the water should therefore be taken at the time of the well installation and periodically thereafter. An analysis is also recommended and possibly required, when purchasing a house with a private water system. A portability test will simply determine if the water contains any bacteria which may indicate contamination from nearby sewage water and is the minimum testing required in most instances. Since there is always a chance of other conditions such as excessive mineral content, hardness, acidity or chemical contamination, a complete water analysis is desirable. There are two types of wells: "shallow wells" which draw water from less than 25 feet below ground level and "deep wells" that draw water from greater depths. While deep wells provide better filtration and decreased chance of contamination as noted earlier, the increased depth makes it more difficult to draw the water up.	There are three basic types of pumps used to draw water from the well: submersible, jet and piston. All three can be used for either type of well but the submersible pump is used most frequently for deep wells. The piston pump is a direct descendant of the old hand pump and is, therefore not in general use today. It derives its name from the fact that its operation consists of a piston that draws water into a cylinder and then discharges it on every alternative stroke. A jet pump consists of two components: a jet assembly and a centrifugal pump. The pump is similar to a small water wheel which is driven by a motor. This wheel increases the velocity and the pressure of the water and diverts a portion of it to the jet assembly. The jet assembly has no moving parts but uses this recirculated water to create a suction which draws well water into the assembly and pushes this water back to the pump. The water passes through the pump as noted earlier and part of it is circulated again and part is sent on to the house water system. A submersible pump is located in the well and the electric motor and centrifugal pump are both designed to operate under water. Since the pump is located in the well, water is drawn in through screened openings and is pumped up through a single discharge pipe. Although this type pump is difficult to service, benefits are its quiet operation due to its location and its ability to function in very deep wells. If a system consisted solely of the piping and pump, the pump would have to operate every time someone filled a glass with water or flushed a toilet. Since this would result in excessive wear and premature failure of the pump, a storage or "pressure" tank is installed in the system. This tank is partially filled with air and as the pump forces water into the tank, the air is compressed. This compressed air forces water through the household pipes when a faucet or valve is opened. As the water leaves the storage tank, the air inside expands and the pressure decreases. When the pressure in the tank drops, the pump is activated and forces water into the tank until the pressure increases. A gauge in the system will indicate the current pressure. A pressure switch in the system senses the pressure and activates the pump accordingly. This switch is normally adjustable with average pre-set start/stop pressure of approximately 30 to 50 psi. Most modern systems do not require much maintenance, but the HouseMaster Technical Staff offers these points for consideration: A waterlogged tank occurs when the air in the tank is slowly absorbed into the water. This condition causes the pressure to change rapidly in the system as the water enters or leaves the tank and, therefore, the pump cycles (starts and stops frequently). Introduction of more air into the tank corrects this condition. Since the water from the well is usually approximately 52-55°F., condensation can occur in the storage tank and cold water piping. In order to minimize this sweating and consequent dripping and rusting, insulation can be installed on the tank and affected piping.

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