Jet & Well Pumps

About Jet Pumps and Well Pumps

Choose from a large selection of name brand jet/well pumps at PlumbersStock. We are known for having great deals on all our pumps, so shop around. To help you navigate the product, please understand that not all well pumps are jet pumps and vice versa.

Jet/well pumps are designed for plumbing and irrigation applications. Though we offer wholesale prices, no matter how you look at it, these items are big purchases, so let us help you find the best pump for your needs, or we can help find the best replacement pump parts.

What Is a Well Pump?

For those of us who live in rural regions, well pumps are used to deliver water to home water systems. Whereas cities have an underground network of pipes that transport water to each home, this network doesn’t always apply once you move out to the country. There is not a vast grid supplying water in many remote areas. Each home or cabin in these areas has an electromechanical system to transport water from the well to the home, and at the heart of this system is a well pump. When talking about well pumps, there are three basic types: centrifugal, jet, and submersible.

Before we can talk about each pump in detail, it’s good to get an overview of how this system works. Well pumps use suction and pressure to bring water up from a well. Residential well pumps typically have less than one horsepower of energy while commercial pumps can work together with other pumps to supply water to an entire neighborhood.

While well pumps can supply water to systems such as your home drinking water, it’s important to install filters on the line if the water is going to be used for consumption. Underground well water is usually pure but contaminants may enter the pipe network and cause unsafe drinking water. Filters will help neutralize bacteria and give you peace of mind whenever you turn on the tap.

The amount of use you plan to give your well pump will tell you the size and relative power pump you need. If you need your pump to run a garden hose, a small pump will do. If you plan on supplying water for your whole home, plan out the maximum daily water uptake and purchase a pump that can handle that many gallons per hour. For instance, a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home will use approximately 14 gallons/ minute, the equivalent of 840 gallons/ hour. You’ll need to make sure your well pump can handle this maximum amount.

Types of Well Pumps

  • Centrifugal Pumps - A centrifugal pump uses an impeller to move water. Water enters the pump through the impeller, and then it is rapidly accelerated outward. A vacuum is created at the impeller, which continuously draws more water in, pushing the water that has already passed up and out of the well through the pipe. Centrifugal pumps are best used to provide high to very high flow rates and increase water pressure.
  • Submersible Well Pumps - A submersible pump is a pump that has a sealed motor and is submerged into the fluid to be pumped, in this case, water. Submersible pumps have the advantage of being able to provide superior lifting force since it doesn’t’ rely on external air pressure to lift the fluid. This makes this type of pump ideal for deep wells and capable of lifting moderate to high volumes of water.
  • Jet Pumps - Jet pumps are a type of centrifugal pump that is mounted above ground and lifts water out of the ground through a suction pipe. Unlike typical centrifugal pumps, jet pumps come with one or more impellers and have the addition of a jet ejector. Jet pumps are best used in areas with high water tables and warm climates. There are two types of jet pumps: Shallow Well and Deep Well pumps. Shallow well jet pumps can lift the water up about 25 feet. Deep well jet pumps typically lift water from 90 - 300 feet.

What Is a Jet Pump?

As a surface-mounted well pump, jet pumps are named for the manner in which they operate (as opposed to their application). Their most common use is to reliably transport water to a remote home (cottage or cabin), or within a sprinkler system.

Jet well pumps are made of three working mechanisms: the nozzle, throat, and diffuser. Power fluid at high pressure (low velocity) is converted to low pressure (high velocity) by use of the nozzle. As the flow rate of the power fluid increases, the pressure at the entrance of the throat becomes lower. This low pressure allows water to be drawn in from the well. The water is pumped by the low-pressure jet into the throat. At the throat, the combined power fluid and water are slowed by the diffuser. As the velocity decreases, the pressure increases to allow it to pump the water to the surface.

Although jet jumps are a type of modified centrifugal pump, they are less efficient due to friction loss. However, they can be made more efficient when working with combined media that includes gases or in conditions that involve turbulence.

The housing for a jet pump can be made of a few different materials, including plastics such as polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTEE). Plastics are great materials because they are inexpensive, corrosion-resistant, and chemical-resistant. Steel alloys such as stainless steel are stronger and more scratch-resistant than plastics, and they offer high corrosion and chemical resistance for a slightly higher price. Finally, cast iron is a possible housing material choice which provides high strength and scratch-resistance.

Types of Jet Pumps

There are four types of jet pumps, although the most common two are deep well and shallow well. In addition to these two, there is a convertible jet pump and a miniature version.

  1. Deep Well Jet Pump – These are used in deep underground wells. Best for oil wells, these high-volume pumps can transport fluid anywhere from 90 – 15,000 feet in depth. The most common deep well pumps thrust from a maximum depth of 150 feet or 300 feet and uses two suction pipes to draw fluid up. Additionally, deep well pumps are submerged inside the fluid of the well.
  2. Shallow Well Pump – These pumps are used in wells that are closer to the surface. Best for private residential wells, these pumps can usually pump up to 25 feet and are not submersible. The ejectors in these pumps are bolted to the nose of the pump and a single suction pipe is used to draw water out. For this pump, make sure it has an overload protection feature that prevents motor burnout.
  3. Convertible Jet Pump – Convertible pumps are best used in applications where there is a fluctuating water table. The name “convertible” refers to the fact that these pumps can be used for deep or shallow wells. These pumps come with two suction pipes and are not submersible.
  4. Miniature Jet Pump – Mini ones are used for smaller applications. In commercial industries, many aquariums use miniature jet well pumps.

Buy Jet/Well Pumps Online

When choosing a well or jet pump there are many questions that need to be answered and many factors that need to be taken into consideration. You need to know if it is going to be a shallow, deep, or convertible pump. Is there a need to keep the air pressure in the tank? Is it necessary to have a filter and what kind? Or which chemicals can be damaging if any? What are the issues with choosing a pump that has high horsepower?

We are proud partners with quality jet and well pump brands, like:

  • Grundfos
  • Little Giant
  • and more!
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