# generator for well pump



## puddlejumper007 (Jan 12, 2008)

hi...there probably is the answer in here already, but could not find it....i would like to but a generator that would run my well pump when electric goes out... any ideas......thank pat


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Look at the pump information to learn what the wattage requirements it has or the amperage requirements which multiplied by voltage will give watts.

Look for a generator with plenty of surplus as pump draw at start up is much greater than when just running and pumping. 

I used a 5,000 watt generator to pump 35 gallons per minute and the diesel engine seemed to work fairly hard continually.


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## puddlejumper007 (Jan 12, 2008)

:goodjob:thank you for the info.....


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## ColumbiaSC. (Nov 25, 2005)

mine is a 5275 with a peak 7500 it does the job good so far, I turn off the water heater when we draw a bath. It burns about 1/2 a gallon of gas per hour also.


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

DH and I are considering adding a 500 gallon water tank up on top of the pumphouse so that we can use our 8000 wt generator to pump water into it if the power goes out. Will a gas generator of this size hold up to pumping the water several times a week?


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

firegirl969 said:


> DH and I are considering adding a 500 gallon water tank up on top of the pumphouse so that we can use our 8000 wt generator to pump water into it if the power goes out. Will a gas generator of this size hold up to pumping the water several times a week?


For my 35 gpm well that would be about 15 minutes pumping time for each empty tank filling. Your generator should stand up to that.


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## artificer (Feb 26, 2007)

When requesting pump/generator information, we need to know the flow (gpm) and head height. With these numbers, you can get a power requirement.

My 10gpm, 110ft to water, 3/4hp pump runs on the 4000watt Onan with very little effort. Once I get the transformer, I could run the pump with the Honda EU2000i as well.

Michael


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Puddle jumper; Take note of artificer's post above. He says that the 3/4 hp pump runs ok on his 4000w Onan gen.
A very big part of the reason why is that the Onan is way up high on the list of 'good' generators. It has 'enough' head room to start his pump.. . .also the Honda is high quality.

The point I'm getting at is that those gosh awfull cheapy (2-300 buck) gen's wont handle that kind of load. . . .with any kind of reliability ---if at all.

If the stuff has hit the fan and you need to depend on a generator to give you water . . . . .do you really want to depend on a cheapy .??? 

I don't.


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## Victoria-VA (May 25, 2009)

Have you considered a hand pump for your well? 
_________________
http://www.waterwellhandpumps.com
Buy deep and shallow well hand pumps that fits right along your submersible pump. Solar water pump, 12 volt water pump, off the grid, emergency use, survival.


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