# jet pump noise



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I finished hooking up my new well, jet pump and plumbing last night.

The pump seems noisy compared to the old non-jet pump. It sounds like it's vibrating the floor.

I think I may know the cause but I'd like another opinion. When I hooked the pump to the well I didn't tighten the coupler nuts tight enough and it sucked air. I fixed that but in doing so I think I pulled my plumbing to the fixtures above, tight against the flooring and that is why it makes so much noise. Tonight I'm going to release the pipe coupler to see how much it pulls back and then splice in the 1/2" or whatever it needs to take the tension off.

The pump sits on some wooden blocks nailed together because the concrete floor is so uneven. I tapped some wooden shims under the block but it still isn't as solid as I would like. Any suggestions?

Also, the pipe comes through the basement wall for 2' turns and goes another 4' to the pump. Does that need to be supported?

Are jet pumps noiser than other pumps?


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Jet pumps are noisy by design. As you are aware it takes the recirculating water within the pump to create the flow of the water that is delivered. As this water is "round robined" within the plumbing there is that noise that is associated with the water making those quick turns. I personally do not like jet pumps and when I no longer have any 2 inch cased wells to maintain I will be relieved. The cost to maintain the jet pumps continues to rise and the benefits of a submersible pump become more attractive.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I don't care for jet pumps either. I had a 3/4 hp one at the farm and it only pumped 10 gal/min. I switched to a 1/2 hp centrifical and got 20 gal/min.

For some reason jet pumps were the only kind available at the stores I checked.

My well is a 24' deep 1 1/4" sandpoint. The mandatory 50' minimum depth of a contractor drilled well means high iron and very high cost (compared to a sandpoint) in this area.

If taking the pressure off the plumbing that comes up through the floor doesn't solve the noise problem I'll just ignore it.

What would be a good way of providing a base for the pump?


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

I would just stack a few solid cinder blocks and set it on that. Then I would run a short length of flexible poly pipe between the pump and the house plumbing. The plastic will not carry the sound as readily as metal. Then again you may have non metal already.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I'm using cpvc pipe attached to the galvanized near the pump. I didn't think poly was legal and I'm readying the house for renting so I'm trying not to violate too many codes.

I may have to mix some quickcrete and make a level pad to set the the pump on. The owner/builder of the house wasn't big on square/level/smooth or any of that fancy stuff.  The basement floor looks like it was built one wheelbarrow at a time and smoothed with whatever board was close or the back of the shovel.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

3/4 pex is approved but is stiff, nearly as stiff as the cpvc. There is a potable water roll available for cold water that is not pex and not as stiff but I do not recall the name of the product.


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## Curtis B (Aug 15, 2008)

Is the pump 3-phase?


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

No it's just a single phase pump.

The salesman showed me pex pipe and fittings. He started to tell me it was cheaper right before he showed me the $100 crimping tool and $7 fittings. I stopped him about then. It was nice that it was bendable. I could see that coming in handy.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

fishhead
You do not have to have the crimping tool. There are slip joint fittings if you are only going to make a few joints. The fittings are expensive but they are forgiving and convenient and no tools required.
http://www.plumbingsupply.com/shark-bite-fittings.html


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Thanks. I'll keep those in mind for future projects. It seems that half of the battle is knowing what materials and tools exist.

I was going to lengthen the cpvc coldwater line that I thought might be under a lot of stretching pressure but it seems to be fairly loose when I lift it up and down. The vibrations might be coming from the pipe hangers on the joists.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Is there some trick to tightening 1 1/4" pipe joints?

I've got a tiny leak between the check valve and the sand point. I'm using 2-24" pipe wrenches and cranking pretty hard on them but I still have a leak. It had lost it's prime when I got home last night so I broke the coupler and tightened the joints back to the elbow. I gained 3/4" in tightening the 4 joints. They seemed fairly loose but I'm sure I cranked them hard when I put them together. I snapped a 1 1/4" well pipe once but I had 2' cheater pipes on the wrenches.

Could pump vibration loosen the joints somehow? There's nowhere for the pipe to go because the threads all go the same direction. The woman at the Home Depot said a plumbing contractor told her to always use pipe dope and silicon tape so that's what I did.

Tonight I'm taking the pipe apart so that I can retighten all the joints that are inside the house. I can also tighten the joint at the elbow that is outside underground. Beyond that I can't do anything about them until spring when I can dig it up and pull the well so I really hope those are okay.

Any ideas?


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