Water Well Pumps - Flint & Walling Well Pumps
New! Frankllin's Mono Drive Test Drive
Franklin Electric has released the Mono Drive Test Drive, a constant pressure controller that we can let you use on your existing pump to 'test drive' the constant pressure setup. If you like it, we can then install a permenant Mono Drive with your existing pump, or do a complete system replacement using a SubDrive system. More information is available from Franklin Electric's Constant Pressure web site.
Online service request
Use our online service request and a technician will call you back (the form sends a text message to whoevers on duty).
An Overview of Submersible Pumps
Flint & Walling has been producing well pumps for over 143 years, though the submersible pumps we know today have only been in common use for 50 years, following the invention of a submersible pump motor by an engineer at Franklin Electric. The pump end of the system had been used prior to this using above ground motive technology to drive the pump shafts that reached to the bottom of the well.
Submersible pumps work principally the same as most all centrifugal style pumps - a disc with a spiral ramp is used to pick up water, drive it through and up the ramp into the water system, or the next 'stage' of the pump, which is just another disc with a spiral-ramp. Think of it as spiral staircase with an escalator. As the escalator goes around on the stair case, you are 'pushed' up the spiral to the top of the stairway.
Each spiraled disc in the pump is mounted on a shaft that is turned by the motor. Each disc, or impeller rests in a stainless steel bowl, this impeller & bowl combination is called a stage. Each stage will pump a specified amount of water (dependent on the height of the stage), adding a specified amount of pressure to the water. Collectively, a pump's stages are referred to as a 'stack', which in combination with the housing, shaft, and bearings, is called the 'wet end' or 'water end' of the submersible pump.
Typically, all domestic wells use 4" diameter submersible pumps, the number of 'stages' in a stack is dependent on a few variables - mainly the 'head' pressure required. Head pressure is defined as the number of feet of water that the pump is required to push up. Every other variable is somehow converted to 'dynamic head' - including friction loss from the pipe, pump efficiency losses, etc. If we specify a pump to push 15 gallons per minute, we have to have enough 15 gallon per minute stages in the stack to overcome the dynamic head and then add enough pressure to the line to make it usable, typically about 60 PSI.
Recent Developments
In the world of submersed water pumping, there has been a dramatic rise in the amount of applied technology. Submersible pumps are more efficient, long lasting, and easier to work with than ever. Increased application of computing technology and solid state electronics have created even greater gains in the control & protection of domestic water systems.
Variable Frequency Drives, of VFDs, are computerized pump controller systems, designed to provide ease of troubleshooting, consistent & stable pressure, and reliable pump operation. They work best in high volume applications or in holding tank installations. Installed in locations requiring higher volumes can provide for a bit of power savings, as opposed to standard 40/60 pump switching systems. However, the average home owner will probably never realize this benefit in a cost effective way.
The real perk for a residential system is that VFD's can provide significant pump protection (dry well, motor seizure, low & high voltage, etc) & also city-like water pressure - set it to 60 PSI, 70 PSI, or even 80 PSI, and it'll keep it there as long as there's water to pump.
Cycle Stop Valves are a recent innovation that provides for mechanical control of water system pressure and creation of dynamic head in the system on the fly. This allows the pump to run longer to avoid cycling, which increases pump life, and also to let the end user use smaller pressure tanks in the system.
InWell has developed a pressure tank that is installed in the well, allowing the homeowner to save space in the home/garage.
Franklin's Mono-Drive & Mono-Drive XT
Want a constant pressure system, but don't want to replace the whole pump system? The monodrive is perfect for you. It uses some fairly advanced electronics to control the RPM of your existing pump motor & create a constant pressure system. All it requires is the replacement of the existing control box & pressure switch - no pumps to be pulled or tanks replaced. Franklin Electric has published an excellent website on Constant Pressure systems. Also, shoot us a call, we're working on building a Mono Drive Test Drive, a unit that you can use to try out the constant pressure systems.
Flint & Walling Brand Submersible Pumps
Flint & Wallling has been in the pump business since 1866. We've been installing Flint & Walling pumps from the beginning & in that entire history - we've replaced approximately 0.2% of them due to failure.
Franklin Electric Submersible Motors
Franklin Electric has been at the forefront of submersible pump motor construction for over 50 years - after all, they invented them. Additionally, Flint and Walling is one of the few pump manufacturers continuing to use Franklin Electric motors after the acquisition of Jacuzzi by Franklin Electric.
Submersible pump motors are designed run underwater, be cooled by water, & and to last 7 or more years below the surface. Ideally any single phase electrical pump motor installed is running for more than 2 minutes during any cycle, as submersible motors create the most significant amount of heat byproduct during the initial 10ms (one tenth of a second) of run time. It takes an additional minute & 59.9 seconds to dissipate that heat product so as not to damage the pump.
Using a Submersible Pump Off The Grid
If you're planning on running your system on a hydro, solar, or wind powered electric system, you might want to check out this article for sizing your inverter. Also, due to the fact that most pumps are designed to run on grid, it may be good to stick with traditional solid state pressure switches & control boxes, as opposed to Constant Pressure systems.
If you're just planning on using a standard generator, make sure you connect the control box power in leads to the proper voltage outlet on the generator. Also, be aware of the number of watts you'll need to run the pump (4500 watts is the bare minimum for a 5 gallon 1/2 HP pump) - and you should always look for 'running watts', not just peak power wattage.
