Extension Leaflet 329
1951
FARM WATER SYSTEM
installing the Farm Water System
by
Paul  E.  Johnson—Agricultural  Engineering
THE PROPER INSTALLATION of a water system
is as important as the selection of the correct
equipment. No matter how carefully you choose the
pump, it must be correctly installed to operate satisfactorily. No water system is any better than its
installation; therefore, it should be done by a reputable plumber or well man.
Shallow Well   Pump  Installations
Shallow well pumps do not have to be installed
directly over the well. They may be placed in cellars,
basements, or insulated pump houses. Figure 1
shows a shallow well piston pump installed in a
basement. The pump should be mounted on a solid
level base.   Piston pumps should be anchored with
Fig. 1. Shallow well piston pump installed in a basement. The horizontal housing pipe may be welded
to the casing or a thread adapter may be used. This
pipe should slope upward to the pump and should
be sealed in the basement with a well seal. (See
Pig. 1) The casing should extend above the ground
6 to 8 inches and should be capped. Note the extension rod attached to the "T" fitting of the rizer pipe
This is necessary in order to remove the rizer pipe.
bolts. The suction lift of a shallow well pump should
not exceed the manufacturer's recommendation,
which is usually 22 feet. (This must include pipe
friction). The suction lines should always have a
downward slope from the pump to the well; the
pump always being higher than the well. Use the
least number of elbows as possible in the suction
line, because they increase pipe friction. Use only
gasket-type unions in suction lines since vibrations
may cause brass seat unions to leak air. The size
of suction pipe must not be smaller than the suction
tapping in the pump.
A foot valve will assist the pump in holding its
prime. This foot valve should be installed on the
end of the suction line below the water surface.
All pipes used in the installation of water systems
should be inspected for burrs which increase friction. If burrs are found, remove them with a pipe
reamer or with a round file. Always be sure the pipe
is clean on the inside. Coat all threads with pipe
compound and make sure all pipe joints are tight.
Jet-Deep Well  Pump  Installation
Jet pumps, like shallow well pumps, do not have
to be installed directly over the well. This fact
makes this pump very popular because the pump
may be placed in the basement even though the
well is several feet from the house. Figure 2 shows
a typical jet-deep well pump installation. Because
of the fact that jet pumps have two pipes entering
the well, the diameter of the casing is often a limiting factor. When the pipes run separately, the
casing size may be a 3 or 4 inch casing depending
upon the size of pipes used. A 4 inch casing will
take a jet installation using 1 inch and 1 1/4 inch
pipes—the 1 inch running from pump to jet and
1 1/4 inch from jet to pump suction.
With an offset installation, it is best to increase
the normal size of the pipes for the horizontal run.
This will reduce pipe friction and prevent excessive
loss of capacity and  pressure.    For pumps setting