what I think is a booster pump?

jennifer28 · February 22, 2012

This thing came with our home when we bought it. It is one of the few things I am having trouble figuring out - well, OK, the wiring inside the house was a #%$*& but I managed to get through what I needed to do without hurting myself (I'm not always this lucky). Anyway, I have attached pictures of what I believe is a booster pump. It looks like it is too rusty to work, but for the life of me I couldn't figure it out anyway. There is a rusted electrical outlet on the side of its housing (see photos) and I have used a tester to see if it is live and it is not... also tried flicking various switches inside the panel and also on walls, but to no avail... But the bottom line: Anyone have something like this? How does it work? I think I have an idea but I am no booster pump expert...

JamesL · February 22, 2012

It looks like a water well head.
It could be a booster pump if the piping that goes into the ground is connected to a distant water source.
Does the spigot you show in pic 4 run water?
Where does the piping that runs upward out of the tank go?
Electric - can you trace the wiring that comes into that outlet? If yes, you could probably run new electric if you need it in this area.
You might need a pro to tell you. If it does go to a well or another water source, you could remove that existing pump and tank, borrow or rent a pump, like they kind you would use to pump out a basement, prime it (with water) and see what comes out.

jennifer28 · February 22, 2012

James, thank you for helping me. I think you are right, it could be a water well head. We bought this property from the daughters of the original owner. One of them said something about there being a well, and I thought she meant a surface well so I just dismissed it because I never saw a surface well, and there were parts of this property that were so overgrown I had to cut through them with a machete type thing I bought at home depot.

But I bet there is a well under there. None of the spigots run water. The piping that goes upward goes to a now defunct irrigation system.

I have attempted to trace the wiring... no luck. I dont understand why the wiring goes into the well though...

I think I am going to call Greco and Haines. They have a monopoly in this state, but I will probably just call them and fork over the $$.

Thank you for your insights.

Worth1 · February 22, 2012

What you have could be used for either one, from a city water source or a well.

The tank looks way to small to be for a well.
What that tank is, is a pressure tank, it has a rubber bladder inside.
It has a pressure switch connected to it to turn on and off the pump.
The pipe going into the front is the inlet.
The pipe going out the top is the outlet.
If it is a well you can dig down and you should see a well head and casing.
At the bottom of the pipe going into the ground there will be what is called a foot valve.
This type of pump only works for shallow wells, deeper wells use a submersible pump.

Worth

Worth1 · February 22, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennifer28

James, thank you for helping me. I think you are right, it could be a water well head. We bought this property from the daughters of the original owner. One of them said something about there being a well, and I thought she meant a surface well so I just dismissed it because I never saw a surface well, and there were parts of this property that were so overgrown I had to cut through them with a machete type thing I bought at home depot.

But I bet there is a well under there. None of the spigots run water. The piping that goes upward goes to a now defunct irrigation system.

I have attempted to trace the wiring... no luck. I dont understand why the wiring goes into the well though...

I think I am going to call Greco and Haines. They have a monopoly in this state, but I will probably just call them and fork over the $$.

Thank you for your insights.

I just read what you said about wiring going into the well.
If that is the case then you also have a submersible pump in the well, the the pressure tank and the other pump would be to even out the flow of water and boost it.

That would work perfect for an irrigation system.

Worth

JamesL · February 22, 2012

Has to be a well, especially if it was connected to irrigation.
The wiring actually goes down into the well? Can't see that from the photos. I see it connected to the old pump.
If it actually does go down into the well that would mean there is another buried pump, but usually not the case.
The way these usually work is that the pump is primed with water, which comes up into that tank and then goes to irrigation. The tank also keeps the pump primed.
Remember the old hand pumps where you would pour water into the top and start pumping? The tank in this case does that for you.

I wouldn't spend a lot of money on this unless you are planning on getting it up and running. With some wd40, a big wrench and a lot of muscle, you could probably get the old pump disconnected and then test it so see if you can draw water.
If you do get it running, test the water too.
Your own well is a great thing to have, especially for irrigation. More so if you are currently paying for municipal water!

jennifer28 · February 22, 2012

Thank you, worthy. I wish I could fix it myself. The guy that owned and built this house was a mechanical engineer. Very cool guy. He was the original owner since 1936. We have found a lot of his inventions here. He has this very cool wine press thing. And a modified honey spinner for the bees' honey... and these home made grow beds with great fluorescent lights... it goes on and on, I wish I knew the guy because he really had great ideas. But I know I am going to end up forking over some $$ if I ever want this pump to work again.

JamesL · February 22, 2012

Nice response Worth. A man with more knowledge than I.

Sounds like a very cool house Jennifer!

jennifer28 · February 22, 2012

James,

Thank you for the money saving solution. I need that

As far as the wiring, i should have said it is connected to the pump, I see it going into the rusty rectangular box which i dont even know what that is, maybe there is a switch in there? I wish I could find some kind of manufacturer mark on the darned thing because then I would look up a diagram for it to see how it works. I am thinking there is water there, because I think there is a stream that runs underground under there. I actually put a plot of veggies above it and the ground is always moist, even when we have periods of no rain for some time. And yes we pay for municipal water and I am so tired of it. So I would invest in this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesL

Has to be a well, especially if it was connected to irrigation.
The wiring actually goes down into the well? Can't see that from the photos. I see it connected to the old pump.
If it actually does go down into the well that would mean there is another buried pump, but usually not the case.
The way these usually work is that the pump is primed with water, which comes up into that tank and then goes to irrigation. The tank also keeps the pump primed.
Remember the old hand pumps where you would pour water into the top and start pumping? The tank in this case does that for you.

I wouldn't spend a lot of money on this unless you are planning on getting it up and running. With some wd40, a big wrench and a lot of muscle, you could probably get the old pump disconnected and then test it so see if you can draw water.
If you do get it running, test the water too.
Your own well is a great thing to have, especially for irrigation. More so if you are currently paying for municipal water!

Worth1 · February 22, 2012

I would also like to add that my information comes from my experience of installing fire water pumps.

10 inch fire water pumps with the foam system and their controllers.
That includes setting up the pump bolting it to the floor lining up the pump to the motor to within + or - 0.004 of an inch.
Not just on the job but running it and doing it.

That little 1 inch pipe would be a breeze to work on.

Worth

Worth1 · February 22, 2012

And further more you should be able to do the whole thing yourself for around $500 and that would include the submersible pump if you even need it.
If not then less money.

The wiring can be traced with what they call a toner.
You connect it to the wiring and trace the wiring to its source.
You have two devices one to send out the tone and the other to pick up the signal.
I have used one for years tracing out 1000's of wires in petrol chemical plants.

Worth

jennifer28 · February 22, 2012

see, where is the good help when I need it? LOL I put a new dishwasher in my kitchen when we moved in, and I happened to notice that the dishwasher was attached to the sink drain below the trap (talk about smelly dishes, ewww) so I tried to remove that section of pipe below the trap, thought I was gonna die after messing with that for a couple of hours... just got mad and ended up plugging the old connection since i couldn't get it off and putting a new one for the new dishwasher above the trap where it should have been in the first place... This house is full of projects. I am surprised I have only humiliated myself (ie been squirted with toilet water, fallen off a ladder, etc) instead of really being hurt. LOL

Worth1 · February 22, 2012

Jennifer I would like to let you know two things.
Most injuries and deaths from falling of a ladder is from less than 5 feet.
And anytime you need help or advice on things we are here to help.
I have over 30 years experience with electrical and fire systems.

If you look at the new codes for dish washers you will see there is a vent you are supposed to put in the sewer line to stop smells and water from the sewer from getting into your washer.
It is very important this is installed.
The same thing is to be installed if you have a reverse osmosis system with filtered water as I have.

If you and your family need any tricks of the trade I will be more than happy to help you.
Reason?
I love helping people.

Worth

JamesL · February 22, 2012

Worth, you don't need to establish your street cred! I haven't been a member of this board very long, but i have read more than a few of your posts.

Jennifer,
This could be almost like an artesian well where you get positive water flow with no pump. The water might be close enough to the surface where a submerged pump wasn't needed, just the surface pump and the former owner was savvy enough to figure it out.

Doesn't matter what wiring is in the box as it is not going to work anyway.

Sounds like you need to find a local mr. fix-it - jack of all trades.
Patronize the local hardware store, lumber store, if you don't already. I would be willing to bet they can recommend a few people.

Worth1 · February 22, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesL

Worth, you don't need to establish your street cred! I haven't been a member of this board very long, but i have read more than a few of your posts.

Thank you for the kind words.

The reason I did it is because I wanted Jennifer to know it was coming from someone with experience doing this sort of thing.

I can hear it now at her house "What you are going to listen to some idiot tomato nerd on a tomato forum, are you crazy".

Worth

February 22, 2012	#2
JamesL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,992	It looks like a water well head. It could be a booster pump if the piping that goes into the ground is connected to a distant water source. Does the spigot you show in pic 4 run water? Where does the piping that runs upward out of the tank go? Electric - can you trace the wiring that comes into that outlet? If yes, you could probably run new electric if you need it in this area. You might need a pro to tell you. If it does go to a well or another water source, you could remove that existing pump and tank, borrow or rent a pump, like they kind you would use to pump out a basement, prime it (with water) and see what comes out.

February 22, 2012	#3
jennifer28 Two-faced Drama Queen Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital Posts: 955	James, thank you for helping me. I think you are right, it could be a water well head. We bought this property from the daughters of the original owner. One of them said something about there being a well, and I thought she meant a surface well so I just dismissed it because I never saw a surface well, and there were parts of this property that were so overgrown I had to cut through them with a machete type thing I bought at home depot. But I bet there is a well under there. None of the spigots run water. The piping that goes upward goes to a now defunct irrigation system. I have attempted to trace the wiring... no luck. I dont understand why the wiring goes into the well though... I think I am going to call Greco and Haines. They have a monopoly in this state, but I will probably just call them and fork over the $$. Thank you for your insights.

February 22, 2012	#4
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	What you have could be used for either one, from a city water source or a well. The tank looks way to small to be for a well. What that tank is, is a pressure tank, it has a rubber bladder inside. It has a pressure switch connected to it to turn on and off the pump. The pipe going into the front is the inlet. The pipe going out the top is the outlet. If it is a well you can dig down and you should see a well head and casing. At the bottom of the pipe going into the ground there will be what is called a foot valve. This type of pump only works for shallow wells, deeper wells use a submersible pump. Worth