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Grundfos SQ pumps should be stickied to the top of this catagory.

I'd love to hear about long term reliability of the SQ Flex from long term users.
systems with little storage tend to kill pumps early. Usually the electronic part fails and not the pumping mechanism.
 
I've had no issues with a Grundfos SQE doing that with only an 8 Liter pressure tank. The SQE pump is a variable speed pump with soft start designed for constant pressure applications.
I got a 30 year old Grundfos - which is only doing a few cycles a day. (32 Gallon - 120L Pressure tank) And I killed one with a lot of cycles in 8 years on a 30L tank.

So depends what your expected lifespan of a pump is. A great designed system - with the new pumps with magnetic bearings should have an 100+ year design life.
 
I agree, eXodus; small centrifugal pumps are cheap, and last much longer. 20 year service is the norm. I do have to drain and sweep out the sediment on the bottom of my storage tank once every year or two. I only have 12 psi for house and shop from my tank on the hill, but with ovesized pipe and valves selected for high flow, and flow restrictors removed at faucets, you can't tell. Except at the garden hose, where I must use 3/4 ID hose for over 50 foot, or just use the pressure washer close to the freeze proof hydrant on a 6 foot hose. My neighbor uses a similar setup but has about 16 PSI from his hill mounted tank- that's enough that he can be less careful about high flow valves and a bit of 1/2 inch copper and elbows isn't a problem.
 
Those variable speed pumps that upnorthlandpersonal has are popular here too, with relatively small pressure tanks.
Gould and Grundfos both make them, I think. It does get around the start surge nicely. I was nervous about having a bunch of electronics in the pump, but now that they are mature products I'd consider that. The upside of the gravity fed storage tank is that even if the sumersible pump or my power system/inverter fails, I've got a couple months of normal water use. Crude but effective, gravity is reliable.
 
Yes, upnorth, that is a very good reason for the variable speed pump and smallish pressure tank in the home. The frost line here is only 18 inches. My exposed 2000 gallon tank doesn't freeze except at the edges. The inlet/oulet pipe goes up and in the bottom, 3 feet in from the edge.

I grew up as a child in a much colder climate, with a 48 inch deep frost line, but tend to forget how much that affects design. Thanks for the reminder!
 
Hey SQ owners. I just got my well drilled and its 140 ft deep. Static level at 50 ft/30GPM. Being off grid I figured the SQ pumps would be great because of the soft start. I called my local pump guy and he told me the SQ/SQE are only for constant pressure and you can't use a regular pressure tank on either model. I told him I was under the impression the SQE is variable speed and the SQ is single speed. He said no, if I want to use a pressure tank I have to use a "traditional pump"(is that not what single speed is?). He said he can supply grundfos pumps so its not a competition thing. He said he will look for the lowest power option for 240v. I said okay please look into the SQ some more.

Can the SQ use a regular pressure tank and switch? I am looking at the users manual and it has all the different layouts for styles of systems. Pressure tank and switch is one of them. Is that just copy and pasted from all grundfos pumps even though the top of this manual says SQ/SQE? Im sitting here questioning my days of research because of this.
 
Hey SQ owners. I just got my well drilled and its 140 ft deep. Static level at 50 ft/30GPM. Being off grid I figured the SQ pumps would be great because of the soft start. I called my local pump guy and he told me the SQ/SQE are only for constant pressure and you can't use a regular pressure tank on either model. I told him I was under the impression the SQE is variable speed and the SQ is single speed. He said no, if I want to use a pressure tank I have to use a "traditional pump"(is that not what single speed is?). He said he can supply grundfos pumps so its not a competition thing. He said he will look for the lowest power option for 240v. I said okay please look into the SQ some more.

Can the SQ use a regular pressure tank and switch? I am looking at the users manual and it has all the different layouts for styles of systems. Pressure tank and switch is one of them. Is that just copy and pasted from all grundfos pumps even though the top of this manual says SQ/SQE? Im sitting here questioning my days of research because of this.
The local pump guy is uninformed or misleading you.
go to https://backwoodssolar.com/product-...rsible-well-pumps/grundfos-submersible-pumps/

I'm looking at a SQ (10s model) (120v)
Delivers 5 gpm at maximum lift of 200′, up to 10 gpm at lift of 160′ or less. Maximum power used is 1200 watts.
Total lift of any pump is height between water surface down the well to the elevation where water is delivered to a non-pressurized tank. Reduce maximum lift by 92 feet if used to pressurize a bladder tank to 40 PSI.

My 230v, 1/2 hp pump gives me 50PSI
I can live with 40psi knowing I'll have water if the grid goes down
 
The local pump guy is uninformed or misleading you.
go to https://backwoodssolar.com/product-...rsible-well-pumps/grundfos-submersible-pumps/

I'm looking at a SQ (10s model) (120v)
Delivers 5 gpm at maximum lift of 200′, up to 10 gpm at lift of 160′ or less. Maximum power used is 1200 watts.
Total lift of any pump is height between water surface down the well to the elevation where water is delivered to a non-pressurized tank. Reduce maximum lift by 92 feet if used to pressurize a bladder tank to 40 PSI.

My 230v, 1/2 hp pump gives me 50PSI
I can live with 40psi knowing I'll have water if the grid goes down
Okay so it seems like that pump would be perfect for me aswell. I don't really understand if that 40 psi means the cut in or cut out pressure? If I run a 40/60 switch I would set the pressure to 38 psi in the tank and I could pump water 108' feet at 5gpm? If my static water level is at 50' 30/gpm do I still need to drop the pump within 10' of the bottom of my well or can I suck 5/10 gpm from 80 feet? Thanks for your help
 
Hey SQ owners. I just got my well drilled and its 140 ft deep. Static level at 50 ft/30GPM. Being off grid I figured the SQ pumps would be great because of the soft start. I called my local pump guy and he told me the SQ/SQE are only for constant pressure and you can't use a regular pressure tank on either model. I told him I was under the impression the SQE is variable speed and the SQ is single speed. He said no, if I want to use a pressure tank I have to use a "traditional pump"(is that not what single speed is?). He said he can supply grundfos pumps so its not a competition thing. He said he will look for the lowest power option for 240v. I said okay please look into the SQ some more.

Can the SQ use a regular pressure tank and switch? I am looking at the users manual and it has all the different layouts for styles of systems. Pressure tank and switch is one of them. Is that just copy and pasted from all grundfos pumps even though the top of this manual says SQ/SQE? Im sitting here questioning my days of research because of this.
yep pump installed is either ignorant or full of it
Okay so it seems like that pump would be perfect for me aswell. I don't really understand if that 40 psi means the cut in or cut out pressure? If I run a 40/60 switch I would set the pressure to 38 psi in the tank and I could pump water 108' feet at 5gpm? If my static water level is at 50' 30/gpm do I still need to drop the pump within 10' of the bottom of my well or can I suck 5/10 gpm from 80 feet? Thanks for your help
what are your goals... ie how many gpm do you want, how much pressure? also, is your available power source 120v or 240v?? (and yes I would recomend installing the pump 10-15 feet from the well bottom to prevent silting)
 
yep pump installed is either ignorant or full of it

what are your goals... ie how many gpm do you want, how much pressure? also, is your available power source 120v or 240v?? (and yes I would recomend installing the pump 10-15 feet from the well bottom to prevent silt
I guess I want 40 psi because I want to pump water to a 2 story building. I understand 5gpm will be plenty for my needs . I have 120/240 but would love if I could use 120v. I was also wondering if there is a way I could bypass the pressure tank when I want to fill couple 100 litre tanks. they are about 15 feet higher than the second floor faucet. They don't need to fill fast but it would be nice to store water for the garden without cycling the pump.
 
I guess I want 40 psi because I want to pump water to a 2 story building. I understand 5gpm will be plenty for my needs . I have 120/240 but would love if I could use 120v. I was also wondering if there is a way I could bypass the pressure tank when I want to fill couple 100 litre tanks. they are about 15 feet higher than the second floor faucet. They don't need to fill fast but it would be nice to store water for the garden without cycling the pump.
ok if you have 240 available I would recommend a 240v pump, mainly because it will cut the amperage draw in half and pumps tend to have very long wire runs- so the lower the draw and the higher the voltage the better. That being said though grundfos pumps do fine on long runs with 120v wiring, but they probably are less efficient in that configuration
best pump for you imo is a 10sq05-160 120v 240v (best prices I've found-add to cart to see)
 
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ok if you have 240 available I would recommend a 240v pump, mainly because it will cut the amperage draw in half and pumps tend to have very long wire runs- so the lower the draw and the higher the voltage the better. That being said though grundfos pumps do fine on long runs with 120v wiring, but they probably are less efficient in that configuration
best pump for you imo is a 10sq05-160 120v 240v (best prices I've found-add to cart to see)
That pump would only lift 100' into a 40psi pressure tank though? My pump would be at 130'deep if well is 140' deep. Since the static level is at 50' does that mean I am only lifting 50 feet?
 
Total head includes any draw down plus pressure tank, 2.2 ft per PSI. What was the pumping capacity of the well? If it was tested at a higher flow rate, you should be fine at 5 gpm.
 
Total head includes any draw down plus pressure tank, 2.2 ft per PSI. What was the pumping capacity of the well? If it was tested at a higher flow rate, you should be fine at 5 gpm.
I can't find pumping capacity on the well record. Just flow rate of 30 gpm
 
The tested flow rate of 30 gpm implies little draw down, if any, at 5 gpm.
 
I concur with everything bruce said...
Here's the Pump curve for the one I recommended. it will flow 12.9 gpm at 110 feet of head (your static level + your max pressure on a 40-60 switch) it will continue to flow over 5 gpm all the way to 200 feet of head. I recommended this pump because it comfortably meets your requirements and gives you a good margin of error for future expansion and would continue to function even if your static level dropped 90 feet. if your well is 140 feet you would literally run it dry before this pump failed to meet your specs.
 
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