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Glossary:
This list has been compiled by members
of the Pumps and Tanks Forum. Many thanks to JeffGr, Lkoops
and Snake for their help.
Air Control
Air Release Valve
Amp rating
Bladder Tank
Bleeder Orifice
Bleeder Valve
Bremer Check
Casing
Centrifugal Pump
Centrifugal Switch
Checkvalve
Constant pressure valve
CPV
Diffuser
Drive Shoe
Droppipe
Ejector
Feed line
Float switch
Footvalve
Galvanized Tank
Gauge
Impeller
Jars
Jet
Jet Pump
Line Check
Pneumatic Tank
Point
Points
Pressure Gauge
Pressure relief valve
Pressure Switch
Pressure Switch Tubing
Pumping Level
Schrader Valve
Screen
Snifter Valve
Start Points
Static Water Level
Sub Cable
Submersible Pump
Sump
Sump Pump
Tail Pipe
Voltage drop
Voltage rating
Walking Beam
Waterlog
Well Diameter
Wire type
Air Control: A device that screws
into a galvanized tank (sometimes into the actual tank of
a pump in a few instances) and has a copper or plastic tube
connected to it which is also connected to a suction port
on a pump which actuates it. The suction created by a water
pump pulls a rubber diaphragm back pulling air into the body
which is later pushed into the tank with a spring to keep
the tank from becoming waterlogged. These devices did not
work very well with deep well systems due to the lack of vacuum
produced in a system with backpressure.
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Air Release Valve: A device
that screws into the side of a galvanized pneumatic tank to
keep air/water at a desired level. The device has a float
that moves up and down depending on water level in the tank.
Most air releases have a 1/4" female pipe tap in the
top to accept a gauge, pressure switch or plug. This device
is also called an Air Control which shouldn't be confused
with the above Air Control.
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Amp Rating: The amp rating of
a pump motor is expressed in two ways. Amp draw and max amp
draw. The amp draw is the amperage drawn by a motor of a given
horsepower. With max amps, the amp draw will be greater since
the service factor of a motor may be greater than 1.
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Bladder Tank: A metal or fiberglass
tank with a rubber or plastic bag, bladder or diaphragm which
is intended to never waterlog.
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Bleeder Orifice: A small 1/2"
or 3/4" device inserted into the droppipe in a well which
is intended to drain the pipe down to a certain level while
letting air take it's place.
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Bleeder Valve: Same as above.
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Bremer Check: A check valve with
a bail on the top. The bail is used to make removal easy with
a tool called a check grab. The Bremer is a check valve used
mostly in two inch wells. Its purpose is to seal off the 1-1/4"
coupling on top of an 1-1/4" well point at the bottom
of a two inch well and keep the casing full of water. It is
a seal and a check valve all in one.
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Casing: Casing is either steel
or plastic pipe used in the drilling of a well. It starts
at one inch and goes up from there. Casing can be driven,
washed in or pushed down a rotored hole. Submersible pumps
are dropped down into the casing.
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Centrifugal Pump: A
close coupled centrifugal is generally used for boosting water
pressure. A self priming centrifugal is used mostly for watering/sprinkling
applications.
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Centrifugal Switch:
A centrifugal switch is found in the back of a pump motor
(and many others) and is needed to disconnect the start capacitor
and start winding from the circuit in the motor once the motor
comes up near its normal RPM's.
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Check Valve: A check valve
is a one way valve. Its function is to keep water and pressure
in the tank and plumbing once the pump reaches its set pressure
and turns off.
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Constant Pressure Valve: A
constant pressure valve is used to keep a pump motor running
while a minimum amount of water is being used (usually around
2 gpm in domestic systems) which saves a lot of wear and tear
on the pump, motor and tank and as a bonus gives constant
pressure in the entire system.
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CPV: Same as above.
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Diffuser: On all jet pumps
and centrifugals (except Goulds) the diffuser is the housing
surrounding the impeller. It directs the water in the pump
tank body toward the outlet.
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Drive Shoe: A drive shoe is
a heavy duty coupling that goes on the first stick of casing
to be driven into the ground. It protects the end of the pipe
and directs the cuttings into the casing.
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Droppipe: Spell checks hate
the two words being together. This pipe is what your submersible
pump or jet is hanging on in the well. Droppipe can be PVC,
Poly or Galvanized pipe.
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Ejector: And ejector is a body
of cast iron or brass that houses a nozzle and venturi which
aids in the lifting of water. Ejectors are usually called
jets. There are two pipe jets, single pipe jets and shallow
well jets. The two pipe and single pipe jets go into the well
casing. The shallow well jets go on or in the pump.
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Feed Line: I'm going to let
JeffGr tell me what this one is.
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Float Switch: A float switch
is usually found on a Sump Pump and is used to turn on/off
a pump according to the level of water. They are used in other
applications.
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Footvalve: Also hated by spell
checks. These one way valves are used in wells either on the
bottom of a two pipe or single pipe jet. In the case of a
shallow well system, they are used on the bottom of 30 foot
of droppipe.
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Galvanized Tank: A galvanized
tank is a pneumatic tank that has two taps near the bottom,
one approximately two thirds of the way up toward the top
and one top dead center in the top. They are primarily used
to store water and pressure in a pumping system. They can
also be used for mixing chlorine with water etc.
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Gauge: The most popular gauge
in water well systems is the 100 #'er. It's inexpensive, is
handy for the serviceman to set up the system then usually
goes haywire in a few months. If you're getting erratic readings
from your gauge, it probably needs to be replaced. There are
good gauges out there, but nobody buys them.
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Impeller: The impeller in any
pump is what moves the water. All water well pumps turn 3450
RPM's and the impeller does too. It creates a vacuum by throwing
water away from itself pulling more water in through the "EYE"
(center front of the impeller). Some pumps have more than
one impeller and submersible pumps can have impellers in the
double digits.
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Jars: Jars are a tool used by Well
Drillers. They are a device that have two pieces and can be
used to hammer something up and down in a well casing. Simply
pulling on something lodged in a well usually isn't effective
where hammering on it can save the well.
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Jet: The jet was explained above
under the heading of Ejector.
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Jet Pump: The jet pump can be
either deep well or shallow well depending on the water level
in the well. If the water is more than 25 feet below the pump,
a shallow well jet pump will no longer work and the jet is
then put into the well at or near the water level.
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Line Check: Same as Check
Valve above.
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Pneumatic Tank: Same as Galvanized
Tank above.
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Point: A point (sometimes called
a Well Point) is usually 1-1/4" or 2" in diameter
and usually beat into the ground into a shallow aquifer. That
shallow aquifer is normally no deeper than 35 feet. The pipe
used to get the point that far into the ground is galvanized
pipe and is generally in 5' sections.
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Points: There are points in a
pressure switch and there are points in the back end of a
pump motor. There are points in a potential relay in a submersible
pump control box. They are an electrical switch. When both
points are touching, there is a circuit, then they are not
touching, the circuit is open.
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Pressure Gauge: Same as
Gauge above.
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Pressure Relief Valve: A pressure
relief valve will blow off at a set pressure to protect a
water system.
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Pressure Switch: A pressure
switch is used to turn on and off a water pump. The popular
switch settings are 20/40, 30/50 and 40/60.
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Pressure Switch Tubing:
This tubing can be either copper, plastic or a direct connection
from the pressure switch to the plumbing so it can see what
pressure is in the system so it can turn on/off the pump.
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Pumping Level: This is
the level of the water in a well while the well is being pumped
at a steady gallon rate per minute.
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Schrader Valve: A Schrader
valve is very similar to the valve on your car tire. It can
be used to air up a tank, or is sometimes used in an air maker
system.
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Screen: A screen is very similar
to a well point as described above under point.
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Snifter Valve: Snifter valve
is a schrader valve with a lighter spring tension used in
air maker systems.
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Start Points: Start points
are found in the rear of a pump motor. They are used in conjunction
with the centrifugal switch (mentioned above) to energize/de-energize
the start capacitor and start winding of the motor.
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Static Water Level: The static
water level is the actual level of water in the well casing
measured from ground level.
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Sub Cable: Sub cable is the
wire used to power a submersible pump. It comes in twisted,
flat and jacketed.
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Submersible Pump: A submersible
pump goes into the well casing deep enough into the water
so to stay wet under all conditions. Submersible pumps can
push water which is much easier than lifting water like jet
pumps do. They are far more efficient than a jet pump.
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Sump: A pit usually in a basement
floor that is tied into the edge drain around a home. A Sump
Pump is lowered into the sump and detects and evacuates water
from the sump when necessary.
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Sump Pump: See above.
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Tail Pipe: A tail pipe is generally
30 feet long with a footvalve on the bottom. It goes below
the jet in a deep well system. It prevents the jet from seeing
any possible air that could be present while pumping water.
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Voltage Drop: Voltage drop occurs
when a pump first starts up and can also occur if the wire
size or electrical service is too small for the motor being
used.
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Voltage Rating: Voltage rating
is what the motor is designed to operate within. For instance:
115/230 volt single phase, 230/460 volt three phase etc.
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Walking Beam: A device on a
drill rig or pump hoist that moves the cable or rope on the
Derik up and down at approximately 60 times per minute to
either drive pipe into the ground, drill out a well or to
operate "jars" (as mentioned above).
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Waterlog: Waterlogging occurs
when a pneumatic tank or even a bad bladder tank fills with
water. When this happens the pump turns on and off very quickly
which can and does burn out motors, starting components and
damage mechanical parts of the pump and motor. This is the
main reason for a tank, to protect the pump and motor. Once
waterlogged or anywhere between the totally non waterlogged
state and getting close to being waterlogged is detrimental
to the pumps health.
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Well Diameter: This measurement
is simply the inside diameter of your well casing. Most popular
from the good old days up till now are: 1-1/4", 2",
2.5" 3" 4", 5" and 6".
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Wire type: Jeff, this is yours
also.
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