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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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