Pumps, pumps and more pumps

Still working on my well.   The neighbor with the pump wasn't available until the afternoon.  Mid afternoon he called and I went over to look at his pump.  40 years old!  Two zircs for greasing the motor.  No pressure switch. Not a 1 hp but 1/2 hp.  Even at $50 I passed.

That meant going to neighbor #2.  I had to wait again.  I got a hold of him after work.  $75 for a 12 year old pump.  But it also included a pressure tank (which I don't need as the tank is smaller than mine), some pipe and a pressure gauge.

First thing I did was remove its (little bit rusty) pressure switch and installed the one from my old pump.  My pump may have been old but the pressure switch had been replaced within the last ten years.

I removed the pump from the pressure tank and now am in the process of drilling holes in a heavy metal plate to mount the tank.  I found the plate late afternoon when I helped Donna's brother and brother-in-law unload a trailer of scrap odds and ends at the salvage/recycling yard.  I think the metal plate had been used on a railroad tie.

Tomorrow(!) if all goes well I should have water.   Well see....


While waiting for the neighbor(s) I tried to order a 5 HP pump for irrigation.  The company's web site stalled at the shipping method/rate and I had to call the company in Idaho.  The two people in this small business that could handle the shipping were both out of the office until tomorrow.

So I decided to look at other web sites/companies on pumps.  Franklin makes pumps and earlier I couldn't find any in the size I wanted.  But all of a sudden I found a 5 HP Single Phase Franklin pump.  Then at another company's web site I found another Franklin 5 HP Single Phase pump.  Another model.  Neither company sold both models and the specs on them are confusing.  And the prices were $300 apart.

I looked at the Franklin company's web site about the two models.

http://franklinwater.com/products/surface-pumps/residential/irrigation-pumps/self-priming/turf-boss/
http://franklinwater.com/products/surface-pumps/agindustrialmunicipal/centrifugal/close-coupled/d-series/

I found a 1-800 for Franklin and called them.  I was on hold for 15 or more minutes when I was told I would have to leave a voice-mail message and could no longer wait on the phone.  Why make me wait in the first place?!!!

I left a message and of course he called me back when I was at the neighbor's house.  While I thought I was clear with model numbers and my question, the answerer got my question wrong.  Both models are single phase but he thought the difference may be because one model is a three phase.    I'll have to call again on Tuesday.