Thread: Fix or Replace Goulds Pump Model J7S

HI, My house is off-grid and run on photovoltaic panel;s with a propane generator as back-up. We have learned over the past 7 yrs we have been in the house energy efficiency of motors is an importnat condieration. We have also learned a 220v/230v/240v motor is better for our inverters as the start-up amperage is lower than a 110v/115v/120v motor.

Given the above, we have a problem with our Goulds Model J7S jet pump: it will not start. It hums and gets hot and then shuts down. I am hoping someone can provide some good advice on the best path forward.

Why did the pump break? When the house was built our well guy installed the Goulds pump and never installed a float in our cistern to automatically start the well pump when the cistern got empty. We manually turn the well pump on when the cistern needs water. The problem? We forgot to check the cistern this week...did ot think of it because we did not believe we had used that much water. Wrong thing to do as we have a friend staying with us while he gets back on his feet financially, finds a job after relocating to our area, etc. He did not recognize the sound the Goulds jet pump makes when it has no water to suck out of the cistern as being cause to run to the mechanical room and unplug the jet pump. He let it run and viola! Big problem. When I got home about 4 hours later and discovered the cistern was empty I knew what had happened and went to check the jet pump and unplug it from the wall. Sure enough, the motor was so hot you could not hardly touch it. Well, the motor has now cooled after another 4 hours and the cistern is now 1/2 full. I unscrewed the small plug on top of the pump on the inlet side and water came squirting out so I know there is water at the pump and that it is primed. However, the motor just hums and then pops and goes silent when I plug it back in the wall to try it out.

My questions are: would you think the whole AO Smith motor is burned up? Or, would you think it is just the start capacitor? And, more importantly, should I even try to figure it out, just junk this pump, and see if there is a more efficient pump available, buy it, and install it. I have always believed this pump is overkill as it just seems so large and powerful but then what do know?

Here is my system description: 510' deep well with a Jacuzzi 1.5 ho submersible, AC, well pump approx. 100' from the house. The well feeds a 3,000 steel cistern via a 1.5" PVC pipe. The cistern sits tight against the back of the house and sits approx. 3' higher than the jet pump and approx. 20' away from the jet pump. The pipe from the cistern to the jet pump is approx. 1.5" copper pipe and actually goes up approx 6' into the ceiling to make it's run to the jet pump, where it then drops down approx. 9' to the pump. The jet pump sits ont he floor right tight against the 80 gallon pressure tank. There has never been an issue with any of the pumps. The jet pump was installed in June of 2001 right after the well was drilled and was used in the construction of the house and then we finished and moved into the house in June 2002. Oh, we do have a float installed in the cistern now but it is not operational yet. The well guy (a different guy than who dug the well) installed the float switch and control box but did not wire it, and I have yet to get an electrician up to wire it. Nobody I call seems to know how but I think this would be a good time to figure it out myself and get it done.

Here is the info on the Goulds jet pump to help determine if we should fix it or replace it. Cost estimates to fixing the jet pump and replacing it with a more efficient pump are appreciated.
Goulds Model: J7S
AO Smith Model: C48A94A06
HP: 3/4
Volts: 115/230
RPM: 3,450
Amps: 12.6/6.3
Max Load: 14.8/7.4
Hz: 60
SF 1.13
FR: 56J
Ph: 1
Thermally Protected: CET63ABN
Amb: 40 degree C
Encl Type: UC
Duty: Cont
Code: L
Insul Class:
Goulds No. J05853l
1.25 NPT Inlet
1" NPT Discharge (a replacement pump with this same size inlet & discharge would make life a lot easier and faster to replace the existing pump)
ProControl by Furnas
Cat #: 69ES109023R
Part #: ASFX

Thanks for the help.

"And, more importantly, should I even try to figure it out, just junk this pump, and see if there is a more efficient pump available, buy it, and install it."

I'd put a submersible in the cistern or in a pump chamber if maximum water drawdown is important, and be sure to tie in the float switch. Speedbump could tell you for certain, but a 1/2HP will likely fill the bill and cut down on your power consumption. But you may need a relay so the float switch can drop out the presumed two legs of your pressure switch.

I'm with Carm, a submersible pump is far more efficient than a jet pump. It pumps more water, at higher pressures and a 1/2hp sub will blow away a 3/4hp Goulds jet pump. I would lay the sub horizontally in the tank on the bottom, use a float switch attached to the pipe the pump is attached to so if the water gets close to the pump at the bottom, the float will drop and turn off the pump to prevent another episode of nuclear meltdown. Which is why your Goulds pump won't start. The impeller is probably now permanently affixed to the diffuser from excess heat.

The wiring is simple but should be done in accordance with code. The wires should be in conduit whereever possible. You can use the floats with up to 13 amps, but I prefer a contactor operated with 24 volts. You can see these systems in this area of the website.
http://www.pumpsandtanks.com/Helpful-Info/

Products and Pricing

Thanks for the help.

I guess I should not have filled the cistern up more than 1/2 way last night to go the submersible route, correct? Won't I have to drain the tank of the 1,500 gals to get the submersible installed? UGH!

The area of the website I went to see the systems has the float float under the water. The float that was installed and is not being used floats on top of the water, similar to how a toilet bowl float is on top of the water in the tank. Do I need to install a 2nd float for the submersible?

If I go with a constant pressure submersible like Grundfos has do I still need the 80 gal pressure tank?

What is the 9 stage, 13 stage, etc referred to on the Grundfos pumps? I can't seem to find that info on the Grundfos website.

I wouldn't think you would have to drain the tank. If you have access through the top, the pump can be lowered into the tank with the pipe you hang it on.

Two floats are needed. The first one keeps the tank full. The second one protects the pump in the event the tank becomes almost empty. One near the top and one near the bottom.

The constant pressure pumps are very expensive and not very reliable. I would stick with the standard Submersible Pump and a Cycle Stop Valve. The valve will give you the constant pressure you want and protect the pump motor as well.

The number of stages is the number of impellers in the pump. More means more pressure, less means less more flow. The BF-1007 is the pump you need.

Products and Pricing

Thanks for the quick reply. Sorry to keep coming up with questions. How is the BF-1007-122 (230v) pump attached to the cistern's outlet which is at the bottom of the tank under the water? And, I am not even sure what size the outlet is. Doesn't the pump screw onto the outlet?

I would drop the pump down into the tank from the top. Unless you have no top access. Then I'm not sure how you would do it. I would have to see the tank.

If you can lower it from the top, you can attach your safety float to the same pipe just above the pump so that when the water level gets down near the pump it will shut off and not nuke itself.

Products and Pricing

Yes, there is top access.

I think I am beginning to understand. The new submersible pump is not going to use existing cistern outlet. I will have to attach a new pipe from the new submersible that will come straight up out of the tank and back down to be attached to the exisitng pipe that goes into the house. Is this correct?

If I want to avoid putting a new pipe up & out of the tank I would then have to drain the tank so I can attach the submersible to the existing cistern outlet, correct.

"The new submersible pump is not going to use existing cistern outlet. I will have to attach a new pipe from the new submersible that will come straight up out of the tank and back down to be attached to the exisitng pipe that goes into the house. Is this correct?"

You've got it. A suitable piece of rated pressure hose would make this easy, or some polyethylene and a couple fittings to lay the pump down and get you out the top.

"If I want to avoid putting a new pipe up & out of the tank I would then have to drain the tank so I can attach the submersible to the existing cistern outlet, correct."

Hopefully you have a full port ball valve on the tank outlet, or ANY valve. Never have a tank without ability to stop flow. You could add the submersible after the valve if you use a pump chamber.