Hi dotty,

What type of pump is it? What kind of head does it need to overcome? Do you use a filter and foot valve for your pump? What size hoses do you use? What is the vertical distance the pump has to pull water? How far vertically and horizontally to where you need the water? You just might be over taxing or under sizing the pump for your needs. What type of material did the old impeller have. The more info the better to understand your situation and pump needs. Aloha

I can't answer your questions. It is an ordinary pump that lives in a pump house just a few inches above the level of the lake. It pumps up about 15 feet max and the lines from the pumphouse to the irrigation are 3 or 4 inches in diameter. The 1.5 hp pump we had would run lots of impact sprinklers in our fields covering an area of about 1 - 1 1/2 acres. Alternately, we would shut that area off and would irrigate around the house. We had lots of pressure and lots of water for years from the original pump. I think that the next pump was a much lighter construction and just gave problems. I really want to know if all pumps are created equal, or are some made of heavier more durable materials? I appreciate your answer and understand that you need to know more. Unfortunately, I can't answer it. My irrigation man has suggested another pump of 1.5 hp that costs about $850. Plus other materials and labour.

Hi dotty,

No, not all pumps are created equal. Please ask the irrigationguy to answer my questions if he is familiar with the pump and the irrigation needs the pump must meet. If you could tell me the number of heads on your largest zone and type of head you are using, I may have a better idea of the pump you may need. 3 to 4" pipe is quite large(which is good) and distributes a large flow with minimal pressure loss. The higher quality comes with a higher price tag. Tell me the type, manufacturer, make, model number and cost of the pump he is suggesting and I can research it for you. The other way is to get a second opinion from a pump supplier or specialist. Three quotes and your boat will float and your remorse will be remote. Aloha

I have used pumps from home depot or lowes. I believe they have plastic impellers. My pump is 2hp. I pump up about 4 ft and then out as far as about 300 ft with a total of 11 heads ( mostly rainbird maxipaws). It works well for me. I have a foot valve in the water with screen around it

Thanks for your responses. We have gone to another company, actually the one we bought the unsatisfactory pump from, and they think they might be able to fix the split in the pump. They say that the plastic impellers should be able to handle the junk in the water, so I think we will give that a try. The pump is a Gould 1.5 hp irrigator pump. I want to get on with getting the lake system hooked up again, we are having a very hot, dry summer.