Author Topic: Misleading Flotec water pump specs at Home Depot  (Read 13361 times)

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(unknown)

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Misleading Flotec water pump specs at Home Depot
« on: June 27, 2005, 04:38:38 PM »
And town trips cost me a $20 bill each time! If TomW moves this posting to "Rants" I won't mind. <grin>


I couldn't ask for help in choosing a pump-- of course at Home Depot the only way to get help from an employee is to visit a store that opened within the last year...these are always filled with helpful and knowledgable employees. After a year in business, and after all the local lumberyards have gone under, you couldn't get customer service at Home Depot with a flare gun and air horn.


I found the pump performance charts on Flotec's store display and the pump's box to be VERY misleading. It also did not specify what design the pump used--had I known it was an impeller pump instead of diaphragm when I saw it, I'd have been more skeptical.


The pump chart gives discharge rates in 6 increments, from 0 to 40 feet of lift. It looked perfect. After I brought it home and read the manual, the manual clearly states: "This pump will lift water 12 feet; trying to lift more than 12 feet will cause the motor to run hot. The motor has a thermal overload which will stop it if it gets too hot. If the motor stops, allow it to cool for 30 minutes before trying to start it again." and another warning that the pump could heat up190 F if lifting over 12 feet.


If it's not rated to lift over 12 feet, why give a pump chart that goes up to 40 feet?????


So, it's basically useless to me, I need to lift 35 feet, for 2 hour stretches at a time. At least Home Depot is good about returns -- and I never even hooked it up to the water system after reading the manual.


ADMIN


PS -- I just ordered a 120VAC diaphragm pump from Backwoods Solar in Sandpoint, ID. Great folks, and I know they'll treat me right. And i know the pump charts in their catalog are not BS!

« Last Edit: June 27, 2005, 04:38:38 PM by (unknown) »

pyrocasto

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Re: Misleading Flotec water pump specs at Home Dep
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2005, 12:03:16 PM »
I know how that feels. Sucks butt dont it.


Hope you have better luck from the backwoods version.

« Last Edit: June 27, 2005, 12:03:16 PM by pyrocasto »

picmacmillan

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Re: Misleading Flotec water pump specs at Home Dep
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2005, 12:17:33 PM »
chris? when i bought my jet pump, there was 2 types..a convertable jet pump and another...oh, crap, cant remember..but the two are almost identical...except for the one i bought will lift water 90'...i just cant remember if it was the convertable jet pump or the other name that i cant think of..also, they have 2 different impellers in them for both types of lifts..you may want to check that also, and make sure it is set to 110 instead of 240, but that is easy to do, with the instructions...hope i didnt confuse you here...pickster
« Last Edit: June 27, 2005, 12:17:33 PM by picmacmillan »

Norm

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water pump specs at Home Depot
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2005, 01:37:09 PM »
   All that free electricity and you haven't

come up with a electric scooter to buzz back n'

forth to town in?

   I guess the Home Depot and recent opening

syndrome (or whatever you call it ) is pretty

typical of all stores...

   ....also the 30 checkout counters and only


  1. open with 15 people in line at each (they have
  2. of the 30 open during Christmas)LOL.


   Too bad the pump isn't water cooled....you could pump water and preheat it all at the same

time!

                   ( :>) Norm.
« Last Edit: June 27, 2005, 01:37:09 PM by Norm »

Lettuce

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Re: Misleading Flotec water pump specs at Home Dep
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2005, 01:46:22 PM »
Lift is the distance from the pump down to the water level.


A maximum "lift" of 12ft means that when the water level of the intake is lower than 12ft it will not be able to "suck" up water anymore.


No regular pump can have a maximum lift of greater than 32ft (approx) Then you need a submersible pump or a jet pump.


Discharge head is the height ABOVE the pump that it can pump water, that is the figure you are looking for. Flow rate at discharge head of 35ft.


-------- +35FT

^

^

^

^

^

^ Discharge head

^

^

^

^

((*)) Pump Zero FT

^

^

^

^

^ Lift

^

^

^

^

--------- -12FT

« Last Edit: June 27, 2005, 01:46:22 PM by Lettuce »

Lettuce

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Re: Misleading Flotec water pump specs at Home Dep
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2005, 01:56:16 PM »
Well!!!!


I just had a look on a few pump sites and some use the "lift" and "head" specs, and some use "suction lift" and "lift"


So my explanation is a load of B.S too!


What Flotec pump did you buy?

« Last Edit: June 27, 2005, 01:56:16 PM by Lettuce »

Gary D

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Misleading Flotec water pump specs at Home Depot
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2005, 03:11:59 PM »
Adding to the confusion is if you plan on using your pump to pressurize the house. The pump would need to be rated for more push(or height) to get 20-40 lbs pressure or 30-60 lbs depending on the pressure tank....  
« Last Edit: June 27, 2005, 03:11:59 PM by Gary D »

ADMIN

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Re: Misleading Flotec water pump specs at Home Dep
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2005, 09:21:15 PM »
Lettuce, you figgered out what I was talking about pretty quick ;~) It was the flotec "Cyclone.' Yeah, they mis-named what should have been named 'discharge head', instead calling it "lift". Anyway, the pump is acutally below the spring by 15 feet, then has to lift 45 feet, for a net of 30. It LOOKED like a positive displacement diaphragm pump from the outside, but turned out to be impeller.


Anyway, I should have bought from a reputable RE dealer to begin with, but since I figgered that I knew exactly what I was talking about and exactly what I needed, that I could figure out what to buy from the store display. Wrong.


ADMIN

« Last Edit: June 27, 2005, 09:21:15 PM by ADMIN »

ADMIN

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Re: Misleading Flotec water pump specs at Home Dep
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2005, 09:27:04 PM »
Oh, and the new pump on the way is a shurflo 2088 series, just like the one that the lightning last month blew up, but 120VAC instead of 12VDC so I can use wind and generator power from the house to pump if needed. The old solar panel is moving to my house system, and the 250 feet of romex is already laid out. Anbd the new pump will be grounded better, too! I'm simply pumping from the spring to the house cistern, the faucet pressure is taken care of by another shurflo pressure pump.

ADMIN
« Last Edit: June 27, 2005, 09:27:04 PM by ADMIN »

bob golding

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Re: Misleading Flotec water pump specs at Home Dep
« Reply #9 on: June 28, 2005, 03:32:02 AM »
hi admin, i know its a bit late  seeing as you already ordered the pump  but i got a shurflo pump at a discount from a  firm selling spraying  equipment to farmers. never had one come back the guy said.


bob golding

« Last Edit: June 28, 2005, 03:32:02 AM by bob golding »
if i cant fix it i can fix it so it cant be fixed.

Lettuce

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Re: Misleading Flotec water pump specs at Home Dep
« Reply #10 on: June 30, 2005, 12:21:59 AM »
You did good.


That Flotec pump also has a warning that pumping over 28ft discharge head "may" cause motor overheating. It is an ideal pump for sucking water up a couple of feet then pumping it a few feet more up into the yard.


A perfect pump for a large hydroponic system as a circulator.


The shurflo pump probably cost a lot more, but it can do the job.


I am using 1/2 HP shallow well pumps for all my water moving needs as they are dirt cheap and electricity here is 3.8cents per KwH.


Yeah, I know, I am wasting energy, but using worn out pumps that would end up in a landfill


I have a DC diaphram pump on the sprayer and it is awesome. All a pump should be (except quiet!)

« Last Edit: June 30, 2005, 12:21:59 AM by Lettuce »

TimV

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Re: Misleading Flotec water pump specs at Home Dep
« Reply #11 on: July 10, 2005, 06:00:07 AM »
3.8 cents per kwh!!!! Where is this place ?? I am moving now!!! Got my "pre payed"(for next winter) fuel oil price and it was $2.38 for a gallon of fuel oil or $2.58 for K Oil !! Thats about 10 cents more than gasoline!
« Last Edit: July 10, 2005, 06:00:07 AM by TimV »

Bustagut

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Re: Misleading Flotec pump specs at Home Depot
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2007, 09:45:48 PM »
I thought I was going to explode from laughing so hard about the Flotec pump and Home Depot service.  So much truth in the Admin's post I almost laughed myself into a heart attack.  I'm having the same problem.  I've got a 60' well and 1-1/2 HP Flotec pump that will only hold 30 psig, which could be even close to what a sprinkler system must need.  I've got a six zone system and can't get any water flowing.
« Last Edit: August 12, 2007, 09:45:48 PM by Bustagut »