What Size of Pump Do I Need To Lift Water 500 Feet?

While we sell multiple pumps that can handle 500’ of lift or more, it’s important to also consider other factors like if you’re pumping into a pressure tank, or if there’s additional lift to the water output from the wellhead. You could end up buying one of our smaller pumps that can do 500’ of lift, but maybe you’d prefer a higher volume of water, so in that case it’d be best to size up a model. The easiest way to work through pump sizing is to talk through some examples, so that’s what we’re going to do today! 

Example 1: Ron has a 520’ 20GPM producing well with water at 470’, and wants to set his pump at 500’. He is pumping into a standard pressure tank by the wellhead with a pressure switch set to 40/60 cut-in/cut-off PSI. He has a two story house, and loves to shower for longer periods of time with no loss in pressure. What’s the best option for him?

Right away I know that a smaller pump isn’t going to work, because you need to ensure the pump can do 500’ of lift PLUS another 60 PSI (140’ equivalent lift) of pressure. If we assume Ron has a standard shower head doing about 2-4 GPM, we’ll need to make sure the pump can handle that plus any other water needs. Outside of homes with large amounts of irrigation, 10 GPM is a fairly standard amount of water to size for. Since we want to still be mindful of price we’d probably send two quotes, one for our 3HP 10RPS30, which at 640’ of Total Dynamic Head is doing about 11.5 GPM, and one for our 2HP 07RPS20, which does closer to 6 GPM with those conditions. In general we’d prefer to size a little higher than necessary to ensure stellar quality, but the final decision will be up to Ron and what he wants to prioritize. 

Example 2: Carl has a pond for stocking fish that he’d like to top up to keep up with evaporation. His pond is a ¼ acre. His well is 300’ deep, but there’s an additional 1000’ run from the well to the pond that has a 250’ elevation gain. If he wants to set the pump at 250’, what type of pump would we suggest for him?

We calculate that a ¼ acre pond will have a maximum evaporation rate of about 3,400 Gallons per day in the heat of summer. Assuming the pump can run 24/7, that’s equivalent to about 2.5 GPM. So we need a pump that can do 500’ of total lift, plus 2.5 GPM. Look no further than the 1HP 05RPS10, which at 500’ of lift runs at 3.5 GPM. Another factor to keep in mind with long runs like this is frictional loss (the reduction of pressure over long pipe runs), but 3.5 GPM is such low flow that as long as you stay at 1” line or above you’ll be fine. For this project you also may want some sort of cut-off for when water elevation is adequate; you could either use a mechanical float valve with a pressure switch and check valves to shut off the pump, or a wireless shut-off if there’s a clear line of sight from the pond to the wellhead. This pump will be Carl’s best option, so there’d be no need to explore other pumps. 

Example 3: Antonio is pumping from a pond to another pond, a 1500’ run with a 500’ elevation change. He wants to know what the maximum volume he can get per day with a 1.5” line that is already present. He doesn’t want to upgrade his line as that would be too expensive. What would we suggest?

If we’re trying to maximize volume over a 1500’ run with 1.5” piping, we will need to be mindful of PSI losses. Our highest volume pump that can handle 500’ of lift is the 5HP 25RPS50. This submersible pump can be placed directly in the pond, it just needs to be submerged in such a way that it is not submerged in the pond muck. Normally at 500’ of lift the pump does 30 GPM, but if using 1.5” piping the pressure losses add up to about 48PSI, equivalent to about 110’ extra feet of lift. That would reduce GPM to 27. Normally we wouldn’t recommend pushing water through 1.5” piping at this volume and length due to the PSI losses, but since this pump can handle the additional head, and Antonio is worried about the price constraints of upsizing his piping diameter, there shouldn’t be any issues. 

As you can see, there is no one size fits all solution when it comes to pumping water. By listening to each individual’s project needs, you can create an understanding of their priorities, both in terms of technicality and in terms of price or any other worry. That’s what sets us apart from other manufacturers, we take the time to listen to your needs without trying to sell the largest pump possible. Our technicians try to explain our thought process, boiling down lots of different factors into simple ideas. If you have more questions about our pumps, quality, and customer care, please call us at 855-560-5670, or email us at [email protected]. We hope to hear from you soon, but until then have a great day!